Neurobiology of Chameleons

[ChameSecret]

Hey everyone,

So I had a chameleon pass away recently from what we believe was a stroke and since then I have been on this kick to understand the chameleon brain. Are there any review articles that examine chameleon neurobiology/neuroanatomy, perhaps with an emphasis on the CNS? I have been all up and down PubMed (mostly Gadi Katzer and of course Chris Anderson) but nothing's quite scratching that itch. I understand they're not as popular a model organism as mice or flies or chicks, but someone's gotta understand something about the critters. Any help is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

 

[ChameSecret]

Also interested in books, book chapters, and interesting PNS articles; I will take anything I can get as long as it's good research.

 

[Decadancin]

You may want to see if there are any studies about birds. It isn't exactly the same, but there are similarities.

 

[Chris Anderson]

Unfortunately there isn't a ton of work out there. I briefly summarized the neural anatomy in my "Chameleon Anatomy" chapter in "The Biology of Chameleons", and there is a section on Neurophysiology in the "Chameleon Physiology" chapter of the same book. Here are a few additional references to relevant works as well:

Bergquist, H. (1952). Studies on the cerebral tube in vertebrates. The neuromeres. Acta Zoologica Stockholm 33, 117–187.
Dart, R. A. (1934). The dual structure of the neopallium: its history and significance. J. Anat. 69, 3–19.
Goldby, F. and Gamble, H. J. (1957). The reptilian cerebral hemispheres. Biol. Rev. 32, 383–420.
Källén, B. (1951). Contributions to the knowledge of the medial wall of the reptilian forebrain. Acta Anatomy 13, 90–100.
Källén, B. (1951). On the ontogeny of the reptilian forebrain. Nuclear structures and ventricular sulci. J. Comp. Neurol. 95, 307–347.
Northcutt, R. G. (1978). Forebrain and midbrain organization in lizards and its phylogenetic significance. In Behavior and neurology of lizards (eds. Greenberg, N. and Maclean, P. D., pp. 11–64. Rockville: National Institute of Mental Health.
Senn, D. G. and Northcutt, R. G. (1973). The forebrain and midbrain of some squamates and their bearing on the origin of snakes. J. Morphol. 140, 135–152.
Shanklin, W. M. (1930). The central nervous system of Chameleon vulgaris. Acta Zoologica Stockholm 11, 425–490.
Shanklin, W. M. (1933). The comparative neurology of the nucleus opticus tegmenti with special reference to Chameleon vulgaris. Acta Zoologica Stockholm 14, 163–184.
Stefanelli, A. (1941). I centri motori dell occhio e le loro connessioni nel Chamaeleon vulgaris con riferimenti comparativi in altri rettili. Arch. Ital. Anat. Embrion. Firenze 45, 360–412.

Chris

 

[ChameSecret]

Unfortunately there isn't a ton of work out there. I briefly summarized the neural anatomy in my "Chameleon Anatomy" chapter in "The Biology of Chameleons", and there is a section on Neurophysiology in the "Chameleon Physiology" chapter of the same book. Here are a few additional references to relevant works as well:

Bergquist, H. (1952). Studies on the cerebral tube in vertebrates. The neuromeres. Acta Zoologica Stockholm 33, 117–187.
Dart, R. A. (1934). The dual structure of the neopallium: its history and significance. J. Anat. 69, 3–19.
Goldby, F. and Gamble, H. J. (1957). The reptilian cerebral hemispheres. Biol. Rev. 32, 383–420.
Källén, B. (1951). Contributions to the knowledge of the medial wall of the reptilian forebrain. Acta Anatomy 13, 90–100.
Källén, B. (1951). On the ontogeny of the reptilian forebrain. Nuclear structures and ventricular sulci. J. Comp. Neurol. 95, 307–347.
Northcutt, R. G. (1978). Forebrain and midbrain organization in lizards and its phylogenetic significance. In Behavior and neurology of lizards (eds. Greenberg, N. and Maclean, P. D., pp. 11–64. Rockville: National Institute of Mental Health.
Senn, D. G. and Northcutt, R. G. (1973). The forebrain and midbrain of some squamates and their bearing on the origin of snakes. J. Morphol. 140, 135–152.
Shanklin, W. M. (1930). The central nervous system of Chameleon vulgaris. Acta Zoologica Stockholm 11, 425–490.
Shanklin, W. M. (1933). The comparative neurology of the nucleus opticus tegmenti with special reference to Chameleon vulgaris. Acta Zoologica Stockholm 14, 163–184.
Stefanelli, A. (1941). I centri motori dell occhio e le loro connessioni nel Chamaeleon vulgaris con riferimenti comparativi in altri rettili. Arch. Ital. Anat. Embrion. Firenze 45, 360–412.

Chris

These look great, I'll begin tracking down these articles right away. Thanks!

 

[ChameLIonLover]

Hi @Chris Anderson,
I'm curious if there are any universities that you know that currently study chameleon behavior, physiological processes, anything of that sort?

 

[Lennoncham]

Hi @Chris Anderson,
I'm curious if there are any universities that you know that currently study chameleon behavior, physiological processes, anything of that sort?

Not exactly what you were looking for but I found these.

http://www.ridgetownc.uoguelph.ca/current/jobs.cfm?Action=details&ID=3974

https://news.brown.edu/articles/2016/01/chameleon

 

[Chris Anderson]

Hi @Chris Anderson,
I'm curious if there are any universities that you know that currently study chameleon behavior, physiological processes, anything of that sort?

Yeah, there are a few. Some labs focus more on chameleons than others, and in some cases, its just a single graduate student working on a project with them, but not really a focus in the lab. Some of that work is done at undergraduate only institutions, while other labs working on chameleons have graduate programs, etc. It really just depends on what you're looking for information on. My lab works a lot with chameleons, including studies on biomechanics, physiology, behavioral ecology, etc. There are definitely others though if you have something specific you're looking for?

Chris