The study of nasal gland secretions in the lizard Uromastix loricatus (Agamidae: Reptilia) in Iran

摘要

The excretory response of nasal salt glands of the Uromastixs loricatus, from southernIran has been investigated following injections treatment of KCl, NaCl, potassiumacetate, sodium acetate and histidine chloride. This lizard like other herbivorouslizards, effectively eliminates the extra electrolytes load. Some herbivorous reptilesspecies, such as some lizards possess a pair active nasal salt gland which exude theextra ions from blood plasma. In order to prove this, Uromastixs loricatus exposed tothe mentioned treatments.These experimental works indicated that nasal salt gland isable to secret a big part of the injected electrolytes. Prior to salt injection to lizards, alittle amount of salt eliminated by nasal glands, and high percent of ions waseliminated in urine by cloaca. After injecting sodium chloride,potassium chloride andother treatments to animals, the rate of salt in blood plasma increased, and the nasalglands excreted a considerable percent of increased ions, included Na+, K+ and Cl-, andlow percent of salt was excreted by cloaca.