User:Knowl8dge/Draftarticlesherpetology

User:Abbieloring/sandbox.group.herpetologist

Week 11, 12, and 13 Final Draft
Axolotl

Introduction
The last sentence of the Introduction paragraph needed to be updated and edited, including a citation:

Mexico City began a refuge project on conserving axolotls by building "axolotl shelters" to preserve the remaining and potential habitats, although this project was retired. (I cannot include the exact citation of this information because Wikipedia is claiming that this cite is on their "blacklist").

-I have decided not to include this section and remove it from the page because there is not a reliable source. But I plan to include the Axolotl's gills image in the description section of the Wikipedia page.

Surveys in 1998, 2003, and 2008 found 6,000, 1,000, and 100 axolotls per square kilometer in its Lake Xochimilco habitat, respectively. A four-month-long search in 2013, however, turned up no surviving individuals in the wild. Just a month later, two wild ones were spotted in a network of canals leading from Xochimilco.

- I think this section should be moved to the habit and ecology section

Description
Axolotls possess features typical of salamander larvae, including external gills and a caudal fin extending from behind the head to the vent. External gills are usually lost when when salamander species mature into adulthood, although the Axolotl maintains this feature. This is due to their neoteny evolution, where Axolotls are much more aquatic than other salamander species.

The external gill rami are lined with filaments (fimbriae) to increase surface area for gas exchange. Four gill slits lined with gill rakers are hidden underneath the external gills, which prevent food from entering and allows particles to filter through.

External gills are used for respiration, although buccal pumping (gulping air from the surface) may also be used to provide oxygen to their lungs. Buccal pumping can occur in a two-stroke manner that pumps air from the mouth to the lungs, and with four-stroke that reverses this pathway with compression forces.

-I plan to include these paragraphs and buccal pumping image to the Wiki page.

Habitat and Ecology
The axolotl is only native to the fresh water of Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in the Valley of Mexico.

- I included the specification of "fresh water" to this sentence.

The water temperature in Xochimilco rarely rises above 20 °C (68 °F), though it may fall between 6 and 7 °C in the winter, and perhaps lower.

- I will post these sentences with the added citation to the page.

Use as Model Organism
I have decided to include neoteny as a subheading section of use as model organism and suggest that it be arranged this way in the Axolotl page. I have included bolded text that is my edited contribution to the section, and the rearranged information regarding the neoteny experiments.

- This edit was posted to the talk page.

-- I also think the image in the Wikipedia page "Axolotl in captivity" page should be moved to use as model organism section so I could include the lake image under habitat and ecology.

Neoteny
Main article: Neoteny

Axolotls exhibit neoteny, meaning that they reach sexual maturity without undergoing metamorphosis. Many species within the axolotl's genus are either entirely neotenic or have neotenic populations. In the axolotl, metamorphic failure is caused by a lack of thyroid stimulating hormone, which is used to induce the thyroid to produce thyroxine in transforming salamanders. '''The genes responsible for neoteny in laboratory animals may have been identified; however, they are not linked in wild populations, suggesting artificial selection is the cause of complete neoteny in laboratory and pet axolotls. '''

Six adult axolotls (including a leucistic specimen) were shipped from Mexico City to the Jardin des Plantes in Paris in 1863. Unaware of their neoteny, Auguste Duméril was surprised when, instead of the axolotl, he found in the vivarium a new species, similar to the salamander.[French language verification needed] This discovery was the starting point of research about neoteny. It is not certain that Ambystoma velasci specimens were not included in the original shipment.[citation needed]. '''Vilem Laufberger in Prague used thyroid hormone injections to induce an axolotl to grow into a terrestrial adult salamander. The experiment was repeated by Englishman Julian Huxley, who was unaware the experiment had already been done, using ground thyroids. Since then, experiments have been done often with injections of iodine or various thyroid hormones used to induce metamorphosis. 

Draft Peer Reviews Comments
I have read through the commentary and peer reviews on my first draft and here is what I am planning to do:


 * Fix the citation for the external gills (Dr. Schutz). I have no idea why it cited like this, I will need to go and find the source and re-cite.
 * I will edit the citations so there are no repeats.
 * I plan on adding to the introduction section, I just did not get a chance to do so yet.
 * I was searching buccal pumping on Wikimedia but I was unsure of whether or not I should use the image (Thank you Dr. Schutz). I will add this to the section.
 * I included the image of Lake Xochimilco because I wanted to contribute an image to this habitat section, and felt like the article would seem more rounded with it included. It doesn't necessarily stand out as something that is crucial, but I felt like it didn't hurt to add it.
 * I will fix grammatical issues and typos.
 * I plan to add more about Axolotl development in the use as model organism section.
 * I received a comment regarding the Neoteny section and adding an image is on the list of things to do. I am confused on a comment about the section being "too detailed". I will go over and see if it needs to be simplified.

Axolotl
Axolotl

Sources and edits needed:


 * Needed citation in the description section for gas exchange in the gills. I think these sources would cover the citation needed.
 * External gills - Wikipedia.


 * This source discusses development in the Mexican Axolotl.
 * https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/18.2.195


 * Habitat and Ecology section needs citation to first paragraph on lake temperatures from where Axolotl's are native to.
 * This section also needs a citation for Mexican tiger salamanders


 * Amphibian - Wikipedia


 * There is a citation needed in the Habitat and Ecology section regarding terrestrial Mexican tiger salamanders living in the Axolotl habitat.
 * Tiger salamander - Wikipedia.


 * There is a citation needed to reference respiration and buccal pumping (can't seem to find a source quite yet).
 * Neoteny section is lacking a citation for artificial selection..."suggesting artificial selection is the cause of complete neoteny in laboratory and pet axolotls.[citation needed]"
 * I believe that this section is lacking information and this source may contribute some more information about neoteny and artificial selection in the laboratory.
 * https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2003-0913

Axolotl Draft Outline Week 6
Axolotl

Introduction
(not edited yet)

Description
Axolotls possess features typical of salamander larvae, including external gills and a caudal fin extending from behind the head to the vent.

- After this section I would like to add: "External gills are usually lost when when salamander species mature into adulthood, although the Axolotl maintains this feature."

The external gill rami are lined with filaments (fimbriae) to increase surface area for gas exchange. Four gill slits lined with gill rakers are hidden underneath the external gills.

- Following this I would like to add: "which prevent food from entering and allows for particles to filter through."

External gills are used for respiration, although buccal pumping (gulping air from the surface) may also be used to provide oxygen to their lungs. - I would like to elaborate on buccal pumping and include: "Buccal pumping can occur in a two-stroke manner that pumps air from the mouth to the lungs, and with four-stroke that reverses this pathway with compression forces."

Habitat and Ecology
The axolotl is only native to "the fresh water" Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in the Valley of Mexico.

-I want to add that Axolotls are native to fresh water, shown in quotations.

The water temperature in Xochimilco rarely rises above 20 °C (68 °F), though it may fall between 6 and 7 °C in the winter, and perhaps lower.

Neoteny
I have found a source following the sentence:

-The genes responsible for neoteny in laboratory animals may have been identified; however, they are not linked in wild populations, suggesting artificial selection is the cause of complete neoteny in laboratory and pet axolotls.

I think the second section of "use as model organism" should moved following this first paragraph in neoteny, since it relates to metamorphosis and artificial selection. I have also included a citation:

-Vilem Laufberger in Prague used thyroid hormone injections to induce an axolotl to grow into a terrestrial adult salamander. The experiment was repeated by Englishman Julian Huxley, who was unaware the experiment had already been done, using ground thyroids. Since then, experiments have been done often with injections of iodine or various thyroid hormones used to induce metamorphosis.

Use as a model organism
The paragraph mentioned above has been moved to the neoteny section. I would like to include here more information in the third paragraph section regarding the development of Axolotls and how that makes them ideal model organisms:

-

Shark anatomy
Shark anatomy

Sources:


 * Fish anatomy
 * Shark
 * Evolution of fish
 * Government of Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Statistical Services (2016-12-19). "Shark anatomy". www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
 * A citation is needed in the Respiratory System section, in the last sentence of the first paragraph. Bottom-dwelling sharks such as the Angel shark use spiracles to take in water for breathing. Rays use spiracles to pump water over the gills for oxygen. (This is what I had suggested in my main sandbox).
 * Skeleton section: This is lacking some information, particularly where it says "They belong to the class of Chondrichthyes." I think this is a great place to add some evolutionary history and comparisons of Shark species.
 * Chondrichthyes - Wikipedia
 * https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12826

Cat anatomy
Cat anatomy

Sources: