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Exploring the Development of Wild Microbiomes in the Eastern Fence Lizard
Michael S Grapin1, Justin Wright2, Jeremy Chen See2
1Biology, Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, USA.
Environmental Microbiology Reports
|July 28, 2026
Summary
The Eastern Fence Lizard gut microbiome shifts from simple pioneer bacteria in juveniles to diverse, stable communities in adults, reflecting dietary changes and enhancing host health.
Area of Science:
- Microbial ecology
- Herpetology
- Zoology
Background:
- Gut microbiota are crucial for host metabolic processes and overall health.
- Understanding reptilian gut microbiomes is essential for ecological studies.
- Host-symbiote interactions influence host organismal well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the natural variation in gut bacterial diversity in Eastern Fence Lizards (Sceloporus undulatus).
- To investigate how the gut microbiome changes with age and diet in wild lizards.
- To understand the ecological dynamics of reptilian microbiomes.
Main Methods:
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to profile bacterial communities.
- Faecal samples were collected from wild Eastern Fence Lizards.
- Samples were analyzed across four age groups and four distinct time points.
Main Results:
- Juvenile lizards showed a simple microbiome dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Proteobacteria.
- Microbiome complexity increased rapidly within a month, approaching adult levels.
- Adult lizards exhibited a diverse microbiome with taxa like Caproiciproducens, Eubacterium, Fusobacterium, and Roseburia, reflecting dietary shifts.
- Environmental bacteria like Mycobacterium and Pantoea were observed in young lizards.
Conclusions:
- The Eastern Fence Lizard gut microbiome undergoes significant successional changes from youth to adulthood.
- Dietary shifts from maternal nutrients and early prey to arthropod-based diets drive microbiome development.
- As lizards mature, their gut microbiomes become more stable, resilient, and functionally redundant.
- This study provides insights into the ecological complexity and developmental dynamics of reptilian gut microbiomes.
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