Thyroid and skin‐shedding in the rat snake (Ptyas korros)
- 1 March 1983
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Experimental Zoology
- Vol. 225 (3) , 407-410
- https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.1402250308
Abstract
Epidermal‐thyroid relationships were studied in thyroidec‐tomized (;Tx) Ptyas korros kept at 23°C by observing changes in shedding frequency (;SF), body weight, oxygen consumption rate (;OCR), and postsurgical survival. Tx animals showed increased SFs but lost weight and eventually died, as did Tx animals receiving 3‐mono‐iodotyrosine injections. However, injections of 3, 5‐diiodothyronine inhibited shedding and the animals survived longer. OCRs were similar in all control and experimental groups. It is concluded that among thyroid secretions, only iodothyronines inhibit shedding. Snake shedding is concluded not to reflect general metabolic status as it does in lizards.This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
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