Convergence is the phenomenon whereby similar phenotypes evolve independently in
different lineages. One example is resistance to toxins in animals. Toxins have evolved …

Acute and chronic animal models of exercise are commonly used in research. Acute
exercise testing is used, often in combination with genetic, pharmacological, or other …

Monitor lizards are unique among ectothermic reptiles in that they have high aerobic
capacity and distinctive cardiovascular physiology resembling that of endothermic …

Some vertebrates evolved to have a remarkable capacity for anatomical and physiological
plasticity in response to environmental challenges. One example of such plasticity can be …

Constricting pythons, known for their ability to consume infrequent, massive meals, exhibit
rapid and reversible cardiac hypertrophy following feeding. Our primary goal was to …

The gut and brain are constantly communicating and influencing each other through neural,
endocrine and immune signals in an interaction referred to as the gut–brain axis. Within this …

The Burmese python, one of the world's largest snakes, has reached celebrity status for its
dramatic physiological responses associated with digestion of enormous meals. The meals …

Non-traditional animal models present an opportunity to discover novel biology that has
evolved to allow such animals to survive in extreme environments. One striking example is …

A chambered heart is common to all vertebrates, but reptiles show unparalleled variation in
ventricular septation, ranging from almost absent in tuataras to full in crocodilians. Because …

As an opportunistic predator, the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) consumes
large and infrequent meals, fasting for up to a year. Upon consuming a large meal, the …