zoo VIEW Herpetological Review, 2004, 35(3), 220-223. ? 2004 by Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Count de Lacep?de: Renaissance Zoo Man JAMES B. MURPHY Department ofHerpetology, Smithsonian National Zoological Park 3001 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington DC 20008, USA e-mail: jbmurphyl @juno. com and GHISLAINE ILIFF 6151 Laguna Court, Long Beach, California 90803, USA e-mail: ghis.deb@verizon.net "IF DESTINY BRINGS YOU TO THE FAR END OF THE GLOBE, NATURE WILL SURROUND YOU CONSTANTLY WITH ITS PRODUCTION, ITS PHENOMENON, AND MARVELS. DO NOT EVER RENOUNCE GOING TO THE PUREST OF ALL SOURCES." "WHEN SCIENCE WILL HAVE SPREAD ITS DOMAIN, MAN WILL INTERROGATE NA- TURE IN THE NAME OF TIME AND TIME IN THE NAME OF NATURE. So MANY FERTILE COMPARISONS WILL COME TO MIND." BERNARD-GERMAIN-ETIENNE DE LA VILLE-SUR-ILLON, COMPTE DE LACEP?DE (1798 AND 1800) "THE CUBE, INDEED A STRAIGHT LINE OF ANY KIND, IS UNBIOLOGICAL." HEINI HEDIGER (1970:21) ON ARTIFICIAL SHAPES SUCH AS CUBICAL CAGES IN zoos Carl Hagenbeck (1844?1913) opened his Tierpark at Stellingen, Germany in 1907 and developed the first exhibits without bars for zoos (Kreger 2001; Reichenbach 1996). He served as a design consultant for zoos throughout the world and his philosophies are incorporated even today when new animal displays are planned. In the zoo and aquarium community, the Hagenbeck name is as- sociated with naturalistic exhibitry and there is a perception that he was the first to envision a zoo without bars, nestled in a natu- ralistic setting. In real- ity, over a century ear- lier, Bernard-Germain- Etienne de la Ville-sur- Illon, Compte de Lacep?de' (1756- 1825; Fig. 1), the French naturalist known for his herpeto- logical work, pub- lished several seminal papers on zoo history, philosophy, and design that discussed open ex- hibits and spaces. These publications are virtually unknown. To give Count de Lacep?de the recogni- tion he deserves, we have translated por- suuMnvy. FIG. 1. Portrait of Count de Lacep?de. Courtesy of Kraig Adler. lions of his papers from French to show how enlightened he was at the beginning of the nineteenth century. It is interesting that zoo managers struggle today to grasp and implement concepts identi- fied by Lacep?de so long ago. Lacep?de was disturbed by the way animals had been treated in the past and how little proper care had improved. He wrote, "It is only very recently that liberty and reason have started to reign over a part of Europe; almost all the menageries that we see on that portion of the globe are still similar to those of the Roman despots. . . . They counted among the attributes of the empire, those narrow edifices, those tight lodges where they are kept, mutilated, degraded, denatured." Lacep?de had a clear idea of the proper mission of zoos and the three roles that these institutions should play: "Three objects are the principal aim of an establishment. The first is to satisfy the curiosity of the public by giving an easy and durable instruction without seeming so to show the habits of animals, to portray the species that Pliny, Linn?, and Buffon transmitted to us, to substi- tute the attitudes of constraint to movements with a sort of inde- pendence. The second of those three objectives is to give to the naturalist the true means to perfect zoology by means of the me- nageries, and the third, to serve society most directly by acclima- tizing wild animals reclaimed from the wild." An important point here is that Lacep?de understood that zoo visitors could have a pleasant experience and learn something about animals in a non- threatening way. The choice of the words ". . . to serve society most directly by acclimatizing wild animals reclaimed from the wild" and "greatest utility for man" used below suggests that he was an early thinker about the notion that zoos could be used as acclimatization facilities for wild species that might be domesti- cated or tamed and be of some "utilitarian" use for humans. The world's first acclimatization society was the Soci?t? Zoologique d'Acclimatation, founded in Paris in 1854 (Gillbank 1996). The founding president was Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, professor of zoology at the Mus?um national d'histoire naturelle and direc- tor of the M?nagerie (created in 1793). In 1860 Isidore and his son, Albert Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, opened Jardin Zoologique d'Acclimatation, west of Paris (Osborne 1996). With reptiles, Henry Fitch (1980) warned captive managers about changes in- duced by captivity: "Thus, captivity will result in intensive selec- tion, molding the animal in a manner quite different from that followed in its natural environment. The final product will be an animal much better adapted to live in close association with hu- mans, in the home or laboratory, but less well adapted for life under natural conditions." Clearly, the effects of captivity on am- phibians and reptiles, especially when reintroductions or other in- terventions are considered, need to be carefully investigated be- forehand (see Chiszar et al. 1993; Dodd and Seigel 1991). Lacep?de was associated with La M?nagerie at the Mus?um. Most herpetologists are familiar with Lacep?de's name through his monumental tome which was the first to cover amphibians and reptiles of the world, "Histoire Naturelle des Quadrup?des Ovipares et des Serpens," published in 1788-1789. Based in part on his experiences at the M?nagerie, he formulated a plan for the ideal menagerie: "One will be able to compare this enormous menagerie with the outdoors where the different animal species enjoy all the liberty that it is possible to give them without danger for the numerous spectators, who are also often imprudent, where 220 Herpetological Review 35(3), 2004 they will find a roof and care and where living among plants and trees of their country, shaded at least by vegetation as similar as that that can be found in their country, where they can play and their movement unimpeded, where they do not feel the exile nor the lack of their independence, where they will present to the ob- server the true picture of what they are like in their environment in the most remote countries of the globe." Lacep?de understood the integration of scientific inquiry into the operations of a zoo, as made clear by several selected passages in his 1801 publications: "It is through the help of such menager- ies that we will be able to create the science of animal physiog- nomy more real than that of human physiognomy because their pantomime does not express ideas and only depicts sensation and not ever being altered by pretenses is simpler, stronger, and truer." He continues.. ."The more or less great sensibility to the climatic conditions, to the different elements, the odor, the color, the sono- rous impression, the mode of breeding, the time of the pregnancy, the duration of incubation, etc. . ." It is important to remember that the science of ethology did not exist at that time. What is also remarkable is that he understood how observations on behavior, reproduction, nutritional needs, and longevity could be accom- plished in a zoo, for he said "... Let us keep species which can be of the greatest utility for man and let us give them wide living quarters, durable and best suited for their habits so that they can be observed fruitfully so that one can find the most adaptable nour- ishment which is most suited to their organs. Also, so that one can find their breeding habits, the number of their litter, the nature of their affection, the violence of their appetite, the length of their life span." Interestingly, Nobel laureate Konrad Lorenz reinforced Lacep?de's vision a century and a half later (1952:73): "By keep- ing a living thing in the scientific sense we understand the attempt to let its whole life cycle be performed before our eyes within the narrower or wider confines of captivity." Zoo workers should maximize the utility of their living collec- tions by preserving specimens upon death and placing them in a suitable depository. Lacep?de addresses this issue: "When an ani- mal dies, it is immediately brought to the laboratory of anatomy. There the skin is taken and sent to the laboratory of zoology where the professor has it mounted if it is not yet on exhibit. Then we prepare the pan, and we put in one pan all the fleshy parts which one intends to preserve. We do not even neglect to look if there is not in the body of the animal some intestinal worms, which could Li: MONDi: II.USTll? /ooaaAi. acaftOKASAiaz FIG. 2. Undated illustration, possibly around mid-1870s, of interior of reptile building at La M?nagerie Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Credit: pro- vided by Jean-Luc Berthier, Jardin des Plantes Archives. FIG. 4. Cover of "Le Monde Illustr?" published 24 October 1874 show- ing reptile display and inhabitants at La M?nagerie Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Courtesy of Jean-Luc Berthier, Jardin des Plantes Archives. lead to new observations." In this passage, Lacep?de offers sug- gestions to the zoo pathologist as well. According to Kirchshofer (1968:288), Max Schmidt, a veterinarian and director of the Frank- furt Zoo from 1859 to 1885, "initiated the post mortems (sic) on zoo animals." Consider how stunning Lacep?de's ideal zoo would be if it were ever actualized in totality: "The garden spreads over a surface which is rectangular and measures more or less thirty-six acres and offers a few elevations. Two little artificial rivers cross the terrain for all its length and end in a series of little lakes of irregu- lar contours. Between the two sinuous little rivers an elevated path is used by the visitors; on each side of the bed of the double river the terrain rises slightly and irregularly and is provided with small hills and rocks. The park is planted with trees and appropriate bushes. Some parts are covered with sand. The slopes are divided in several enclosures of irregular dimensions surrounded by fences which go down to the water and are hidden by vegetation. The river is enlarged in front of those enclosures to allow animals to bathe and the edge is a little inclined in order to facilitate their access to the water The night lodges for carnivores are hidden by rocks. For most of the species shelters are provided. The bird cages Herpetological Review 35(3), 2004 221 are spacious and contain small trees and artificial rocks. There are lakes for fishes, aquatic turtles, sea lions, and especially aquatic birds, which are also allowed on certain parts of the rivers. Place is even provided for the breeding of worms and mollusks. The zoological park so conceived is not an accumulation of build- ings or birdcages or cages with bars but it constitutes a true scen- ery. The plantations offer plenty of natural habitats of most of these exhibited animals. As much as possible one will use as enclosures natural obstacles, among others, a combination of water surface and of different levels, for instance, an elevated path. Thanks to the sloping terrain the animals are not in moats but are the same level or almost the same level as the spectators." The Count iden- tified an important issue relevant to zoo herpetologists. Presently, many zoo administrators are enamored with the rare and expen- sive - the so-called charismatic mega-vertebrates - so places for breeding worms and mollusks are rarely incorporated into master plans; amphibians and reptiles suffer the same fate. To prove this point, consider how few new herpetological facilities are being planned or significant resources directed into herpetological pro- grams. Accordingly, there is a disturbing trend for building un- imaginative and uninspiring Zoogeographie exhibits with an oc- casional python, crocodilian, giant tortoise, or large lizard added as an afterthought. Retired director William Conway from the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York published a thought- provoking paper (1968, 1973) suggesting that the common bull- frog-widespread, small, inexpensive and ectothermic- can en- lighten and educate the visitor very effectively. Today, a bullfrog display could be used as the perfect example to highlight amphib- ian biology, decline of amphibian populations worldwide, and the danger of introducing alien species. Unfortunately, zoo herpetolo- gists have been rather ineffective in convincing their superiors that amphibians and reptiles are incredibly interesting and deserve a prominent place within the zoological garden or aquarium. Lacep?de was unable to implement his ideas, owing to the un- stable political climate during the French Revolution and the lack of funds (Van den bergh 1962). His plans for outdoor displays at the M?nagerie in Paris would have been suitable for some Tem- perate Zone animals, including amphibians and reptiles, but ex- otic taxa require indoor exhibits with stable temperatures. During 1870-1874, a reptile building with a pavilion and two large center exhibition halls was constructed (Figs. 2-3). This beautiful edi- fice exists today, still used as a reptile building. Biographies of Lacep?de, appointed the Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honor by Napoleon, are available (Adler 1989; Van den bergh 1962). Acknowledgments.?This publication is dedicated to Warren Iliff, who throughout his professional career has strived to build the ideal zoo and aquarium. Kraig Adler, Judith Block, Jon Coote, Lucian Heichler, Robert Hoage, and Ken Kawata reviewed early drafts of the manuscript. Jean- Luc Berthier provided illustrations from the Archives of the M?nagerie Jardin des Plantes. Smithsonian National Zoological Park Librarian Alvin Hutchinson was instrumental in locating important historical documents. Leslie Overstreet and Daria Wingreen from the Smithsonian Institution Special Collections Department from the Joseph F. CuUman 3rd Library of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution Special Collections Depart- ment) allowed access to the extensive Lacep?de collection. Footnote: 'We follow Adler ( 1989) in spelling Lacep?de without the acute accent on the first e. LITERATURE CITED ADLER, K. 1989. Herpetologists of the past. In K. Adler (ed.), Contribu- tions to the History of Herpetology, pp. 5-141. SSAR Contrib. Herpetol. 5, Oxford, Ohio. CHISZAR, D., J. B. MURPHY, AND H. M. SMITH. 1993. In search of zoo-academic collaborations: a research agenda for the 1990's. Herpetologica 49:488-500. CONWAY, W. 1968. How to exhibit a bullfrog: a bed-time story for zoo men. Curator 11:310-318. . 1973. How to exhibit a bullfrog: a bed-time story for zoo men. Inter. Zoo Yearb. 13:221-226. DoDD, C. K. JR., AND R. A. SEIGEL. 1991. Relocation, repatriation and translocation of amphibians and reptiles: Are they conservation strate- gies that work? Herpetologica 47:336-350. FITCH, H. S. 1980. Reproductive strategies in reptiles. In J. B. Murphy and J. T. Collins (eds.). Reproductive Biology and Diseases of Captive Reptiles, pp. 25-31. SSAR Contrib. Herpetol. 1, Lawrence, Kansas. GiLLBANK, L. 1996. A paradox of purposes. Acclimatization origins of the Melbourne Zoo. In R. J. Hoage, and W. A. Deiss (eds.). New Worlds, New Animals. From Menagerie to Zoological Park in the Nineteenth Century, pp. 73-85. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London. HEDIGER, H. 1970. Man and Animal in the Zoo: Zoo Biology. Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, [translated by Gwynne Vevers and Winwood Reade]. KiRCHSHOFER, R. (ed.). 1968. The World of Zoos. The Viking Press, New York, [translated by Hilda Morris]. KREGER, M. D. 2001. Hagenbeck, Cari, Jr. 1844-1913. In C. E. Bell (ed.), Encyclopedia of the World's Zoos, pp. 535-537. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago and London. LACEP?DE, B.-G.-E. 1798. Discours de cl?ture du cours de zoologie; Oeuvres de L. (1833) 1.1, pp. 23-37. (Closing lecture of zoology course; L.'s works (1833), Part 1, pp. 23-27). . 1800. Discours de cl?ture du cours de zoologie; Oeuvres de L. (1833) t.l, p. 67-75. (Closing lecture of zoology course; L.'s works (1833), Part 1, pp. 67-75). . 1800. Discours sur la dur?e des species; Oeuvres de L. (1833) t.l, 141-154. (Lecture aboutthelifeexpectancy of species; L.'s works (1833), Part 1, pp. 141-154). . 1801. La M?nagerie du Mus?um national d'histoire naturelle; ou. Les animaux vivants, peints d'apr?s nature, sur v?lin, par le citoyen Mar?chal, et grav?s au Jardin de plantes, avec l'agr?ment de l'Administration, par le citoyen Migen Avec une note descriptive et historique pour chaque animal, par les citoyens Lacep?de et Cuvier (The Menagerie of the National Museum of Natural History or its Liv- ing Animals Painted from Nature on Velin by Citizen Mar?chal, a painter of the Museum and Engraved in the "Jardin des Plantes" with Agree- ment of the Administration by Citizen Miger, Engraver and Member of the Royal Academy of Paintings, with a Description and Historical Note by the Citizens Lacep?de and Cuvier). Miger, Paris, [descriptions and striking drawings of camel, polar bear, ostrich, cassowary, lion, elephant, gazelle, panther, hyena, brown bear, guenon, civet, quagga, zebu, agouti, Egyptian goose, serval, mandrill, ring-tailed lemur, dol- phin, tiger, axis deer, rhinoceros, llama, zebra, genet, and others.]. . 1801. Discours sur les ?tablissements publics destin?s ? renfermer des animaux vivants, et connus sous le nom de m?nageries; r?impr. dans Oeuvres de L. (1833), t. 1, 106-111. (Lecture about the public installations intended to confine living animals, and known by the name of menageries; reprinted in L.'s works (1833), Part 1, pp. 106-111). . 1833. Oeuvres du compte de Lacep?de, comprenant l'hist. nat. des quadrup?des ovipares, etc. Nile ?d. Dirig?e par A.-G. Desmarest, 5t. (Brussels: Lejeune). (Works by the Count de Lacep?de, Compris- ing the Natural History of the Oviparous Quadrupeds, etc. Nile edition 222 Herpetological Review 35(3), 2004 by A.-G. Demarest, 5 vols. [Brussels: Lejeune]). . 1833. Oeuvres du comte de Lac?p?de : comprenant l'histoire naturelle des quadrup?des ovipares des serpents, des poissons et des c?tac?s ...A Paris : Chez F.D. Pillot, ?diteur ... : Salmon, libraire ..., 1830-1833. LORENZ, K. Z. 1962. King Solomon's Ring. Time Incorporated, New York. OsBORNE, M. A. 1996. Zoos in the family. The Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire clan and the three zoos of Paris. In R. J. Hoage, and W. A. Deiss (eds.), New Worlds, New Animals. From Menagerie to Zoological Park in the Nineteenth Century, pp. 33^2. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London. REICHENBACH, H. 1996. Atale of two zoos. The Hamburg Zoological Gar- den and Carl Hagenbeck's Tierpark. In R. J. Hoage, and W. A. Deiss (eds.). New Worlds, New Animals. From Menagerie to Zoological Park in the Nineteenth Century, pp. 51-62. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London. VAN DEN BERGH, H. K. 1962. Etienne de Lac?p?de, un des pionniers de la conception moderne des jardin zoologiques. (Etienne de Lac?p?de, one of the pioneers of the modern conception of zoological parks). ZOO (published by Royal Society of the Zoological Park of Antwerp) May 1962:15-20. ARTICLES Herpetological Review, 2004, 35(3), 223-224. ? 2004 by Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles A Note on the Identity of Chuekwallas Inhabiting Isla Danzante, Baja California Sur RICHARD R. MONTANUCCI Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0326, USA e-mail: rrmnt@clemson.edu There is disagreement concerning the taxonomic identity of chuekwallas inhabiting Isla Danzante, Baja California Sur. Isla Danzante is a land bridge island situated at 25?47'07"N latitude, and 111?14'59"W longitude, 2.61 km from the coastline of the Baja California peninsula and south of Isla Carmen. It has an area of about 4.64 km^ (Murphy et al. 2002). In a systematic revision of the genus Sauromalus, HoUingsworth (1998) placed the conti- nental S. obesus and the peninsular S. australus in the synonymy of Sauromalus ater. He also classified the chuekwallas from the southern gulf islands, including Isla Danzante, as S. ater. In a study of body size evolution and biogeography of chuekwallas, Petren and Case (1997) sequenced the cytochrome b gene from a number of continental and insular populations of chuekwallas. Their analy- sis revealed that a single chuckwalla from Isla Danzante was ge- netically similar to their samples of S. slevini from Islas Carmen and Monserrate {S. slevini also occurs on Isla Coronados, but that island was not sampled by the authors). Grismer (1999, 2002) listed Isla Danzante among the islands inhabited by S. ater. Murphy and Aguirre-Leon (2002) called at- tention to the discrepancy between Grismer's classification of the chuekwallas from Isla Danzante and the molecular genetic evi- dence from Petren and Case (1997), and chose to recognize this insular population as S. slevini. The purpose of my study is to compare nuchal scalation and other characteristics in a limited number of specimens to determine whether the Isla Danzante popu- lation is more similar to S. ater or S. slevini. Sauromalus slevini is considered to be generally intermediate in scalation between the spiny chuckwalla, S. hispidus, and the smaller-scaled S. aterfrom the southern gulf islands (Shaw 1945). In S. slevini, the nuchal scales are much larger than the median dorsal scales and are conical to strongly spinose (Grismer 2002; Shaw 1945). Also, above and slightly forward of the shoulder, there is a skin fold bearing a patch of enlarged, subconical scales (HoUingsworth 1998; Shaw 1945). In contrast, the nuchal scales in S. ater are usually tuberculate, flattened, or spinose, but only slightly larger than the largest median dorsal scales. Also, the antehumeral fold lacks a group of enlarged, subconical scales; in- stead the scales are subequal. Sauromalus slevini and S. ater cannot be distinguished on the basis of meristic scale characters. The range limits of eight meris- tic characters overlap substantially between the two taxa (com- pare Tables 13 and 19 in HoUingsworth 1998). Discriminant func- tions analysis (based on these eight meristic characters) did not separate chuekwallas from Isla Danzante from the insular samples of S. ater. The sample from Isla Danzante fell within the disper- sion polygon of the sample from Isla San Francisco (see Fig. 51 in HoUingsworth 1998). I examined two specimens from Isla Danzante (BYU 34494- 95, female and male respectively), and compared them with a se- ries of seven S. slevini from Isla Carmen, and eight S. ater from Isla San Francisco. The two specimens from Isla Danzante are very similar to specimens of S. slevini, having nuchal scales that are conical to strongly spinose, especially in the male (Fig. 1). However, many of the nuchal scales in the male specimen show damage, and examination under a dissecting microscope revealed that they were abraded. During life, the lizard may have frequently used a rock crevice with abrasive surfaces, perhaps for predator escape. The scales on the antehumeral fold are conical in the male specimen, and merge with more spinose scales in adjacent areas of the dorsum. The female specimen lacks differentiated scales on the antehumeral fold of the left side, and the scales are only feebly enlarged on the right side. The male specimen from Isla Danzante has a snout-vent length of 193 mm, which greatly exceeds maximum SVL of 5. ater from the southern gulf islands, and falls within the upper decile SVL of S. slevini. HoUingsworth (1998, Table 4) provides maximum SVLs for these insular samples as follows: Isla Esp?ritu Santo (169 mm). Isla Partida Sur (171 mm). Isla San Diego (134 mm). Isla San Francisco (145 mm). Isla San Jose (156 mm). Isla San Marcos (164 mm), and Isla Santa Cruz (166 mm). HoUingsworth (1998) gives maximum SVLs for three populations of S. slevini as fol- lows: Isla Carmen (188 mm). Isla Los Coronados (202 mm), and Isla Monserrate (209 mm). Petren and Case (1997, Table 2) pro- vide upper decile SVLs for these populations as follows: S. ater from the southern gulf islands (163 mm; N = 111) and S. slevini from Isla Carmen (181 mm; N = 22). There appears to be ontogenetic as well as sexually dimorphic variation in the development of the enlarged, spinose nuchal scales in S. slevini. The largest male examined (CAS 16127; 190 mm SVL) has greatly enlarged, spinose nuchal scales giving the lizard a more bristly appearance compared with smaller males (143-179 mm SVL). Three females examined (127-154 mm SVL) also have spinose nuchal scales that are less developed when compared with Herpetological Review 35(3), 2004 223