Examining the fungal community found in iguania digestive tracts

Anaerobic gut fungi (AGF; phylum Neocallimastigomycota) contribute to the degradation of plant biomass within the digestive tracts of herbivores. Regardless of their ecological importance, their evolution and host range remain poorly understood. Most studies, both culture-dependent and independent, have focused on herbivorous mammals, with limited research on AGF in reptiles. Comparative molecular dating of AGF from tortoise and mammalian feces suggests AGF predate their known mammalian hosts, with reptiles as potential original hosts. Beyond tortoises, herbivorous reptiles in the infraorder Iguania (squamate reptiles like iguanas, agamids, and other lizards) are capable of hindgut fermentation. With a prolonged solids retention time and their mostly plant-based diet, Iguania might be suitable AGF hosts. To test the hypothesis that Iguania host evolutionary older AGF, we sampled wild and zoo-housed species within this order. We employed amplicon sequencing targeting the D1/D2 region of the LSU region using both general fungal and AGF-specific primers. Our objective is to identify and characterize the AGF communities within this order and place it within the context of their broader fungal communities. Preliminary results show a variety of known and novel AGF present. A more detailed data analysis is currently underway. Additionally, quantitative PCR will be used to estimate AGF abundance relative to total fungal abundance in these samples. This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of AGF communities in herptiles, shedding light on the ecological roles and evolutionary history of AGF. It is the first detailed report on the AGF and broader fungal community in Iguania.