1998. Volume 5. No. 2. Contents

EDITOR'S NOTE

ASIAN VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THEIR VENOM

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SNAKEBITE OF GUIPING COUNTY, GUANGXI DURING 1973 - 1989

Shu-feng Hou, Dao-chang Yao, Han-qing Zhong, Feng-ying Huang, and Fu-ru Huang

VENOMOUS SNAKES IN WEST ASIA: APPLICABILITY OF CURRENT SPECIES CONCEPTS

Göran Nilson

mtDNA ANALYSIS OF THE GENUS SPECIES IN EASTERN ASIA

Nam-Keuk Paik, Chang-Shin Park, Eun-Kyung Jung, Hei-Yung Lee, and Michihisa Toriba

mtDNA analysis of eight populations of five species and subspecies of Asian Agkistrodon was performed using 11 restriction enzymes. Heteroplasmy was observed in a specimen of Chinese A. b. brevicaudus, and intra-populational variation was seen in A. ussuriensis in Korea. A. saxatilis from Korea and A. h. caraganus from Kirghizia were closely related. Russian and Korean A. ussuriensis were also close. However, A. b. brevicaudus and A. b. blomhoffii appeared to be very distinct, which needs detailed study in the future. Tsushima population of A. b. blomhoffii seems to be a distinct form.

Key words: Reptilia, Serpentes, Crotalinae, Agkistrodon, Asia, mtDNA, systematics.

VENOMOUS SNAKES AND SNAKEBITE TREATMENT IN ASIA

Y. Sawai

Snakebite is a hazard in Asian areas. The mortality rate and morbidity rate by snakebites in these areas depend on the species and the density of venomous snakes in each area. Thus the mortality rate is higher in the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India, where the bites by cobras, kraits and Russell's viper are frequent. On the other hand, lower rates of bite are recorded in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Indonesia, where the bites by pit viper of Agkistrodon and Trimeresurus species are predominant. The bite by the seasnakes of Hydrophiidae is also a problem among fishermen in Malaysia and Indonesia, Environment of human life, where the snakebites occur, is also another important factor. In most of the areas, modernization of the medical treatment is delayed because of shortage of specific antivenom, lack of the experts who are able to inject antivenom intravenously soon after the bite, popularization of herbal remedies, and poor mode of transportation of patients to hospital.

Key words: Venomous snakes, snakebite, treatment, Asia.

SNAKE VENOM PROTEASES, STRUCTURE-FUNCTION RELATIONSHIP AND EFFECTS ON BLOOD COAGULATION

Zhang Yun and Xiong Yuliang

Snake venoms are probably the most highly concentrated secretion products found in vertebrate. Furthermore, proteases are in a unique position in snake venoms, especially in Crotalid and Viperid venoms. Biologically, proteolytic enzymes may contribute in two ways: the immobilization of the prey and the digestion of prey organism. They are responsible for the hemorrhage, shock, or disorder of blood coagulation after envenomation. They act, by activating, inactivating, or other converting effects, on almost all the components of hemostatic and fibrinolytic systems. Biochemically, they can be mainly classified into two groups: serine proteases, which are inhibited by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF²) and diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP). Their sequences are homologous to trypsin-kallikrein serine proteases. They share a common active site geometry and enzymatic mechanism but variation of primary sequences out of active center results in the differences of substrate specificities and further the difference of biological and pharmacological activities. Metalloproteinases, which are inhibited by metal chelating reagent (EDTA), are zinc-dependent. Up to now, sequence data indicate that they belong to a new metalloproteinase subfamily which has no significant sequence similarities with any other know metalloproteinases except for a conservative zinc-chelating sequence His-Glu-X-X-His. Because of their common and unique properties compared to their physiological corresponding factors, snake venom proteases have find a position uniquely in hemostasis and thrombosis, both in research and application.

Key words:-Snake venom; protease, blood coagulation.

CURRENT MATERIALS

SYSTEMATICS AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE IRANIAN SPECIES OF (SAURIA: AGAMIDAE): A REVIEW

N. Rastegar-Pouyani

The agamid genus Trapelus, as one of the least studied genera of the Agamidae, consists of about six species complexes widely distributed throughout the desert and semi-desert regions of north Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia. Of these, three species complexes occur on the Iranian Plateau: T. agilis, T. persicus, and T. ruderatus. The systematic status as well as distribution of this well defined monophyletic genus is anecdotal and there are still many controversies and uncertainties in this relation. In order to explain and clarify various ideas and researches done, so far, and as a starting point for a comprehensive taxonomic, phylogenetic, and biogeographic work on this genus, in this paper systematics and distribution of the Iranian species of Trapelus, mainly by a historical perspective, based on all the available relevant literature (since 1804 when Olivier collected and described Agama agilis and A. ruderata as the first described species of the genus), as well as my own preliminary studies have been reviewed. As well, the type series of these species have been examined, their relevant type localities have been questioned and, partly, restricted and the traditional subspecific (or specific) status of their different populations has been evaluated and criticized. Also, the distribution of the genus Trapelus and a key to the Iranian species are provided.

Key words: Trapelus agilis, T. persicus, T. ruderatus, Agamidae, systematics, distribution, Iranian Plateau, Central Asia, Middle East, North Africa, type locality.

SYSTEMATIC STATUS OF ALCOCK, "1897" 1898 (SAURIA: SCINCIDAE) COLLECTED BY THE PAMIR BOUNDARY COMMISSION, 1885

I. Das, B. Dattagupta, and N. Gayen

Lygosoma himalayanum tragbulensis Alcock, "1897" 1898, shown to be a valid taxon of scincid of the genus Asymblepharus Eremtschenko and Szczerbak, 1980, is raised to specific status and redescribed. It is closely related to several other Himalayan species that were formerly placed in the genus Scincella, including A. himalayana, A. ladacensis, and A. sikimmensis. A. tragbulensis (Alcock, "1897" 1898), is known from five examples, including the two syntypes in the collection of the Zoological Survey of India, collected from Tragbul Pass, western Himalayas, in an area claimed by India and Pakistan.

Key words:-Systematics, Scincidae, Lygosoma himalayanum tragbulensis, Asymblepharus tragbulensis, Tragbul Pass, Himalayas.

A NEW SPECIES OF XINJIANGCHELYID (TESTUDINES: CRYPTODIRA: XINJIANGCHELYIDAE) FROM THE CRETACEOUS OF SOUTHERN INDIA

I. Das, K. Ayyasami, and P. Yadagiri

A new fossil turtle of the family Xinjiangchelyidae, Xinjiangchelys uttatturensis is being described from the Cretaceous of southern India. The partially preserved unique type was collected from near Uttattur in Tamil Nadu State. The new species is diagnosed by the following suite of characters: external surface of carapace ornamented with raised incipient nodes forming striations, eight neural bones, moderately broad vertebral scutes and absence of plastral fontanelles in presumed adult.

Key words: Xinjiangchelyidae, Xinjiangchelys uttatturensis, new species, Cretaceous, south India.

VITAL BONE MARKING OF DESERT MONITOR (DAUD.) IN NATURE

E. M. Smirina and A. Yu. Tsellarius

The vital bone marking by oxytetracycline was used for investigation of the periodicity of growth layers formation in Varanus griseus bones. The experiment was conducted in the vicinity of the Kyzylkum Natural Preserve (Western Kyzylkum desert). Oxytetracycline in salt solution was injected intramuscularly in desert monitor's femur with dosage: 15-20 mg/kg of body weight. Eight marked specimens were caught in a year after the injection. The tetracycline labels were seen in ultra-violet light in cross ground sections of distal part of phalanges of all the lizards. The experiment (1) revealed great differences in the time of the beginning of growth after hibernation; (2) confirmed the annual pattern of growth layers formation in the bone of Varanus griseus; and (3) demonstrated individual variability of annual bone increments in specimens of the same age.

Key words: Varanidae, Varanus griseus, bone marking, recording structures, aging, skeletochronology.

THE HISTOLOGY OF CALLOUS SCALES OF THE MALES OF ASIAN ROCK AGAMAS, AND (REPTILIA; AGAMIDAE)

Tatjana N. Dujsebayeva

The topography, morphology, histology and histochemistry of callous scales in the integument of the males of two species of Asian rock agamas, Laudakia caucasia and Laudakia himalayana have been examined. The study reveals that callous scales are holocrine epidermal glands with callous secretion similar to mesos-layer of normal squamate epidermis in its morphological appearance and histochemical composition. The secretion from the entire surface of callous scales is spread over the substrate during lizard locomotion and use by the animals as chemocommunicative agent.

Key words: Sauria, Agamidae, Laudakia caucasia, Laudakia himalayana, integument, callous scales, topography, histology.

BOOK REVIEWS

L. A. NESSOV CRETACEOUS NON-MARINE VERTEBRATES OF NORTHERN EURASIA St. Petersburg State University, Institute of Earth Crust, St. Petersburg, 1997, 218 p., 18 text figures + 60 plates. Bibl. 415 titles.

OBITUARY

Nikolai Nikolaevich Szscerbak (1927 - 1998)