1999. Volume 6. No. 3. Contents

ANALYSIS OF NOMENCLATURE, CLASSIFICATION, AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE Agkistrodon halys - Agkistrodon intermedius COMPLEXES: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Nikolai L. Orlov and Andrei V. Barabanov

The paper includes the question of nomenclature and distribution of Palearctic Agkistrodon. The type specimens, type territories and diagnoses of species of Agkistrodon halys - A. intermedius complexes are given. Neotypes for a number of species are designated and described.

Key words: Reptilia, Serpentes, Viperidae, Crotalinae, Agkistrodon, Palearctic Asia, nomenclature, distribution.

TRANSLATION OF THE ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION OF Vipera obtusa DWIGUBSKY, 1832 (SERPENTES: VIPERIDAE: VIPERINAE), WITH DESIGNATION OF A NEOTYPE

Patrick David, Natalia B. Ananjeva, Indraneil Das, and Michael Golubev

The paper includes translation of the original description of Vipera obtusa and designation of a neotype.

Key words: Reptilia, Serpentes, Viperidae, Vipera lebetina obtusa, neotype.

ON THE KNOWLEDGE AND SPECIFIC STATUS OF Dendrelaphis ngansonensis (BOURRET, 1935) (REPTILIA: SERPENTES: COLUBRIDAE)

Thomas Ziegler and Gernot Vogel

An overview of the currently recognized Dendrelaphis species, the bronzeback snakes, and their distribution is given with special emphasis on the Vietnamese taxa. We redescribe the holotype of Dendrophis pictus ngansonensis Bourret, 1935, a taxon from North Vietnam which was synonymized by Smith (1943) with Dendrelaphis pictus (Gmelin, 1789). New Vietnamese Dendrelaphis material, either collected by us in the field, or from several collections, proved to be identical with Bourret's taxon ngansonensis, and clearly distinguishable from Dendrelaphis pictus. We therefore rescind Smith's unfounded synonymization of these two taxa and supplement Bourret's data on morphology, coloration, and distribution of the poorly known taxon ngansonensis. Both taxa are sympatric in Vietnam, what confirms the specific rank of ngansonensis. This status seems also to be justifiable with respect to variation in other taxa of Dendrelaphis known so far for South East Asia. Beside the first photographs of Dendrelaphis ngansonensis (Bourret, 1935) we finally provide first data on its habitat.

Key words: Reptilia, Squamata, Serpentes, Colubridae, Dendrelaphis, D. ngansonensis (Bourret, 1935), D. pictus (Gmelin, 1789), Taxonomy, Morphology, Coloration, Distribution, Habitat, Vietnam.

A NEW SUBSPECIES OF THE ROCK LIZARD Lacerta caucasica (SAURIA, LACERTIDAE) FROM THE SOUTH-EAST OF CHECHEN REPUBLIC ON THE CAUCASUS

Ilya S. Darevsky and Evgeny S. Roitberg

A new subspecies of Lacerta caucasica (s. str.), L. c. vedenica from the northern slope of the Andiiskii Ridge (SE Chechenia) is described. This population appears to be geographically isolated from the main range of L. caucasica, but contacts the northern limits of the range of a closely related species, L. daghestanica. It differs from the other populations of L. caucasica as well as from the related species, L. daghestanica and L. alpina by a very low number of superciliary granules and superciliary scales as well as by the lack of greenish paints in the dorsal coloration.

Key words: Sauria: Lacerta, L. caucasica vedenica ssp. nov., Caucasus.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION IN ROCK AGAMA Laudakia caucasia

Eugenyi N. Panov and Larissa Yu. Zykova

Field studies were conducted in different regions of Turkmenistan during spring and autumn seasons of 11 years. The bulk of data has been obtained in individually marked populations where ontogenetic trajectories of many lizards were followed through years, so that their ages and permanent sex partners were known. The communication is regarded as a systemic entity based on parallel information transmitting and exchange with simultaneous use of optical, tactile and chemical channels. Most signaling means described are, thus, of polymodal nature. Among interactions in which such signals preponderate is so-called Greeting Ceremony addressed regularly by the female(s) toward the male within the given stable, monogamous or polygynous, family group. It is supposed that in the rock agama settlement the stable olfactory field is developed that regulates spatial relations between the deme members. High stereotype and species-specific character are shown for the male Push-Up actions. Sharp difference in Push-Ups of Laudakia caucasia end L. erytrhrogastra does not prevent formation of mixed family groups in the sympatry zone of these species.

Key words: Agamidae, Laudakia caucasia, L. erythrogastra, species-specific communication system, polymodal signals, chemical signal field, stereotype optical signals, personal family bonds.

TWO NEW SPECIES AND A SUBSPECIES OF BLIND SNAKES OF GENUS Typhlops FROM AZAD KASHMIR AND PUNJAB, PAKISTAN (Serpentes: Typhlopidae)

Muhammad Sharif Khan

Two new species and one new subspecies are described of the blind snakes of genus Typhlops from Azad Kashmir and Punjab, Pakistan. Taxonomic affinities of the new taxa are discussed and a key is provided for identification of 18 midbody scale typhlopid snakes of Himalayas.

Key words: New species, Typhlops, Western Himalayas.

GIANT PLIOSAUR (REPTILIA; SAUROPTERYGIA) FROM THE LATE JURASSIC OF KAZAKHSTAN AND SOME REMARKS ON THE SYSTEMATICS OF PLIOSAURIDAE

Dmitry V. Malakhov

The partially preserved specimen of a giant pliosaur from the Tithonian of Kazakhstan is described. It is the only Jurassic pliosaur currently known from the Central Asia. The diagnostic value of some vertebral characters in Pliosauridae systematics is discussed.

Key words: Pliosauridae, Liopleurodon, vertebral column, systematics.

TWO NEW LOCALITIES FOR Bombina bombina (ANURA, DISCOGLOSSIDAE) IN TURKEY

Ismail H. Ugurtas, Irfan Yylmaz, and Hikmet S. Yildirimhan

Bombina bombina has been known only around Adapazarý until now. We have determined that they also occur in the other parts of Thrace based on, new specimens collected from Enez and Terkos. We extend the distributional range of known localities for Bombina bombina and discusses specific subspecies relationship of Bombina from Thrace.

Key words: Bombina bombina, distribution, Turkey.