2002. Volume 9. No. 3. Contents

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PECTORAL GIRDLE IN LARVAE OF SIBERIAN SALAMANDER Salamandrella keyserlingii (AMPHIBIA: HYNOBIIDAE)

Valentin G. Borkhvardt and Natalja V. Baleeva

Cartilaginous pectoral girdle of Salamandrella keyserlingii arises as a single vertical column, which contains both scapular and coracoid parts. Procoracoid part arises later as outgrowth of the preglenoid portion of the girdle. A three radial form of adult pectoral girdle is a result of irregular growth of the originally simple anlage. It is possible that certain collagen bundles stimulate expansion of the cartilaginous parts. There is only one center of ossification in the girdle.

Key words: Caudata, Salamandrella, pectoral girdle, development.

ESTIMATION OF THE SUBSPECIFIC LEVEL OF DIFFERENTIATION IN CAUCASIAN LIZARDS OF THE GENUS Darevskia (SYN. "Lacerta saxicola complex," LACERTIDAE, SAURIA) USING GENOME DNA MARKERS

N. L. Ryabinina, A. A. Bannikova, S. A. Kosushkin, D. G. Ciobanu, K. D. Milto, B. S. Tuniyev, V. F. Orlova, V. V. Grechko, and I. S. Darevsky

The taxonomic categories such as population and subspecies were studied on the example of three Caucasian lizard species of genus Darevskia - D. praticola, D. derjugini, and D. rudis by comparing the morphological data and results inferred from nuclear DNA markers. RAPD and new inter-MIR-PCR (IM-PCR) methods were used. The IM-PCR was used to characterize the lacertid DNA fragments located between dispersed SINE type repeats which occurred to be ortologous to mammalian repeats of the same type. It was shown that separation of the Northern population of D. derjugini (subspecies silvatica) is supported by the comparison with two Southern populations (derjugini and barani). The latter ones, in their turn, are very similar and hardly can be considered as good subspecies by the genetic distance. The subspecific division of D. praticola (praticola and pontica) also requires more specification. For example, several populations from North Caucasus (ssp. praticola) occurred to be heterogeneous. The level of differences between ssp. praticola and pontica is of the same order as in some of the praticola populations. Low level of molecular differences between two subspecies of D. rudis (obscura and bischoffi) does not confirm their validity as a full subspecies.

Key words: lizard, Lacertidae, Darevskia, systematics, RAPD, inter-MIR-PCR method, population, subspecies, species.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF GREEN FROGS (Rana esculenta COMPLEX) IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD PROVINCE, CENTRAL EUROPEAN RUSSIA

Leo J. Borkin, Spartak N. Litvinchuk, Elena I. Mannapova, Mark V. Pestov and Jury M. Rosanov

The occurrence of three green frog taxa [Rana lessonae (L), R. ridibunda (R), and R. esculenta (E)] in Nizhny Novgorod Province was evidenced by DNA flow cytometry analysis. Our data are the first reliable record of the hybrid R. esculenta for the province (the Middle Volga River basin). All hybrids were diploid. Rana lessonae is spread throughout the province, except its extreme north-east. The distribution of Rana ridibunda is wider and covers the northernmost area. Rana esculenta is quite sparse. In the province, all three species, probably, reach the northern limits of their ranges. Six population systems were revealed; both with a single species (R, L, and, probably, E) and with mixed species populations (LE, REL and RL). The geographic trends in occurrences of hybrids and various kinds of population systems in eastern Europe are discussed.

Key words: Ranidae, Rana esculenta complex, DNA flow cytometry, genome size, hybrids, population systems, Nizhny Novgorod Province, central European Russia.

A NEW CROWN-GROUP SALAMANDER FROM THE EARLY CRETACEOUS OF WESTERN SIBERIA

Alexander O. Averianov and Alexei V. Voronkevich

Kiyatriton leshchinskiyi gen. & sp. nov. is based on the atlas centrum and incomplete femora from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) Ilek Formation at Shestakovo 1, Kemerovo region, Western Siberia, Russia. It is referred to the crown-group salamanders (Urodela incertae sedis) because of presence of enclosed spinal nerve foramina in the atlas. The new taxon is distinctive in the moderately dorsoventrally compressed anterior cotylar surfaces and unique tripartite division of the posterior condyle articular surface on the atlas. It is the first "lissamphibian" discovered from the Mesozoic of Siberia.

Key words: Kiyatriton, Urodela, Caudata, Amphibia, Cretaceous, Siberia.

CRANIAL ANATOMY OF Euspondylus acutirostris (SQUAMATA: GYMNOPHTHALMIDAE) AND ITS PLACEMENT IN A MODERN PHYLOGENETIC HYPOTHESIS

Ricardo Montero, Silvia Alejandra Moro, and Virginia Abdala

The genus Euspondylus has been considered as a "waste basket" of all microteiids that do not belong to other genera. Therefore, there is a suspicion that the genus may be non-monophyletic. Considering this, whenever the phylogenetic relationships of the Gymnophthalmidae are evaluated, the species of this genus should be considered independently as a way to test its monophyly. Here we describe the head osteology and myology of Euspondylus acutirostris, based on dry skeletons and cleared and stained specimens. The osteology and myology of Euspondylus acutirostris corresponds to the pattern of other Gymnophthalmidae and Teiidae. We coded the 15 characters defined by Hoyos and we reanalyzed the matrix. Euspondylus acutirostris is related to Anadia, Prionodactylus, Proctoporus, and Pholidobolus.

El género Euspondylus ha sido considerado como un depositorio de todos los microtéidos que no pertenecen con seguridad a otros géneros. Por lo tanto existe una presunción de que el género puede ser no monofilético. Por este motivo cuando se analizan las relaciones filogenéticas de los Gymnophthalmidae, las especies de este género deberían ser siempre consideradas como taxones independientes como una forma de testear su monofilia. Se describe la osteología y miología craneales de Euspondylus acutirostris. Se analizaron cráneos secos y transparentaciones. La miología se estudió con técnicas tradicionales macroanatómicas. Tanto la osteología como la miología de Euspondylus acutirostris son similares a lo observado en otros Gymnophthalmidae y Teiidae. En base a los 15 caracteres definidos por Hoyos se reanalizan las matrices con el agregado de E. acutirostris. La especie está relacionada con Anadia, Prionodactylus, Proctoporus y Pholidobolus.

Key words: Osteology, myology, phylogeny, Gymnophthalmidae.

MUCHKAPIAN (EARLY NEOPLEISTOCENE) AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF THE EAST-EUROPEAN PLAIN

Viatcheslav Yu. Ratnikov

Eleven Muchkapian (Early Neopleistocene) localities, bearing remains of amphibians and reptiles, are known from the territory of the East-European Plain. A brief review of the localities and systematic composition of their herpetofauna is given. Species variety of the herpetofauna testifies about highly favorable conditions at the Muchkapian time. Findings of remains of large anuran individuals and abundance of turtle remains allow assuming, that climate in this area at the Muchkapian time was warmer than at present.

Key words: Amphibians, Reptiles, Muchkapian Age, Early Neopleistocene, East-European Plain.

PREY CHEMICAL DISCRIMINATION IN THE LIZARD Eugongylus albofasciolatus AND ITS DISTRIBUTION IN SCINCIDAE

William E. Cooper, Jr.

Actively foraging lizards tongue-flick while searching for prey, and have evolved strong responsiveness to prey chemicals. This trait is universal among active foragers that have been tested, which can locate and identify prey using only chemical cues sampled by tongue-flicking. In Scincidae, prey chemical discrimination has been confirmed in several species of active foragers, and is absent in a single ambush forager. However, responses to prey chemicals remain untested in large scincid taxonomic groups. When tested experimentally for tongue-flicking and biting in response to chemicals on cotton swabs, Eugongylus albofasciolatus exhibited prey chemical discrimination by responding more strongly than to deionized water and cologne controls. These results extend prey chemical discrimination to a new group of lygosomines, the Eugongylus group. Current evidence suggests that prey chemical discrimination may be universal in Eumecinae, is present in at least one species of Scincinae, and is widespread in Lygosominae, being present in the Eugongylus, Sphenomorphus, and Egernia groups, as well as in actively foraging Mabuya. Although no data are available for Acontinae or Feylininae, it is likely that prey chemical discrimination is plesiomorphic and nearly universal in Scincinae, the exceptions being ambush foragers.

Key words: behavior, prey chemical discrimination, Tongue, Squamata, Scincidae.

CAPTIVE BREEDING AND CONSERVATION

Trimeresurus hageni, Trimeresurus puniceus, AND Trimeresurus sumatranus (OPHIDIA: VIPERIDAE: CROTALINAE): THE DATA ON REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY AND METHODS OF CAPTIVE BREEDING IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS

Sergey A. Ryabov, Nikolai L. Orlov, Dmitry J. Panteleev, and Konstantin A. Shiryaev

In the present work there given some data on the season of reproduction, day activity, size of clutch, size of eggs and new born specimens, duration of incubation period, juvenile coloration and sexual dimorphism of three poorly studied species of Asian pit vipers: Trimeresurus hageni, Trimeresurus puniceus, and Trimeresurus sumatranus.

Key words: Sumatra, Java, Trimeresurus hageni, Trimeresurus puniceus, Trimeresurus sumatranus, reproductive biology, captive breeding.

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

TAXONOMIC STATUS OF Coluber ventromaculatus bengalensis KHAN ET KHAN, 2000 (REPTILIA: SQUAMATA: COLUBRIDAE)

Andrei Barabanov

Key words: Reptilia, Colubridae, Pakistan, Coluber, Coluber ventromaculatus khanorum nom. nov.

BOOK REVIEW

Claudia Corti and Pietro Lo Cascio (2002) The Lizards of Italy and Adjacent Areas Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main. 165 pp., hardbound.

OBITUARY

Rudolf Aleksandrovich KUBYKIN (August 16, 1937 - August 1, 2001)