2003. Volume 10. No. 1. Contents

DENTITION OF Phrynocephalus melanurus: DOES TOOTH NUMBER DEPEND ON BODY SIZE AND/OR AGE?

Natalia B. Ananjeva, Ella M. Smirina, and Natalia G. Nikitina

Key words: dentition, Phrynocephalus melanurus, ageing, skeletochronology, longevity,

ON Asaccus elisae (F. WERNER, 1895) (SAURIA: GEKKONIDAE) SPECIMENS COLLECTED FROM THE VICINITY OF HARRAN, SANLIURFA IN SOUTHEAST TURKEY

Ibrahim Baran, Yusuf Kumlutas, Cetin Ilgaz, Oguz Turkozan, and Aziz Avci

In this study, Asaccus elisae specimens, which were caught from Harran, Vilayet Sanliurfa in SE Turkey was examined in terms of morphological features, pholidosis properties, coloration and pattern. Specimens collected from Harran were compared with specimens from Birecik (Turkey), Iraq, Syria and Iran with regard to literature.

Key words: Asaccus elisae, Harran, morphology, distribution.

LACERTAS OF SOUTH AND CENTRAL ZAGROS MOUNTAINS, IRAN, WITH DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW TAXA

G. Nilson, N. Rastegar-Pouyani, E. Rastegar-Pouyani, and C. Andrén

During our long-term fieldwork on the Iranian plateau in 2000 and 2002, we collected and examined a series of lacertid lizards, belonging to the genus Lacerta from various parts of the Zagros Mountains of western and southwestern Iran, from a morphological point of view. Based on the collected material, two new taxa are described: Lacerta yassujica sp.n. and Lacerta brandtii esfahanica ssp.n. Based on all the available evidence, L. yassujica is closely related to Lacerta (Apathya) cappadocica. A short account on taxonomy and biogeography of the studied taxa is given.

Key words: Lacertidae, Lacerta, L. yassujica, L. brandtii, L. cappadocica, L. zagrosica, Iranian Plateau, Zagros Mountains, Taxonomy, New taxa.

A NEW SPECIES OF RHACOPHORID FROG FROM SIMILIPAL BIOSPHERE RESERVE, ORISSA, INDIA

Sushil K. Dutta

Philautus similipalensis, a new species of rhacophorid frog is described from the proposed Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Orissa, in southeastern India. The new species is compared with congeners from India and Sri Lanka, from which it differs in the following characters: head size, supratympanic fold, finger and toe webbing, indistinct tympanum, skin texture and coloration and tongue without papilla.

Key words: Amphibia, rhacophorid, Philautus, Similipal, Orissa, India.

A NEW SPECIES OF GENUS Boiga (SERPENTES: COLUBRIDAE: COLUBRINAE) AND COLOR ATLAS OF BOIGAS FROM BENGKULU PROVINCE (SUMATRA, INDONESIA)

Nikolai L. Orlov, Sergei V. Kudryavtzev, Sergei A. Ryabov, and Oleg V. Shumakov

The description of a new species of the genus Boiga is based on the examination of one adult specimen (female) from the Bengkulu Province (Sumatra, Indonesia). A comparative analysis of the new species with all the species of the Boiga genus of the Sunda Archipelago (Indonesia), Philippines, Andaman and Nikobar Islands, and Indochina was carried out: Boiga cynodon, B. guangxiensis, B. ocellata, B. dendrophila ssp., B. tanahjampeana, B. drapiezii, B. angulata, B. philippina, B. schultzei, B. irregularis, B. jaspidea, B. multomaculata, B. nigriceps, B. cyanea, B. saengsom, B. andamanensis, B. wallachii. There given new records of boigas and detailed description of five color forms of Boiga cynodon from the Bengkulu Province.

Key words: new species; Boiga bengkuluensis; Bengkulu Province; Sumatra; Boiga cynodon complex; Boiga drapiezii complex.

A CLADISTIC ANALYSIS OF TEN LIZARD FAMILIES (REPTILIA: SQUAMATA) BASED ON CRANIAL MUSCULATURE

Virginia Abdala and Silvia Moro

The cranial musculature of species of ten families of lizards (Gekkonidae, Teiidae, Gymnophthalmidae, Anguidae, Scincidae, Lacertidae, Tropiduridae, Liolaemidae, Leiosauridae, and Polychrotidae) was analyzed. Using 93 myological cranial characters, a cladistic analysis was performed. To root the trees, data of Sphenodon were added to the matrix. The cladistic analysis yielded 129 equally parsimonious trees with a fit of 426.0 (39%) and 467 steps. In the consensus tree we observed only five nodes congruent with traditional phylogenetic hypothesis of the groups analyzed: teiids + gymnophthalmids (node 128); geckos (node 136); liolaemids (node 116); genus Liolaemus (node 115); and genus Phymaturus (node 92). Thus in these groups, phylogeny seems to be better predictor of muscle morphology than ecology or diet.

They are many problematic groups whose monophyly requires further analysis (tropidurids, polychrotids, and scincids). In no case we were able to recognize differences that could be attributed to functional features.

Key words: Cranial musculature, Lizards, Phylogeny, Cladistic analysis.

SHORT COMMUNICATION

BIOINDICATOR ESTIMATION OF QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENT IN FLOODLANDS OF THE RIVERS OKA AND UGRA ON STABILITY OF DEVELOPMENT OF LAKE FROGS (Rana ridibunda)

O. A. Ustyuzhanina and A. B. Streltsov

A comparative analysis was made on the base of estimation of stability of development of lake frogs (R. ridibunda) to estimate the environmental quality. Stability of development was determined according to the level of fluctuating asymmetries. Methods giving opportunity to calculate the coefficient of asymmetry on the example of Kaluga region are described.

The greatest value of the coefficient in the spots subjected to anthropogenous influence of populated areas is marked.

Key words: bioindication, stability of development, fluctuating asymmetry, urbanised territory, Rana ridibunda.

BOOK REVIEW

ISBN 3-931587-54-1. Thomas Ziegler. Die Amphibien und Reptilien eines Tieflandfeuchtwald-Schutzgebietes in Vietnam. 2002. Natur und Tier Verlag GmbH. 342 S. 382 Farbfotos. 50 Grafiken. 70 Tabellen. 23  ´ 16.6 cm [in Deutsch]