2005. Volume 12. No. 1. Contents

REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE OF THE YELLOW SPOTTED NEWT Neurergus microspilotus (CAUDATA: SALAMANDRIDAE) IN WESTERN IRAN

Mozafar Sharifi and Somayeh Assadian

The reproductive cycle of female and male of the yellow spotted newt Neurergus microspilotus (Caudata: Salamandridae) has been studied in Kawat stream in western Iran through field and laboratory observations. Timing and the pattern of changes observed in the size of yolked oocytes and the weight of ovaries, fat body and liver showed that Neurergus microspilotus has a single reproductive period each year. On the basis of spermatozoa found in the spermathecae of females collected in mid June and the onset of sexual behavior in late March, it has been inferred that sperm storage occurs in N. microspilotus and lasts for approximately two months.

Keywords: Neurergus microspilotus, reproductive cycle, spermatozoa, sperm storage.

IKHVINIAN (MIDDLE NEOPLEISTOCENE) AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF THE EAST-EUROPEAN PLAIN

Viatcheslav Yu. Ratnikov

Eight Likhvinian (Middle 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.

Keywords: Amphibians, Reptiles, Likhvinian Age, Middle Neopleistocene, East-European Plain.

THE EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE ON DEVELOPMENT AND SURVIVAL IN TADPOLES OF THE TROPICAL POISON FROG Dendrobates auratus

Robert G. Korbeck, Jr., and Scott P. McRobert

We examined the effects of temperature on developmental rate and survival in tadpoles of the poison frog Dendrobates auratus. Tadpoles reared at 26.2 and 29.4°C reached metamorphosis significantly faster, and had significantly higher rates of survival, than tadpoles raised at 22.3 and 30.9°C. Field studies showed that the mean temperature of bodies of water utilized by D. auratus tadpoles in La Suerte, Costa Rica was 26.2°C. Information such as this may aid efforts to maintain and breed tropical frog species in captivity.

Keywords: frogs, Dendrobates, tadpoles, temperature, metamorphosis, survival.

A NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS Vibrissaphora LIU, 1945 (ANURA: MEGOPHRYIDAE) FROM MOUNT NGOC LINH (KON TUM PROVINCE) AND ANALYSIS OF THE EXTENT OF SPECIES OVERLAP IN THE FAUNA OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF THE NORTH-WEST OF VIETNAM AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

Nikolai L. Orlov

A new frog species from southern Vietnam of the family Megophryidae is described from the Ngoc Linh mountain (Kon Tum province, south Vietnam). Vibrissaphora sp. nov. is distinguished from other species of this genus by having the maximum number of keratinized maxillary spines, a different pattern of their arrangement and the most tuberculous integument. This new record is distant from the southernmost locality in the distribution of the Vibrissaphora genus for about 1000 km.

Keywords: Megophryidae, Vibrissaphora, Leptobrachium, biogeography, Ngoc Linh mountain, Truong Son mountains, Hoang Lien mountains, Kon Tum province, Lao Cai province, Vietnam, Ailao Shan, Yunnan province, China

THE ORIENTAL COLUBRINE GENUS Coelognathus FITZINGER, 1843 AND CLASSIFICATION OF OLD AND NEW WORLD RACERS AND RATSNAKES (REPTILIA, SQUAMATA, COLUBRIDAE, COLUBRINAE)

Urs Utiger, Beat Schätti, and Notker Helfenberger

The phylogenetic relationships of the colubrine genus Coelognathus is examined on the basis of two partially sequenced mitochondrial genes, COI and 12S rRNA. Maximum parsimony reconstructions show that C. erythrurus, C. flavolineatus, C. helena, C. radiatus, and C. subradiatus share a common ancestor. Coelognathus spp. represent an evolutionary lineage among Oriental racers. Based on molecular data, external morphology, and pulmonary features, Coluber prasinus Blyth and Herpetodryas frenatus Gray are referred to Gonyosoma Wagler (four species). Hemerophis from Sokotra (monotypic) is the sister taxon of Palaearctic and Saharo-Sindian racers. Their phylogenetic relationships with Oriental racers are not clear. Old and New World racers belong to genetically independent lineages. The latter includes Salvadora spp. Masticophis Baird is considered to be a junior synonym of Coluber Linnaeus. A new generic name, Oreocryptophis, is proposed for the East Asian ratsnake taxon Coluber porphyraceus Cantor. Coronellini Jan is proposed for Old and New World ratsnakes. The tribe is monophyletic and made up of at least eight Old World (Coronella, Elaphe [sensu stricto], Euprepiophis, Oocatochus, Oreocryptophis, Orthriophis, Rhinechis, and Zamenis) and ten New World (mostly Nearctic) genera (Arizona, Bogertophis, Cemophora, Lampropeltis, Pantherophis, Pituophis, Pseudelaphe, Rhinocheilus, Senticolis, and Stilosoma).

Keywords: Coelognathus, Gonyosoma, Oreocryptophis (nomen novum), Oriental racers, phylogeny, Colubrini, Coronellini, morphology, mtDNA, COI, 12S rDNA.

A RECORD OF THE DANUBE NEWT, Triturus dobrogicus, FROM THE DNEPR RIVER DELTA (UKRAINE)

S. N. Litvinchuk

Two larvae of the Danube newt (Triturus dobrogicus) were collected in Kherson Town (the Dnepr River Delta). This locality is situated about 245 km to the east-north from the closest known records of the species. The distribution of T. dobrogicus and T. cristatus in southern Ukraine is discussed.

Keywords: Triturus dobrogicus, T. cristatus, Dnepr River, Kherson Province, Ukraine.

NEW SPECIES OF LIMB-REDUCED LYGOSOMINE SKINK GENUS Leptoseps GREER, 1997 (SAURIA, SCINCIDAE) FROM VIETNAM

Ilya S. Darevsky and Nikolai L. Orlov

Leptoseps tetradactylus sp. nov. morphologically simply distinguished from its two congeners by the presence of four fingers and five toes, and 20 scales round the body. Some details of his habitats in Central Vietnam are informed. Key to the Leptoseps species is compiled.

Keywords: Leptoseps, Lygosominae, Scincidae, Vietnam, new species, taxonomy.

ANTIPREDATORY THREAT DISPLAYS AND AGGRESSIVE DEFENSES BY THE ACRODONT LIZARD Uromastyx aegyptius (ACRODONTA: AGAMIDAE: UROMASTICINAE) WHEN CORNERED AND IN CREVICES

William E. Cooper, Jr. and Awadh M. Al-Johany

The dhub, a large acrodont lizard from northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, relies strongly on escape into burrows used as refuges when possible. In the laboratory we studied how these lizards defend themselves against human beings serving as simulated predators when the lizards are unable to escape into refuges or are pursued into refuges. When pursued into a corner or overtaken when unable to could enter refuges, dhubs performed impressive threat displays. When fleeing proved ineffective, the lizards performed various combinations of the following behaviors: opening their mouths, hissing, arching their backs upward, tilting their bodies toward the pursuing investigator, inflating their bodies, performing repeated sinuous undulations of the body along its longitudinal axis, and sweeping the heavily armed tail or both the head and tail toward the investigator. The displays appeared quite threatening and dhubs can deliver powerful bites and strong blows with the heavy, spinous tail. When approached while in crevices, dhubs pressed body parts against the crevice roof or wall while holding the tail free of the wall. Most individuals used the tail to lash at the investigator, but few exhibited any of the defensive display behaviors used outside crevices. Thus, dhubs have distinct defensive behaviors inside and outside refuges. They use refuges when possible, employ threatening and startling displays as well as physical defenses when overtaken outside refuges, and when confronted within refuges wedge the body against walls to make extraction more difficult while blocking access to the body and defending themselves by blows delivered by the tail.

Keywords: lizard defenses, refuge use, threat displays, Squamata, Agamidae, Uromasticinae, Uromastyx aegyptius.

COMMENTS ON SOME NOTEWORTHY RECENT PUBLICATIONS CONCERNING SYSTEMATIC HERPETOLOGY OF SOUTHWEST ASIA

Steven C. Anderson

BOOK REVIEW

Khan M. S. (2002), A Guide to the Snakes of Pakistan. Frankfurt Contributions to Natural History. Vol. 16., Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, 265 pages, 155 figures (maps, line drawings and color photographs); in English, hard-bound

Patrick David and Olivier S. G. Pauwels