Feeding Habits of Physalaemus biligonigerus (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from Soybean Field of Córdoba PROVINCE, ARGENTINA

Andrés M. Attademo, Paola M. Peltzer, and Rafael C. Lajmanovich

Detailed investigation of feeding habits in anurans may help us to understand the ecological significance of them in a particular habitat. In this sense, diet composition of anuran living inside soybean field is scarce. We examined the diet of Physalaemus biligonigerus in soybean field of Córdoba Province, Argentina. A total of 27 frogs (n = 14 females and n = 13 males) were analyzed to assess gastrointestinal contents. Indeed, snout vent length, body mass and sexes were also recorded. A total of 418 prey items was found, being Pheidole sp. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) and Armadillium vulgare (Crustacea, Isopoda) the most important preys. The diet composition of frog was compared with prey relative abundance in soybean field, estimated by pitfall traps. There were no significant correlation (τ = 0.48, p > 0.05). Selectivity analysis showed positive values for Formicidae and Isoptera. Thus, Isopoda was consumed in the same proportion as occurrence in the environment. No significant differences were detected between females and males diet composition. Finally, we suggest that P. biligonigerus should be considered as potential biocontrol agents of noxious arthropods in soybean field.

Keywords: Physalaemus biligonigerus, Feeding habits, Prey abundance, Soybean, Biological control, Argentina.

Walterinnesia aegyptia Lataste, 1887 (Ophidia: Elapidae) and the Status of Naja morgani Mocquard 1905

Göran Nilson and Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani

We separate the eastern populations of Walterinnesia in Iran, Iraq and eastern Saudi Arabia under the name Walterinnesia morgani. This taxon is easily separated from Walterinnesia aegyptia in Egypt, Israel, western Saudi Arabia, and Jordan by a significantly lower number of anterior dorsal scale rows. Walterinnesia morgani is also having on average a lower number of ventrals, subcaudals, and united subcaudals, as well as a completely different juvenile color pattern, consisting of 25 to 33 reddish crossbars on an otherwise black body. In Walterinnesia aegyptia the juvenile dorsal color is black without any pattern.

Keywords: Reptilia, Serpentes Elapidae, Bungarinae, Walterinnesia aegyptia, Walterinnesia morgani, taxonomy, Iran.

Assignment of Currently Misplaced Cnemaspis gordongekkoi Das, 1993 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) to Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827

Sayantan Biswas

Generic placement of the Indonesian Cnemaspis gordongekkoi Das, 1993 is assessed. The current generic status of the species came under doubt when it was observed to possess a vertical pupil hitherto unknown for any Cnemaspis spp. Here it is transferred to the genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827, a highly specious group of nocturnal geckos possessing vertical pupils, lacking dilated subdigital scansors and distributed sympatrically with Asian members of the genus Cnemaspis. Examination of museum specimens reveals other morphological characters that further support this reassignment. The fact that C. gordongekkoi has an atypical coloration when compared to the usually blotched or banded Cyrtodactylus spp. might have contributed to its initial misplacement in the genus Cnemaspis, which are relatively less strikingly patterned.

Keywords: Cnemaspis, Cyrtodactylus, geckos, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, taxonomy.

A New Species of Wolf Snake (Serpentes: Colubridae: Lycodon) from Anaikatti Hills, Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India

Debanik Mukherjee and S. Bhupathy

A new species of wolf snake is described from the tropical mixed dry deciduous forests of the Anaikatti Hills, Western Ghats, India. This species is distinct from its congeners of the Indian mainland by the following combination of characters: dorsal scales in 17:17:15 rows, scales smooth with single apical pit; anterior nasal shield larger than the posterior, loreal in contact with the internasal, but not with the eye; higher number of ventrals (210 – 224) which do not angulate laterally and hemipenis not forked at the tip and lacks spines. The new species also differs from other Lycodon spp. of the Western Ghats in having a prominent yellow collar and dorsum lacking any prominent pattern such as blotches, spots and bands.

Keywords: Wolf snake, Lycodon flavicollis, tropical forests, Biodiversity Hotspots, Western Ghats, India.

The Land Snakes of the Santubong Peninsula, Sarawak, Borneo: A Preliminary List of Species with Natural History Notes

Johan van Rooijen and Myriam van Rooijen

The authors carried out a survey of the land snakes inhabiting the Santubong Peninsula, a proposed National Park in Sarawak, Borneo. Twenty four species, representing six families, were recorded. For several species, behavioral data are provided that extend the current knowledge about those species. A total of 34 species is now known to inhabit the Santubong Peninsula and the species accumulation curve already appears to approach its asymptote. Roughly 120 species are known to occur in lowland and submontane regions of Borneo. As such, the Santubong Peninsula appears to harbor a limited selection of Bornean species. In addition, a comparison of the snake fauna of the Santubong Peninsula with that of the Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, shows a very low similarity. This is certainly in part due to insufficient sampling of the respective areas. However, these results do indicate regional differences in snake communities. Finally, the significance for conservation efforts is pointed out.

Keywords: Reptilia, Serpentes, Colubridae, Crotalidae, Elapidae, Pythonidae, Typhlopidae, Xenopeltidae, Snake community, Snake diversity, Zoogeography, Conservation, Asia, Borneo, Sarawak, Santubong Peninsula.

Additions to the Snake Fauna of Southern Laos, with the Second Laotian Specimen of Naja siamensis (Laurenti, 1768) and the First Country Record of Oligodon taeniatus (Günther, 1861) (Squamata, Serpentes)

Alexandre Teynié and Patrick David

A small, recent collection of reptiles from Paksé and from Xépian National Biodiversity and Conservation Area, Champasak Province, southern Laos, contains the second Laotian specimen of the Indochinese spitting Cobra, Naja siamensis (Laurenti, 1768). This species was previously known from this country from a single specimen observed in Savannakhet Province, in the north of Central Laos. This second specimen, the first one to have been preserved for this country, is described in details. It shows a pattern slightly different from the first Laotian specimen. This new specimen confirms the occurrence of this medically important species in different parts of the Mekong valley. A juvenile specimen of Oligodon taeniatus (Günther, 1861) proves the first voucher specimen of this species recorded from Laos. Specimens previously cited from the Vientiane area as Oligodon taeniatus proved to belong either to Oligodon mouhoti (Boulenger, 1914) or to an unidentified taxon. The list of snake species known from Champasak Province is updated; it currently includes 37 snake species.

Keywords: Reptilia, Serpentes, Laos, Xépian National Biodiversity and Conservation Area, Champasak Province, Naja siamensis, Oligodon taeniatus, Oligodon mouhoti.

On the Second Record of Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake Pelamis platurus (Linnaeus, 1766) from Russia

Vladimir E. Kharin

Description of the second record of sea snake Pelamis platurus (Linnaeus, 1766) in Russian waters (Bay of Pos'yet, Primorskiy Kray of Far East) is given.

Keywords: Serpentes, Hydrophiidae, Pelamis platurus, second record in Russian waters, description.

On Food Habits of Sand Racerunner, Eremias scripta (STRAUCH, 1867) (Squamata, Lacertidae) from Barchan Sands of Eastern Kara Kum (Repetek Reserve)

Jeanne V. Mishagina

Diet of sand racerunner (Eremias scripta, Lacertidae) was studied in barchan sands of Eastern Kara Kum (Turkmenistan, Repetek biosphere reserve) in May – June and in August, 1989. There were discovered remains of 424 prey items in feces of 28 individuals of E. scripta. The paper analyzes food habits of racerunners by biocoenotic indexing method. Lizards' preys were divided into nineteen elementary ecological groups and several mass categories.

Keywords: Reptilia, Squamata, Lacertidae, Eremias scripta, Turkmenistan, Kara Kum, Repetek reserve, desert, ecology, food habits, biocoenotic indexing method.

Captive Breeding and Reproductive Biology of the Protobothrops cornutus and Triceratolepidophis sieversorum

Konstantin A. Shiryaev, Nikolai L. Orlov, Sergei A. Ryabov, and Nguyen Quang Truong

New data on the reproductive biology as well as results of the first captive breeding of very rare Asian pitvipers from Truongson Mountains: Protobothrops cornutus and Triceratolepidophis sieversorum are given. Characteristics of the reproductive biology of Protobothrops cornutus and Triceratolepidophis sieversorum, which are sympatric in Truongson Mountains (karst regions of Quang Binh Province) are discussed in the present paper. The data on copulation, gestation and incubation, clutches, size and weight of newborn snakes, temperatures during hibernation and the activity periods, temperature of incubation, a diet during different seasons for different age groups are given in the result of a successful breeding in the laboratory. The descriptions of size of eggs and structures of a shell are provided.

Keywords: rare snakes, Protobothrops, Triceratolepidophis, Annamite Mountains, reproductive biology, captive breeding, Vietnam.

A New Species of Theloderma (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia

David S. McLeod and Norhayati Ahmad

A new rhacophorid frog tentatively assigned to the genus Theloderma is described on the basis of five specimens collected from southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia. The new species is most similar to Theloderma asperum in external morphology and coloration, and differs from this and all other congeners by body size, characteristics of skin tuberculation, digital characters, and coloration. This species is the fourth Theloderma described from Malaysia and the third from Thailand.

Keywords: New species, peninsular Malaysia, Rhacophoridae, Thailand, Theloderma.

Review of the Book: Andreas Gumprecht, Frank Tillack, Nikolai Orlov, Ashok Captain, and Sergei Ryabov (2004), Asian Pitvipers, GeitjeBooks Berlin, Berlin. 368 pages, 1179 color photographs, hardbound, 21.0×29.5 cm, ISBN 3-937975-00-4 [in English]

Patrick David

Obituary: Khalid Javed BAIG (1956 – 2006)

Obituary: Valentin Vasilyevich KUZNETSOV (1923 – 2006)