On Distribution and Conservation Status of Neurergus kaiseri (Caudata: Salamandridae)

Mozafar Sharifi, Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani, Vahid Akmali, and Somayeh Assadian Narengi

Newts of the genus Neurergus in south-western Iran are amongst the least known amphibian taxa in the country. Since 1975, few scientific record have reported for Neurergus kaiseri. Morphological characteristics and habitat preferences of Neurergus kaiseri have been described from Taleh Zang stream in southern Zagros Mountains, Iran, in an area not previously known as a habitat for this newt. In the stream, where the newt was found channel substrate, channel width, adjacent riparian plant community type, and land use practice were determined. Visual estimates were made of percent channel substrate composition showed that this newt more often (45%) occupies aquatic microenvironments with substrate of pebbles and fine texture. Various factors threatening this species including lack of suitable highland streams, presence of a cyprinid fish (Barbus sp.) which is known to prey upon eggs and larvae of the amphibians and also illegal collecting and trade are discussed.

Keywords: Salamandridae, Neurergus kaiseri, Zagros Mountains, Lorestan Province, morphology, ecology.

The Morphology and Distribution of Varanus griseus (Daudin, 1803) (Reptilia: Sauria: Varanidae) in Southeastern Anatolia

Çetin Ilgaz, Yusuf Kumlutas, Aziz Avci, Ibrahim Baran, and Adem Özdemir

This study comprises the taxonomic status and distribution of Varanus griseus specimens were captured from new localities in southeastern Anatolia. Specimens resemble V. g. griseus in terms of morphometric characters (in having 6 – 9 crossbars on the back; rounded tail in cross section and 22 – 25 crossbars extending almost to tip of tail). Furthermore, the known range of the species was extended in southeastern Anatolia.

Keywords: Varanus griseus, taxonomy, distribution, Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey.

Present Status of Lacerta danfordi Complex (Gunther, 1876) in Southwestern Anatolia, Turkey

Özgür Güçlü and Kurtulus Olgun

In the present study the specimens captured from northern and southern parts of the Büyük Menderes River have been examined to solve the problematic taxonomic status of Lacerta danfordi. A total of 105 specimens, 51 from the northern localities (Kalamaki and Kula + Pasa Plateau — 21 males, 19 females, 5 subadult males, 6 subadult females), 54 from the southern localities (Honaz Mountain and Çine + Herakleia — 24 males, 21 females, 6 subadult males, 3 subadult females) were examined in terms of 15 pholidotic characters, 11 morphometric measurements, ratios and indices as well as color-pattern features. There are not any obvious differences between northern and southern populations of the Büyük Menderes River in respect to color and pattern characteristics. Nevertheless, according to the statistics performed there is no doubt that there is a differentiation taxonomically in respect to pholidotic as well as morphometrical ratios and indices between these two populations. As a result, in order to support some of the previous studies performed to date, populations located in the northern part and southern part of the study area need to be considered as L. anatolica and L. oertzeni, respectively.

Keywords: Lacertidae, Lacerta danfordi, Lacerta anatolica, Lacerta oertzeni, Lizard, Anatolia, Büyük Menderes River.

A New Locality of Southern Crested Newt, Triturus karelinii (Strauch, 1870) (Urodela: Salamandridae) and Eastern Spadefoot, Pelobates syriacus (Boettger, 1889) (Anura: Pelobatidae), from Denizli Province, Western Turkey

Serdar Düsen and Rasit Urhan

In this paper, we described 15 specimens of Triturus karelinii and one specimen of Pelobates syriacus which were collected from the Süleymanlar Village, Plateau Lake (Buldan District) in Denizli Province. The specimens, habitat characteristics and distribution are described. This is the first record of Triturus karelinii and Pelobates syriacus from Denizli Province and therefore Triturus karelinii distributional range is being extend to the east of Aegean Region in Turkey.

Keywords: Triturus karelinii, Pelobates syriacus, Distribution, Hexadactyly, Denizli, Turkey.

Biodiversity and Ecology of the Herpetofauna of Cholistan Desert, Pakistan

Khalid Javed Baig, Rafaqat Masroor, and Mohammad Arshad

Present studies are aimed to document the herpetofauna of Cholistan Desert and study its ecology. During the last three years from 2001 to 2003, attempts have been made to collect and observe the amphibians and reptiles in different parts of Cholistan Desert. More than four thousand specimens belonging to 44 species have so far been collected/observed from the study area. Among different collecting techniques adopted for these studies, "Pit-fall" traps and "Hand Picking" showed best results. The voucher specimens have been catalogued and are presently lying with Pakistan Museum of Natural History, Islamabad.

Keywords: Amphibians, Reptiles, ecology, Cholistan Desert, Pakistan.

A Case of Homonymy in the Genus Agama (Reptilia: Sauria: Agamidae)

Andrei Barabanov

Keywords: Reptilia, Agamidae, Mali, Agama, Agama maria nom. nov.

Altitudinal Variations in Morphological Characters of Laudakia tuberculata Hardwicke and Gray, 1827 from Western Himalayas (Uttarakhand), India

Archana Bahuguna

Laudakia tuberculata Hardwicke and Gray, 1827, a Kashmir rock agama, is distributed almost everywhere in Western Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India at various altitudes ranging from 150 to 3600 m a.s.l. Specimens of Laudakia tuberculata Hardwicke et Gray, 1827 were collected from different altitudes in Western Himalayas. Intraspecific variation in morphological characters was studied in specimens from Uttarakhand, India. Dorsal scales were smooth, with very low keels in samples collected from Harsil and Pachiyari near to Harsil (2494 and 2498 m respectively) in comparison with samples from other localities as revealed by SEM analysis. Morphometric and pholidosis characters were analyzed. Lizards of low altitude had longer toes than lizards of the same sex at higher elevation.

Keywords: Laudakia tuberculata, altitudinal morphological variation, Western Himalayas, India.

A New Species of Cascade Frog of Odorrana Fei, Yi et Huang, 1990 Genus (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae) from Bac Giang Province (Yen Tu Mountain Range, Northeast Vietnam)

Tran Thanh Tung, Nikolai L. Orlov, and Nguyen Thien Tao

A new species of cascade frog of genus Odorrana is described from Northeast Vietnam, Yen Tu Mountain Range [Tam Kham, Thanh Son, Son Dong district, Bac Giang Province (Tay Yen Tu Nature Reserve)]. This small species of the genus Odorrana is characterized by a combination of the following characters: SVL (mm): males 44.33 – 45.49, mean 44.87; females 59.33 – 61.94, mean 60.85; body relatively short; oblique ridges, reaching upper part of rounded choanas; ventral skin smooth; lacking ventral spinules and ventrolateral cluster near to the insertion of the forearm. Dorsal skin is slightly rough, and hind part of the dorsal surface below sacrum is very rough (shagreen) because of small sharp tubercles completely covering this area; dorsum of body is light brown with rare dark spots of irregular shape; ventral side of body light, yellowish white, without spots; dorsolateral fold is accompanied by black edging, interrupted backwards; fore- and hindlimbs from above brown with dark transversal bands, from below, yellowish without spots; webs of feet gray. Comparison with other species of Odorrana genus and data on natural history are provided.

Keywords: Anura, Ranidae, cascade frogs Odorrana, Huia, Amolops, a new species, Northeast Vietnam, Bac Giang Province.

The Range Extension of Genus Chalcides Laurenti, 1768 (Reptilia: Scincidae) to Sri Lanka

D. M. S. S. Karunarathna, L. J. M. Wickramasinghe, V. A. P. Samarawickrama, and D. A. I. Munindradasa

Sri Lanka has 31 skink species belonging to seven genera. We describe here the first record of the genus Chalcides in the Island. The genus Chalcides is currently distributed from Europe to India. This work reports a range extension of this genus to Sri Lanka.

Keywords: Chalcides, Range extension, Scincid lizards, Sri Lanka, Taxonomy.

A New Species of Goniurosaurus (Sauria: Gekkota: Eublepharidae) from North Vietnam

Nikolai L. Orlov, Sergei A. Ryabov, Nguyen Thien Tao, Nguyen Quang Truong, and Ho Thu Cuc

A new species of eublepharid gecko, genus Goniurosaurus Barbour, 1908 (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkota: Eublepharidae), is described from northeastern Vietnam. We analyze the distribution of Chinese and Vietnamese species with comparison of the diversity of Goniurosaurus lizards in karst and granite habitats. In addition we provide the natural history data of the new species.

Keywords: Eublepharidae, a new species, two groups of Goniurosaurus genus, karst and granite habitats, Huu Lien Nature Reserve, Lang Son Province, Yen Tu Nature Reserve, Bac Giang Province, Cat Ba National Park, Bai Tu Long Archipelago, Quang Ninh Province, Trung Khanh, Cao Bang Province, northeastern Vietnam.

Aleksandr Mikhajlovich NIKOLSKY (1858 – 1942)

O. I. Zinenko