Orientation Capacity of the Yellow Spotted Newt Neurergus microspilotus (Caudata: Salamandridae)

Mozafar Sharifi, Fahimeh Akia, and Mohamad Elahi

Submitted May 18, 2008.

The yellow spotted newt Neurergus microspilotus inhabits scattered first order streams in highlands of western Iran. This newt moves from its terrestrial wintering grounds to breeding streams as soon as spring melt occurs (in late January and early March). Orientation toward breeding streams plays an important role in the seasonal movements and reproduction activities of this amphibian. In order to evaluate possible roles of celestial and magnetic cues in orientation of this amphibian, a group (22 individuals) of N. microspilotus has been examined in circular arenas under a variety of conditions. Animals were collected from Kavat Stream in western Iran, taken to the experimental site (approximately 4 km distant), and tested for orientation under clear night sky, overcast night sky, and in a clear night sky in the presence of an altered geomagnetic field. Analysis of the orientation courses showed that patterns of orientation significantly differed from a random ones (N = 22, P < 0.0001), if the animals choose celestial cues. Conversely, the ambient geomagnetic field does not seem to be relevant for orientation of N. microspilotus, because the animals were unable to orient using the ambient geomagnetic field in the absence of the celestial cues.

Keywords: Salamandridae, Neurergus microspilotus, orientation capacity, homing ability.

Number of Ossification Centers in the Anuran Cranial Bones Depends upon the Rate of Development: Experimental Evidence

Sergei V. Smirnov and Anna B. Vassilieva

Submitted August 11, 2008.

Cranial development was compared in Rana temporaria (Anura; Ranidae) and Bombina variegata (Anura; Discoglossidae) specimens reared at normal, high, and low level of thyroid hormone (TH). Sequence and timing of cranial ossification as well as rate of a particular bone's differentiation and growth depend upon TH level. Also, bones which normally develop from a single ossification center (frontoparietal, parasphenoid, vomer, squamosal, angulosplenial, septomaxilla, pterygoid, and premaxilla) were revealed to form from two or more ossification centers in specimens reared at high and low TH level. This indicates them to develop from several early precalcified anlagen which normally fuse prior to the beginning of calcification thus appearing as a single ossification center. Changes in the rate of a particular bone's differentiation and growth caused by manipulation with a TH level may cause precocious beginning of their calcification or their delayed fusion. As a result, they begin to calcify prior to their fusion thus appearing as several separate ossification centers. Number of ossification centers depends upon the rate of cranial and overall somatic development. Interspecies and individual differences in the rate of cranial and overall ontogeny are responsible for the inter- and intraspecific variability in the number of ossification centers recorded in anurans.

Keywords: anurans, skull, bones, ontogeny, ossification centers, thyroid hormone.

Morphometry and Aspects of breeding biology of Trachischium guentheri Boulenger, 1890 (Serpentes: Colubridae) in North Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya, India

Basundhara Chettri, S. Bhupathy, and Bhoj Kumar Acharya

Submitted January 24, 2008.

Aspects of life history and morphometry of G¨nther's oriental slender snake Trachischium guentheri (Boulenger, 1890) was studied along the Lachen and Lachung valleys of North Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya, India during 2003 – 2005. A total of 360 snakes were observed in 1026 man-hours of time constrained visual encounter surveys. Females were significantly larger (t = 3.19, df = 144, P < 0.01) and heavier (t = 3.04, df = 144, P < 0.01) than the males. Tail was longer in males compared to females having the same snout vent length (ANCOVA; F = 21.42, P < 0.001). Size structure of this species was unimodal right-skewed favoring adults. Both males and females showed normal distribution with respect to size classes (Z = 0.548, P > 0.05; Z = 0.813, P > 0.05) respectively. Encounter rate was highest during June – July. At ten locations, 2 – 130 eggs were found in piles under boulders, fallen logs and roots covered with mosses indicating communal egg laying. Clutch size of this species was 1 – 4 and highest number of nests and eggs were observed during August.

Keywords: Trachischium guentheri, size structure, morphometry, communal egg laying, Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya, India.

A Revision of the Sea Snakes of Subfamily Hydrophiinae. 1. Tribe Disteirini Nov. (Serpentes: Hydrophiidae)

Vladimir E. Kharin and Vladimir P. Czeblukov

Submitted February 17, 2009.

The erection of the tribe Disteirini Kharin nov. for the Disteira, Astrotia, and Enhydrina genera is substantiated. Descriptions and key for identification of genera and species is given. Key for identification of tribes of subfamily Hydrophiinae (family Hydrophiidae) is given.

Keywords: key for identification of tribes of subfamily Hydrophiinae, tribe Disteirini nov.; genera Disteira, Enhydrina, and Astrotia.

An Annotated Type Catalogue of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Museum of Nature at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (Kharkiv, Ukraine)

Valeriy Vedmederya†, Oleksandr Zinenko, and Andrei Barabanov

Submitted September 25, 2008.

This publication provides a critical review of the amphibian and reptilian type specimens presented in the collection of the Museum of Nature at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (Kharkiv, Ukraine), as of May 2008. The collection contains type specimens of twenty taxa. Eleven of them are valid species or subspecies. Lectotypes of Hyla arborea schelkownikowi, Rana dentex, Eryx miliaris nogaiorum, Coluber schmidti, and Ancistrodon halys caucasicus are designated. Information about lost type materials is provided.

Keywords: Museum of Nature at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, systematic collection, reptiles, amphibians, type specimens, type catalogue.

The First Description of the Tadpole of Lankanectes corrugatus (Peters, 1864) (Anura: Nyctibatrachidae) from Sri Lanka

Kanishka D. B. Ukuwela and Imesh Nuwan Bandara

Submitted October 21, 2008.

Lankanectes corrugatus (Peters, 1863) is lowland and a lower mountain species of frog endemic to Sri Lanka. The tadpole stage of this frog is poorly known and hence described here from the tadpoles collected from central Sri Lanka. The tadpoles of these species have depressed bodies, mucous glands found all over the body, no glands in the tail, one labial tooth row on the anterior lip and three rows on the posterior lip. The labial tooth row formula of this species is 1/3(1) [2].

Keywords: Lankanectes corrugatus, Fejervarya kirthisinghei, tadpole, central Sri Lanka.

Preliminary Comparison of File-Eared Tree Frogs, Polypedates otilophus (Boulenger, 1893) (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Java and Other Sundaic Islands, Indonesia

Awal Riyanto, Mirza D. Kusrini, M. I. Lubis, and Boby Darmawan

Submitted November 19, 2008.

Recently discovered "file-eared tree frogs," Polypedates otilophus (Boulenger, 1893) from Telaga Sunyi, Batur-Raden, Central Java, and Salak mountain, West Java, are compared with specimens from Sumatra and Borneo. Our comparison of color pattern and skin texture showed that specimens from Java are more similar to those from Sumatra than to those from Borneo. According to our morphometric analysis, differences in body proportions among frogs from the three islands are not statistically significant.

Keywords: Anura, Rhacophoridae, Polypedates otilophus, Java, Sumatra, Borneo.

Morphology and Some Histochemical Peculiarities of the Mucous Glands in the Integument of the Green Toads of Bufo viridis Complex (Amphibia: Bufonidae)

Tatjana N. Dujsebayeva, Irina I. Arifulova, and Galina V. Fedotovskikh

Submitted April 16, 2008.

We described three groups (varieties) of the mucous glands in the skin of the green toads of Bufo viridis complex basing on the morphology and histochemistry [mucopolycaccharide (MPS) composition] of their secretory epithelium and a localization of the glands in the toad integument. Our study showed that the mucous cells of three gland groups were differed in their morphology and content of the acid and neutral MPS. Only the ordinary mucous glands (group I) were found within the entire integument and only the skin of parotoid complexes contained the mucous glands of all three varieties. We consider the glands of group III as structures of full secretory maturity. Morphological and histochemical features of the glands of II (and possibly III) varieties as well as their selective distribution in the integument of the green toads permit to suppose their specific functions which need to be elucidate.

Keywords: Amphibia, Bufo viridis complex, integument, mucous glands, distribution, morphology, histochemistry, mucopolysaccharides.

A New Genus and Species of Colubrid Snake (Squamata, Ophidia, Colubridae) from South Vietnam (Lam Dong Province)

Nikolai L. Orlov, Vladimir E. Kharin, Natalia B. Ananjeva, Nguyen Thien Tao, and Nguyen Quang Truong

Submitted November 15, 2008.

A new genus and species of colubrid snake is described from Lam Dong Province in southern Vietnam. It is a rarely seen, cryptic dwarf fossorial snake combining morphometric and pholidosis characters both of Colubridae and Elapidae snakes. Based on osteology and dentition this snake is referred to colubrids; a new genus is provisionally included in colubinae subfamily. Comparative discussion of morphological characters of Southeast Asian fossorial colubrid and elapid snakes and convergence trends in evolution of dwarf and fossorial snakes are discussed.

Keywords: new genus, new species, fossorial snakes, Colubridae, Lam Dong Province, southern Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia.

OBITUARY

Ilya Sergeevich DAREVSKY (1924 – 2009)