Contribution to the distribution and morphology of Pelias darevskii (Vedmederja, Orlov et Tuniyev 1986) (Reptilia: Squamata: Viperidae) in Northeastern Anatolia

Aziz Avci, Çetin Ilgaz, Sagdan Baskaya, Ibrahim Baran, and Yusuf Kumlutas

Submitted January 26, 2009.

Two specimens of the viper P. darevskii which is only known from two localities are recorded from Posof, Ardahan, northeastern Anatolia. The meristic and metric characters and the color-pattern features of the viper specimens of P. darevskii captured from a new locality are given in detail and compared with the specimens from other localities with regard to literature. The present record of P. darevskii extends from its known distribution (Zekeriya Village, 26 km SE of Ardanuç, Artvin) almost 85 km distance to the north-east direction in northeastern Anatolia.

Keywords: Pelias darevskii, viper, distribution, morphology, northeastern Anatolia, Turkey.

Notes on a ground gecko Geckoella cf. collegalensis Beddome, 1870 (Squamata, Sauria, Gekkonidae) from India

Zeeshan A. Mirza, Saunak Pal, and Rajesh V. Sanap

Submitted February 4, 2009.

Specimens of Geckoella cf. collegalensis observed at Goregaon (Aarey Milk Colony, Mumbai, Maharashtra) from November 2007 to January 2009; provide new insights into the natural history and habitat of this poorly known gecko. Earlier regarded as a rare species restricted to low elevation area of south India, in fact appear to be widespread and terrestrial after a through review of museum specimens, published literature and our own observations.

Keywords: Geckoella cf. collegalensis, Aarey Milk Colony, BNHS collection, distribution. natural history, habitat.

Death feigning behavior in three colubrid species of tropical Asia

Gernot Vogel and Hans Kam Han-Yuen

Submited October 1, 2008.

Death feigning was reported for the first time for the species Coleognathus radiatus and Macrocalamus chanardi. In Xenochrophis piscator this behavior is reported for the second time since 1947. These are the first reports on death feigning in snakes for the Indochinese and Malayan subregions.

Keywords: death feigning, Coelognathus radiatus, Macrocalamus chanardi, Xenochrophis piscator, Oriental region.

Observations on microhabitat use and activity patterns in Sitana ponticeriana (Sauria: Agamidae)

Arttatrana Pal, Mitali Madhusmita Swain, and Swapnananda Rath

Submitted March 8, 2009.

Microhabitat use and activity patterns of Sitana ponticeriana were observed in their natural habitat over two consecutive years at Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary, Orissa, India. Lizards perched above the ground, mainly on herbaceous vegetation, sandy areas, cracks and crevices and small shrubs/bushes of the canopy. During the morning and late afternoon, the lizards favored herbaceous vegetation, and during early afternoon used a variety of microhabitats including shrubs/bushes, cracks and crevices, and root of the trees. Lizards were sighted in large numbers during morning and late afternoon. Sightings declined in the early afternoon with rise in ambient temperature. Daily activity patterns of all lizard size classes typically involved basking in the morning hours followed by foraging, moving and other activities. S. ponticeriana was found to be active foragers with frequent wandering movement. Foraging behavior did not vary significantly between males and females, whereas juveniles foraged near their retreats.

Keywords: Activity pattern, ambient temperature, foraging activity, microhabitat use, Sitana ponticeriana.

A new species of the genus Pseudocalotes (Squamata: Agamidae) from Vietnam

Jakob Hallermann, Nguyen Quang Truong, Nikolai Orlov, and Natalia Ananjeva

Submitted December 19, 2008.

Members of the genus Pseudocalotes of the Indochinese region were reviewed and a new species from Kon Tum province, Central Vietnam is described. The new species is similar in appearance to P. brevipes and P. floweri but it is distinguished from these species by the combination of the following characters: body scale shape, subdigital scale form, and coloration. Distribution patterns of the species P. brevipes, microlepis, floweri, and poilani, including all available new material of these species are discussed. An identification key to the species of the genus is provided.

Keywords: Pseudocalotes ziegleri sp. nov., P. poilani, taxonomy, first female record, distribution.

A record of natural nest of Pseudopus apodus

Konstantin D. Milto

Submitted November 24, 2008.

A natural nest and parental behavior for Pseudopus apodus are described.

Keywords: Pseudopus apodus, natural nest, parental behavior.

Mugger (Crocodylus palustris) population in and around Vadodara City, Gujarat State, India

Raju Vyas

Submitted August 15, 2008.

Monitoring of over a two decade period (1987–2007) of mugger (Crocodylus palustris) population of River Vishwamitri (Gujarat State, India) indicates the present status of the species in and around Vadodara City to be the most noticeable and unique. The population found in Vishwamitri-Dhadhar River System represents a unique case study of relationship between a crocodilian species and humans. The population of muggers is growing with at the rate of 7.77 animals per year and has reached over 100. Also, mugger conflict is increasing; a total of 292 muggers were rescued from human settlements and translocated, including 38% small (under 1 m), 48% large (1 – 2 m) and 14% huge sized (over 2 m) muggers. But few of them returned to the same location in the Vishwamitri River. A total of 14 crocodile attacks were recorded, including six that were fatal. The present study provides recommendations and an action plan for the long-term mugger conservation in the area.

Keywords: conflict, conservation, Crocodylus palustris, Gujarat, India, mugger, population, Rescue, reptiles, translocation, urban wildlife.

Sexual dimorphism in Laudakia erythrogastra (Sauria: Agamidae) from Khorasan Razavi Province, Northeastern Iran

Hossein Aghili, Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani, Mehdi Rajabizadeh, Haji Gholi Kami, and Bahram H. Kiabi

Submitted April 11, 2009

To investigate patterns of sexual dimorphism in the topotypes of Laudakia erythrogastra, seven morphometric and seven meristic characters were examined in 21 specimens including nine males and 12 females, collected from Fariman in northeastern regions of the Iranian Plateau. Results show that males of Laudakia erythrogastra having more pronounced ornamentation and are darker in coloration than the females. As well, males bearing longer head and limbs with regard to their body compared to females. Sexual dimorphism in Laudakia erythrogastra is more obvious than the other species of Laudakia in Iran which seems to be due to habitat specificity of this species.

Keywords: Agamidae, Laudakia erythrogastra, sexual dimorphism, habitat specificity, Fariman, northeastern Iran.

A review of tailed amphibian remains from Late Cenozoic Sediments of the East European Plain

Viatcheslav Yu. Ratnikov

Submitted October 15, 2008.

This paper presents a review of findings of tailed amphibians from the Late Cenozoic of the East European Plain, including materials from 13 localities. The descriptions of remains of Mioproteus sp., Salamandrella sp., Triturus cristatus aut dobrogicus, Triturus cf. karelinii, and Lissotriton vulgaris are given. Geographic and stratigraphic distributions of findings are listed. Determination of two vertebrae from Korotoyak and Vladimirovka as Triturus cf. alpestris is recognized invalid.

Keywords: tailed amphibians, Late Cenozoic, East European Plain.

First record of the mountain ground skink Scincella monticola (Schmidt, 1925) (Squamata: Scincidae) from Vietnam

Nguyen Quang Truong,1,2 Nguyen Thien Tao, Wolfgang Böhme, and Thomas Ziegler

Submitted December 1, 2008.

We herein report about the first record of the Mountain ground skink Scincella monticola from Vietnam. The species previously was only known from Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan, in China. Our first country record for Vietnam is based on a single male specimen collected from Mau Son Mountain, Lang Son Province. We comment on the synonymy and taxonomy of this species and provide first ecological notes for Vietnam.

Keywords: Squamata, Scincidae, Scincella monticola, first country record, Vietnam, Lang Son Province.

Rediscovery of Hemidactylus scabriceps (Annandale, 1906) (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Tamil Nadu, India

S. R. Ganesh and S. R. Chandramouli

Submitted January 26, 2009.

Hemidactylus scabriceps, a gekkonid lizard originally described from the Ramnad district of Tamil Nadu, India, is recorded from Mannampandal, Nagapattinam district in the same state. This is the third known locality for this species in India and the first Indian record in 72 years. The species also occurs in Sri Lanka. Data on lepidosis and natural history, as well as the first life photographs of H. scabriceps are provided.

Keywords: Hemidactylus scabriceps, rediscovery, distribution, Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, tropical dry evergreen forest.

Colubrid snake Lycodon zawi (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Lawachara National Park in Bangladesh

A. H. M. Ali Reza

Submitted December 17, 2008.

Lycodon zawi is reported from Bangladesh for the first time, after its first discovery in 2001 from western Myanmar and northeast India. With a range extension of ~200 km, this is the first country record of the species from Lawachara National Park in northeastern Bangladesh. Description of live specimen, scalation patters, and natural history notes are presented.

Keywords: Lycodon zawi, range extension, Lawachara National Park, Bangladesh.

Obituary

Carl Gans (1923 – 2009) and the integrative biology of reptiles

Kraig Adler