A New Record of the Baluchistan Coastal Toad Bufo olivaceus Blanford, 1874 (Anura: Bufonidae) from Southeastern Iran

Nastaran Heydari and Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani

Submitted January 4, 2010.

Bufo olivaceus collected from Sheikhan Parak, Karuti in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, southeastern Iran, examined in terms of morphological characters, sexual dimorphism, environmental and distributional peculiarities.

Keywords: Bufo olivaceus, Baluchistan coastal toad, Bufonidae, Southeastern Iran.

Comments on the Systematic Status of Eutropis allapallensis Schmidt, 1926 (Sauria: Squamata: Scincidae)

Zeeshan A. Mirza, Rajesh V. Sanap, and Raman Upadhaye

Submitted March 17, 2010.

Eutropis allapallensis Schmidt, 1926 is shown to be poorly characterized and is proposed to be considered a junior synonym of Eutropis macularia.

Keywords: Sauria, Scincidae, Eutropis allapallensis, taxonomy, comments.

Population Sizes of Taurus Frog, Rana holtzi, in two Different Localities, Karagöl and Egrigöl: New Estimations, Decline, and a Warning for Their Conservation

Ugur Kaya, Eyup Baskale, I. Ethem Cevik, Yusuf Kumlutas, and Kurtulus Olgun

Submitted March 2, 2010.

Various estimators of population size have been used for Capture-Mark-Recapture (CMR) studies although some considered to have limitations and under- or over-estimations. Reliable and accurate monitoring and estimation is necessary for effective management of threatened species in Turkey. We used three different CMR estimators, Petersen, Bailey (triple catch), and MARK to estimate the population size of critically endangered frog species, Rana holtzi in its terra typica, the Karagöl Lake vicinities, for 2003 and 2009 data. Of these estimators, MARK and Petersen give reliable and better results than the Bailey. At Karagöl, the Taurus frog population declined over a period of six years. We also estimated the population size of Egrigöl locality, which is recently described but its low number was not given a hope for the species conservation. We also discussed the accuracy and limited use of Baileys (triple catch) by using our natural population data.

Keywords: taurus frog, Rana holtzi, population size, conservation, endangered species.

The Role of Hibernation on Testicular Cycle and Testicular Activation During Dormancy in Nature in Hibernating Lizards

Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani and Farhang Torki

Submitted October 12, 2008.

The testicular cycle in lizards, inhabitant of the temperate regions showing regeneration and degeneration periods during the year. For study of testicular activation in lizards, inhabiting in a temperate region, the specimens of ground agamid, Trapelus lessonae, were collected in Lorestan Province, western Iran. During the hibernation period, testes of the collected specimens were removed and treated using standard histological processes and techniques. Based on our studies, two phases of testicular activity were observed during the hibernation period as follows: (1) a relatively silent phase occurred during the early hibernation according to which testicular tissue slightly increased and (2) an activation phase occurred in late hibernation period in which the testicular tissue strongly increased. Based on this study, the testicular activation in temperate regions occurs during the late hibernation period and that the hibernation period has an important role to renewing the testicular tissue in the hibernating lizards and this is a very good instance of natural selection in action.

Keywords: hibernation, testicular cycle, testicular activation, temperate regions, lizards, Trapelus lessonae.

Primary Survey of Amphibian (Anuran) Fauna of Barisal, Bangladesh

Mohammad Sajid Ali Howlader

Submitted January 25, 2010.

On the Identity of Bufo levicristatus Boettger, 1885

Konstantin D. Milto

Submitted May 14, 2010.

A rediscovering and identification of the type specimen of Bufo levicristatus are given.

Keywords: Bufo levicristatus, Rhinella ornata, syntype, synonymy.

Declines of Amphibian Populations in North and Central Mongolia

Sergius L. Kuzmin

Submitted April 24, 2009.

In 2007 and 2008, I conducted amphibian surveys in northern and central Mongolia, where amphibians were studied formerly in 1980’s – early 1990’s. Four amphibian species were found: Salamandrella keyserlingii, Hyla japonica, Rana amurensis, and Bufo raddei. Population declines were noticed in all species, but the first three species are most affected. Large disjunctions in modern geographic distribution of R. amurensis in central Mongolia were found. Two species from the Red Data Book of Mongolia, S. keyserlingii and H. japonica seem to be most affected. Populations of B. raddei are least affected. Main cause of amphibian declines is alteration of habitats, mainly the drying up of, and destruction of wetlands. This has resulted from a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors, i.e., aridification of the environment and intensification of agriculture (mainly cattle breeding). Drastic decline of two richest amphibian assemblages in the Orkhon River lower reaches is described. Creation of a protected area there is recommended.

Keywords: Amphibians, populations, ecology, conservation, Mongolia, Salamandrella keyserlingii, Bufo raddei, Hyla japonica, Rana amurensis.

A New Species of the Genus Scincella Mittlemann, 1950 (Squamata: Scincidae) from Vietnam

Truong Quang Nguyen, Natalia B. Ananjeva, Nikolai L. Orlov, Evgeny Rybaltovsky, and Wolfgang Böhme

Submitted December 14, 2009.

We describe a new species of Scincella based on a single specimen from Dien Bien Province, northern Vietnam. Scincella darevskii sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by the following character combination: size large (SVL 88.6 mm); prefrontals separated; supraoculars 5; primary temporal single; external ear opening present, with 3 lobules on anterior margin; midbody scales in 28 rows; dorsal scales smooth, in 6 rows across the back; paravertebral scales 62, not widened; dorsum and tail base bronze with a light dorsolateral stripe from neck to hindlimb; upper lateral zone with dark brown stripe from nostril to anterior corner of eye and from posterior corner of eye to tail base; another light stripe running from nostril below the eye to tympanum and continuous to anterior groin. In addition, we discuss the validity of S. ochracea based on examination of type material, and we comment on the diversity of Vietnamese Scincella, the species number of which increased from four to currently nine within one year only.

Keywords: Scincella darevskii sp. nov., S. ochracea, taxonomy, Vietnam, Dien Bien Province.

On the Species of Pseudocerastes (Ophidia: Viperidae) in Iran

Behzad Fathinia and Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani

Submitted October 23, 2008

After description of Pseudocerastes urarachnoides from western Iran, and based on new evidence, elevation of both traditional subspecies of Pseudocerastes persicus (P. p. persicus and P. p. fieldi) to the specific level (i.e., P. persicus and P. fieldi) was further supported. With regards to these taxonomic changes, we decided to make a new key to the species of this genus based on obvious morphological differences.

Keywords: Iran, Pseudocerastes, subspecies, taxa.

New Records of Three Rare Snake Species from the Left Bank of Dniester River (Pridnestrovie)

Olga S. Bezman-Moseyko

Submitted November 4, 2009.

Three rare snake species (Coronella austriaca, Elaphe longissima, and Vipera berus) have been found in Pridnestrovie. These are the first reliable records for the region.

Keywords: Coronella austriaca, Elaphe longissima, Vipera berus, Pridnestrovie.

New Records and Distribution of a Little-Known Sea Krait Laticauda frontalis (Devis, 1905) (Serpentes, Laticaudidae)

Vladimir E. Kharin, Mark-Oliver Rödel, and Jakob Hallermann

Submitted March 18, 2010.

Description of the new records on the distribution of the known-little sea krait Laticauda frontalis is given. New Annotated catalogue for Laticaudidae is proposed.

Keywords: new records, Laticauda frontalis, description, distribution, annotated catalogue of the Laticaudidae.

Tetraploid Green Toad Species (Bufo pewzowi) from the Altay Mountains: the First Record for Russia

S. N. Litvinchuk, V. I. Kazakov, R. A. Pasynkova, L. J. Borkin, V. N. Kuranova, J. M. Rosanov

Submitted June 16, 2010.

Tetraploid green toad, Bufo pewzowi Bedriaga, 1898 was found in Altay Republic. This is the first record of the species for Siberia and Russia in general. The distribution of diploid and tetraploid toads in Siberia and adjacent territories of eastern Kazakhstan and north-western China is outlined. Bufo pewzowi is recommended to list in the Red Data Book of Russian Federation and in regional Red Data Book of Altay Republic.

Keywords: polyploidy, green toads, genome size, Bufo pewzowi, B. viridis, Altay, Siberia, Russia.

Heading East: a New Subspecies of Varanus salvator from Obi Island, Maluku Province, Indonesia, with a Discussion about the Easternmost Natural Occurrence of Southeast Asian Water Monitor Lizards

André Koch and Wolfgang Böhme

Submitted October 20, 2010.

The Varanus salvator population from the Central Indonesian island of Obi, Maluku Province, is described as a new subspecies representing the most easterly confirmed occurrence of the widespread Southeast Asian water monitor lizard. The new taxon differs from the four recognized subspecies by unique characters of coloration and pattern such as a distinct dorsal pattern on the head in combination with reduced transverse rows on the anterior back which stand in contrast to the distinct and black-bordered, large light spots on the hind part of the body. In addition, the eastern border of the distribution range of the V. salvator complex is critically discussed in the light of historical voucher specimens from the Moluccas, New Guinea and even Australia. The Obi island record which had long been published but has never since been scrutinized, confirms the recently observed sympatric occurrence of members of the V. salvator and V. indicus species groups on several islands of the Moluccas. Further field investigations are needed to understand the different niche occupation between both these ecologically similar monitor lizard groups. Once more, our findings demonstrate the importance of the Central Indonesian islands of Wallacea as a global hotspot of varanid diversity and endemism.

Keywords: Wallacea; Moluccas; Reptilia; Squamata; Varanidae; Varanus salvator ziegleri ssp. nov.; conservation; systematics; biogeography.

Rediscovery and Redescription of Two Rare Snake Species: Oligodon lacroixi Angel et Bourret, 1933 and Maculophis bellus chapaensis (Bourret, 1934) [Squamata: Ophidia: Colubridae] from Fansipan Mountains, Northern Vietnam

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

Submitted May 15, 2010.

We redescribe Oligodon lacroixi and Maculophis bellus chapaensis, two rare snakes which have not been reported from Vietnam since the original descriptions in 1930s, based on three voucher specimens recently collected from Fansipan Mountains, northern Vietnam. The list of colubrid snakes from Fansipan Mountains is also provided.

Keywords: Oligodon lacroixi; Maculophis bellus chapaensis; colubrids; rare snakes; Fansipan; Vietnam.