-
First record of Bombina variegata (Linnaeus, 1758) at the southern part of Euboea Island, Greece Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-12 Panayiotis Pafilis, Grigoris Kapsalas
The herpetofauna of Greek islands is fairly well known. However, new records enhance our knowledge of the insular distribution of reptiles and amphibians. Here, we report a new addition to the herpetofauna of Euboea Island: a dense population of the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) was found in Ochi Mountain, at the south part of the Island.
-
The validity of Rana bannanica Rao & Yang, 1997 (Anura, Ranidae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-11 Shuo Liu, Tan Van Nguyen, Nikolay A. Poyarkov, Qiaoyan Wang, Dingqi Rao, Song Li
One specimen of frog was collected from Mohan Town, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, which is the type locality of Rana bannanica Rao & Yang, 1997, currently considered as a junior synonym of Hylarana milleti (Smith, 1921). This specimen well agrees with the original description of R. bannanica. In regard to morphology, R. bannanica and H. milleti are, indeed, very similar
-
Reproductive effort of Plestiodon copei (Squamata, Scincidae), a highland viviparous lizard from Central Mexico Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-08 Hermilo Sánchez-Sánchez, Adriana Jocelyn Morales-Gonzaga, Ken Oyama, J. Carlos Alvarado-Avilés
Female reproductive effort is defined as the proportion of total energy or resources devoted to reproduction. In reptiles, there is frequently high inter- and intra-population variation related to several factors, such as food availability, climatic conditions, age and size, all of which, in turn, also influence survival and future reproduction. The present study is the first reproductive effort
-
Migration strategy of the Great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) in an artificial pond Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-12-28 Lukáš Weber, Jan Růžička, Ivan H. Tuf, Martin Rulík
In animals, migration is an evolutionary adaptation to manage seasonally varying habitats. Often driven by climatic changes or resource availability, amphibians then migrate from their hibernation sites to their breeding grounds. This research focused on the migratory habits of the Great crested newt (Triturus cristatus). The study explored factors like gender, body size, and environmental determinants
-
Geographic distribution of the rare and endangered Telmatobufo venustus (Philippi, 1899) (Anura, Calyptocephalellidae), with the description of a new locality and comments on the type locality Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-12-22 Claudio Correa, José Ignacio Osses, Jesús A. Morales, Juan Carlos Ortiz
Telmatobufo venustus was one of the rarest endemic amphibians of Chile until 2020. Prior to that year, this species had been known in four localities, three of them with uncertain location, including the type locality. However, three new precise localities have been reported successively since 2020, all based on a few individuals. In this study, we review the geographic information on the species
-
Redescription of Rhacophorus tuberculatus (Anderson, 1871) and the validity of Rhacophorus verrucopus Huang, 1983 Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-12-22 R. S. Naveen, Shuo Liu, S. R. Chandramouli, S. Babu, P. V. Karunakaran, Honnavalli N. Kumara
Rhacophorus tuberculatus and Rhacophorus verrucopus are two morphologically similar species described in 1871 and 1983 respectively. Their taxonomic distinctiveness has been questioned in the past. In the current study, we encountered frogs that we confer to R. tuberculatus based on morphological similarity to a syntype of this species. We redescribe the species based on a re-examination of a syntype
-
Range dynamics of Walterinnesia morgani (Serpentes, Elapidae) during climatic oscillations in Iran Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-12-18 Ali Gholamifard, Mehmet Kürşat Şahin
Reptiles have a crucial part in maintaining global biodiversity and the functioning of dynamic ecosystems, owing to their ecological roles and functions. Nevertheless, these organisms are susceptible to human-induced disruptions and the deterioration of their habitats, leading to their categorization as the third most endangered group of vertebrates on a global scale. Understanding the spatial distribution
-
Taxonomic status of Lycodon subcinctus sensu lato in China (Serpentes, Colubridae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-30 Shuo Liu, Mian Hou, Bo Cai, Shimin Li, Zhongxu Zhang, Rui Yu, Dingqi Rao, Liang Zhang
The Malayan Banded Wolf Snake Lycodon subcinctus Boie, 1827 once included three subspecies, namely L. s. subcinctus Boie, 1827, L. s. sealei Leviton, 1955, and L. s. maculatus (Cope, 1985). Thereafter, L. s. sealei has been elevated to species level, and the taxonomic status of L. s. maculatus has not been resolved. We sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene fragments of eight specimens
-
Neotype designation and redescription of Gloydius shedaoensis qianshanensis Li, 1999 (Squamata, Serpentes, Viperidae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-20 Xian-Chun Qiu, Xiao-Ping Wang, Shuo Qi, Jin-Ze Wang, Zu-Yao Xia, Hao-Tian Wang, Sheng-Bo Zhou, Guo-Xu Yu, Zhong-Xun Wu, Jing-Song Shi, Pi-Peng Li
The taxonomic status of Gloydius shedaoensis qianshanensis Li, 1999 has long been debated due to its narrow distribution range, low population, loss of type specimens, and lack of detailed descriptions. Neotypes were designated based on newly collected specimens in the Qianshan Mountain area, detailed comparisons between G. s. shedaoensis, and G. s. qianshanensis were recorded, while we redescribed
-
Notes on the pattern of head size in the Philippine Spotted Flying Lizard, Draco spilopterus (Weigmann, 1834), within Luzon Biogeographic Region, Philippines Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-20 Michael A. Tabug, Levy V. Necesito, Arvin C. Diesmos
Sexual head dimorphism is a condition where head morphology of male and female of the same species differ, which provides an additional way to recognise sex for species identification. Fifty four adult Philippine Spotted Flying Lizards, Draco spilopterus, were examined from four populations in the Luzon Island, Philippines to assess whether head morphometry can drive sexual dimorphism. We identified
-
Exploring the dietary niche of Atlantolacerta andreanskyi (Lacertidae) using DNA metabarcoding Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-16 Abderrahim S’Khifa, Ana Pereira, Mohamed Amine Samlali, Tahar Slimani, D. James Harris, Raquel Xavier
Determining the dietary niche is an essential part of any conservation strategy, and for modeling the community responses to climate change. DNA metabarcoding methods are revolutionizing such approaches, allowing higher taxonomic resolution than typically possible using microscopy. However, few studies have compared directly the approaches to evaluate the differences in methodology. Here we assess
-
Advertisement calls of Leptobrachella suiyangensis and Leptobrachella bashaensis (Anura, Megophryidae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-09 Tuo Shen, Shize Li, Jing Liu, Guangrong Li, Xi Xiao, Haijun Su
In this study, the advertisement calls of Leptobrachella suiyangensis and Leptobrachella bashaensis are described. The advertisement call of L. suiyangensis includes simple and complex calls, with four different call types and a dominant frequency ranging 4.13–4.82 kHz. The advertisement call of L. bashaensis consists of a single note, with a dominant frequency 6.03–6.46 kHz. We compare the advertisement
-
Sexual dimorphism in postcloacal scales in the northern caiman lizard (Dracaena guianensis) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-28 Riccardo Antonini, Rupert Kainradl, Michaela Gumpenberger, Anton Weissenbacher, Doris Preininger
Morphological differences between males and females are common among reptiles. A particularly interesting sexually dimorphic feature whose function is largely unknown is the number and pattern of specific scales. Several lizard species possess an arrangement of centered scales near the cloacal region that differ between the sexes and can be used for sex determination. The presence of postcloacal
-
Snake shed skin consumed by Kinosternon vogti: a case of interspecific keratophagy Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-19 Fabio G. Cupul-Magaña, Nadin E. López-González, Ilse K. Barraza-Soltero, Torsten Blanck, Peter Praschag, Shannon Diruzzo, Taggert G. Butterfield, Armando H. Escobedo-Galván
Some reptile species can consume their own shed skin or that of conspecifics; despite its prevalence, the benefits of eating shed skin remain poorly understood. Here, we report a field observation in which a Vallarta Mud Turtle (Kinosternon vogti) consumed a snake shed skin of Masticophis lineatus (Bocourt, 1890) in Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, Mexico. This type of record could allow us to understand
-
Occurrence and status of the European Pond Turtle, Emys orbicularis hellenica (Valenciennes, 1833), on Aegean and Ionian Islands (Greece, Turkey) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-08-23 Mario F. Broggi
A study on the occurrence of Emys orbicularis in the Aegean, published in 2012, is here extended to the Ionian Islands. For the first time, a status analysis has also been carried out for the individual islands. Emys orbicularis is found on 11 Greek islands and one Turkish. Its presence on the big islands of Rhodes and Chios has not been ascertained so far, while for four previously mentioned islands
-
Occurrence and tentative population status of the Balkan Terrapin (Mauremys rivulata, Valenciennes, 1833) on Greek islands Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-08-23 Mario F. Broggi
The distribution of Mauremys rivulata on Aegean islands was summarized by Broggi in 2012. Here, the study area encompasses all Greek islands, including the Ionian Islands, and the two Turkish islands of Gökceada and Bozcaada. For the first time, I attempt to estimate the status and size of the populations on the islands. This is a subjective assessment based on my personal visits to most islands and
-
Expanded description of Hemiphyllodactylus hongkongensis (Squamata, Gekkonidae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-08-17 Xiang-Yi Li, Shi-Shi Lin, Zhao-Chi Zeng, Yan-Jun Sun, Jian Wang
The expanded description of Hemiphyllodactylus hongkongensis Sung, Lee, NG, Zhang & Yang, 2018 is provided based on four newly collected specimens from eastern Guangdong Province, China, which is beyond its previously known range. The new collection also fills the distribution gap of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus in the region. Due to the absence of sufficient data, we recommend Hemiphyllodactylus
-
A new cryptic species of Tylototriton (Amphibia, Caudata, Salamandridae) from mysterious mountain lakes in Manipur, north-eastern India Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-08-14 Ht. Decemson, Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga, Premjit Singh Elangbam, Mathipi Vabeiryureilai, Parag Shinde, Jayaditya Purkayastha, Dmitriy V. Arkhipov, Andrey M. Bragin, Nikolay A. Poyarkov
An integrative taxonomic analysis combining molecular and morphological lines of evidence revealed a new cryptic species in the Tylototriton verrucosus species group from Manipur, north-eastern India. The new species was previously confused with T. himalayanus and T. verrucosus. Tylototriton zaimengsp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by medium body size, head massive and wide with rounded
-
Daily activities of water monitors (Varanus salvator macromaculatus Deraniyagala, 1944) in urban wetland, Bangkok, Thailand Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-08-11 Poramad Trivalairat, Sompod Srikosamatara
From July to October 2015, a study was conducted on the water monitors (Varanus salvator macromaculatus) at Dusit Zoo in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 90 monitors were captured, measured for SVL, sexed, and marked on the right axilla. The captured monitors included 70 females and 20 males, resulting in a sex ratio of 3.5:1. Body size did not differ significantly between genders. The monitors exhibited
-
Resurrection and distribution extension of Odorrana heatwolei (Stuart & Bain, 2005) (Anura, Ranidae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-07-19 Shuo Liu, Mian Hou, Qiaoyan Wang, Dingqi Rao, Song Li
We collected nine specimens of Odorrana Fei, Ye & Huang, 1990 from Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, which is close to the type locality of O. heatwolei (Stuart & Bain, 2005) in Phongsaly Province, northern Laos (approximately 60 km). These specimens agree with the diagnosis of O. heatwolei that body size is large in females and relatively small in males, tympanum large in males and
-
The current distribution and status of the Hermann’s tortoise, Testudo hermanni boettgeri (Reptilia, Testudines, Testudinidae) in Croatia Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-07-06 Katarina Koller Šarić, Boris Lauš, Ivona Burić, Ana Štih Koren, Toni Koren
Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) is listed as “Near threatened” in the IUCN Red list of endangered species. The importance of protecting the Hermann’s tortoise populations and its habitats have led to the inclusion of the species within CITES Convention (Annex II), Annex A of EU Wildlife Trade Regulation, Annex II of the Bern Convention and Annexes II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive. To
-
Selection of substrate type, substrate color, and vegetation by tadpoles of Dryophytes plicatus Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-07-05 Renato Sánchez-Sánchez, Olga Méndez-Méndez, Jazmín Hernández-Luría, Geoffrey R. Smith, Julio A. Lemos-Espinal
The characteristics of microhabitats in streams can drive the distribution of tadpoles. We experimentally examined microhabitat selection of tadpoles of Dryophytes plicatus. We used a series of choice experiments to test if tadpoles had preferences for particular substrate types, substrate colors, and vegetation. Tadpoles of D. plicatus had a strong preference for mud substrates over sand, gravel
-
The validity of Pelophylax chosenicus (Okada, 1931) and P. hubeiensis (Fei & Ye, 1982) (Amphibia, Ranidae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-06-21 Sheng-Bo Zhou, Qiu-Yi Zhang, Zi-Qiang Hu, Zu-Yao Xia, Qing Miao, Ping Guan, Jing-Song Shi
Pelophylax plancyi (Lataste, 1880), Pelophylax chosenicus (Okada, 1931) and Pelophylax hubeiensis (Fei & Ye, 1982) were described chronologically from East Asia. The three species have similar morphological and molecular characteristics, but the taxonomic relationships amongst them have long been ambiguous. To deal with this taxonomic issue, we examined newly-obtained topotypic specimens of P. plancyi
-
The secret life of a rock-dweller: arboreal acrobatics observed in the European leaf-toed gecko Euleptes europaea Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-06-09 Daniele Salvi, Emanuele Berrilli, Giacomo Bruni, Matteo Garzia, Veronica Gomes, Giacomo Radi, Michel-Jean Delaugerre
The European leaf toed Gecko, Euleptes europaea, is a strictly nocturnal species endemic to the western Mediterranean and has long been considered a rock-specialist as it is associated with this habitat during its entire daily and life cycle. In this study, we report observations of arboreal behaviour in E. europaea, collected during field research over a 40-year period from across the entire species
-
New localities and lineages of the Atlas dwarf lizard Atlantolacerta andreanskyi identified using mitochondrial DNA markers Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-05-04 D. James Harris, A. Carolina Varela-Pereira, J. Filipe Faria, Abderrahim S’Khifa, Diana Vasconcelos, Jonathon C. Marshall, Tahar Slimani
Atlantolacerta andreanskyi (Werner, 1929) is an endemic lizard from the High Atlas Mountains region of Morocco. A previous molecular assessment of this species using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers uncovered extensive genetic diversity with seven lineages indicative of a species complex. A morphological assessment of six of these lineages did not establish simple diagnostic features, and proposed
-
Description of the advertisement call of Boulenophrys nanlingensis (Anura, Megophryidae), with a case of individual identification using its dorsum pattern Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-05-04 Tianyu Qian, Guoxing Deng, Yonghui Li, Daode Yang
We describe the advertisement call of the Nanling horned frog, Boulenophrys nanlingensis for the first time, based on recordings obtained from four individuals. One of these individuals, which was identified using its dorsum pattern, was recorded twice after nine months. Distinct shifts in the temporal parameters and call rate were observed from calls of the re-captured individual, which was suspected
-
New survey data on abundance and movements for two poorly known Asian Spiny Frogs Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-05-02 Arooj Batool, Muhammad Rais, Muhammad Saeed, Ayesha Akram, Jamal Ahmed, Waseem Ahmed, Arfaa Batool, Kirsty Jane Kyle
We present new natural history data on abundance and movements (daily and seasonal) during the pre-breeding (March-June) and breeding-post-breeding season (July-September) of two poorly studied frog species of the Himalayas, Nanorana vicina and Allopaa hazarensis. We estimated 185 Murree Hills Frogs and 90 Hazara Frogs within the study area (0.79 ha). The daily and seasonal movement data showed that
-
A novel species of piping frog Eleutherodactylus (Anura, Eleutherodactylidae) from southern Mexico Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-04-24 Christoph I. Grünwald, Carlos Montaño-Ruvalcaba, Jason M. Jones, Iván Ahumada-Carrillo, André J. Grünwald, Jiacheng Zheng, Jason L. Strickland, Jacobo Reyes-Velasco
We describe a new species of Eleutherodactylus (subgenus Syrrhophus) from Guerrero, Mexico, based on morphological and molecular data, as well as advertisement call analysis. Eleutherodactylus franzisp. nov. has unique features including widely expanded fingertips, indistinct, but visible lumbo-inguinal glands, an immaculate white venter and dark reticulations on a cream dorsal background colouration
-
First record of a male-male aggressive interaction in the golden Alpine salamander Salamandra atra aurorae (Caudata, Salamandridae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-04-20 Milos Di Gregorio, Raoul Manenti, Danilo Borgatti
The golden Alpine salamander Salamandra atra aurorae Trevisan, 1982 is an endemic subspecies found in Sette Comuni and Vezzena plateau in Veneto, Italy. We describe an aggressive interaction between two males which fought for four minutes, trying to go on top of each other and rubbing their chin on the antagonist’s head. This is the first documented case of aggressive behaviour in Salamandra atra
-
The herpetofaunal diversity of Takhar Province, Afghanistan Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-04-04 Daniel Jablonski, Faizurrahman Khalili, Rafaqat Masroor
Takhar Province of Afghanistan was previously known to harbour only two species of amphibians and eight species of reptiles with no record of snake species. From 2020 to 2021, we collected herpetological data from the Province and identified 14 species and specimens representing species complexes (Bufotes viridis complex and Trapelus agilis complex), with first records of Testudo horsfieldii (Testudinidae)
-
Microhabitat sharing for basking between squamate species in Poland Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-03-27 Przemysław Zdunek, Maksymilian Jarmoliński
Aggregations (e.g. group basking) by snakes are usually limited to specific life cycle phases (e.g. mating) or are a consequence of drastic environmental changes (e.g. habitat destruction), high prey densities or highly limited resources within an environment (e.g. basking sites, wintering dens). Here, we report intra- and interspecific observations of four reptile species (primarily Natrix natrix
-
The advertisement calls of Pristimantis galdi Jiménez de la Espada, 1870 and Pristimantis katoptroides (Flores, 1988) (Anura, Strabomantidae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-03-21 Diego Batallas, Jorge Brito
In this study we describe for the first time the calls of Pristimantis galdi and Pristimantis katoptroides. Recordings were obtained in Sangay National Park, Ecuador. We highlight the importance of recording P. galdi since its call has been recorded after 153 years of having been described as a species. The call of P. galdi consists of 7 to 9 short notes, the sounds of which are similar to a hammer
-
Body size and body condition in the nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes): effects of sex and populations Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-03-20 Tijana Čubrić, Xavier Bonnet, Jelka Crnobrnja‐Isailović
Snakes are ecologically and morphologically plastic organisms that exhibit extensive variations in body size and body condition in response to environmental factors. Documenting inter-population variations is important to describe species comprehensively across their distribution range and to monitor trends over time (e.g. decreasing body condition due to alteration of habitat). Thus, we analyzed
-
A contribution to taxonomy and biology of Spalerosophis diadema diadema (Schlegel, 1837) along with a new record of Spalerosophis atriceps (Fischer, 1885) from the Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir, India (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-03-20 Sarshad Hussain, Khursheed Ahmad, Asgar Ali Shah
The present study is aimed to validate the occurrence of two species of Diadem or Royal snakes of Genus Spalerosophis Jan, 1865 from the Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir, India along with the presentation of eight different colour morphs and diagnostic characteristics. The eight different colour morphs include four colour morphs of adults of S. d. diadema (Schlegel, 1837), two colour morphs of
-
First record of Hoplobatrachus litoralis Hasan, Kuramoto, Islam, Alam, Khan & Sumida, 2012 (Anura, Dicroglossidae) from China Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-03-09 Shuo Liu, Mian Hou, Dingqi Rao, Song Li
We report the first record of Hoplobatrachus litoralis Hasan, Kuramoto, Islam, Alam, Khan & Sumida, 2012 from China based on seven specimens from Baoshan City, western Yunnan. Morphologically, the specimens from China mostly agree with the original description of H. litoralis and phylogenetically show a small genetic distance (1.7%) in the 16S rRNA gene with the specimens (including one paratype)
-
Trophic ecology of the Atlantic Forest endemic tree frog Boana bischoffi (Boulenger, 1887) (Anura, Hylidae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-02-09 Gabriela de Araujo Pereira, Célio F. B. Haddad, Marcelo José Sturaro
Studies of natural history are important to accumulate knowledge about aspects of diet, reproduction, and habitat use, which can assist the conservation biology for endangered groups, such as amphibians. Here we evaluated the trophic ecology and sexual size dimorphism of Boana bischoffi, a widely distributed and endemic tree frog species of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We analysed 80 individuals
-
A new species of saxicolous Lepidophyma (Squamata, Xantusiidae) from Tamaulipas, Mexico Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-02-08 Christoph I. Grünwald, Jacobo Reyes-Velasco, Iván T. Ahumada-Carrillo, Carlos Montaño-Ruvalcaba, Héctor Franz-Chávez, Brandon T. La Forest, Ricardo Ramírez-Chaparro, Sergio Terán-Juárez, Juan Miguel Borja-Jiménez
We describe a new saxicolous species of Lepidophyma from the Sierra Madre Oriental, in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico and provide morphological and molecular data to support the novelty of this species. The new species is most closely related to members of the L. sylvaticum group; however; it is a flattened form specialised for a saxicolous lifestyle and it can be distinguished from all other members
-
Observation records of the Bangon Monitor Lizard, Varanus bangonorum (Squamata, Varanidae), with emphasis on behaviour and local threats, from the Municipality of Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2023-01-25 Przemysław Zdunek, Michaela S. Webb
Varanus bangonorum, the Bangon Monitor Lizard, is one of eleven Varanidae species endemic to the Philippines; its occurrence is restricted to dwindling habitats on the islands of Mindoro and Semirara. This lizard is still poorly known and is presently classified as “Least Concern” under the IUCN Red List in 2022. Observations recorded during eleven years (2011 to 2022) originate from the north-central
-
The incidence of the anomaly P syndrome in water frogs (Anura, Ranidae, Pelophylax) from the Middle Volga River (Russia) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-12-29 Anton O. Svinin, Oleg A. Ermakov, Spartak N. Litvinchuk
The anomaly P is a widespread morphological anomaly, which occurs in some groups of amphibians, caused by the trematode parasite Strigea robusta (Digenea: Strigeidae). This anomaly has been previously recorded in water frogs of the genus Pelophylax and toads of the genera Bufo and Bufotes. The anomaly P includes symmetrical polydactyly cases as a mild attenuated form of the complex syndrome, which
-
On the validity of Hebius sauteri maximus (Malnate, 1962) (Squamata, Natricidae), with the redescription of H. maximus comb. nov. and H. sauteri (Boulenger, 1909) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-12-21 Mao-Liang Li, Jin-Long Ren, Jun-Jie Huang, Zhi-Tong Lyu, Shuo Qi, Ke Jiang, Ying-Yong Wang, Jia-Tang Li
Hebius sauteri (Boulenger, 1909) has been long recognized as a widely distributed species with three subspecies, namely Hebius sauteri sauteri from Taiwan Island and southeastern China, Hebius sauteri bourreti (Malnate, 1962) from northern Vietnam, and Hebius sauteri maximus (Malnate, 1962) from Sichuan, southwestern China. However, the validity of these subspecies of the H. sauteri complex has not
-
Melanism in the grass snake Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, Romania Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-12-21 Geanina Fănaru, Alexandra E. Telea, Iulian Gherghel, Raluca Melenciuc
Animal colouration has a significant ecological role in defence, reproduction, and thermoregulation. In the case of melanism, it is a complex topic. Besides potential disadvantages such as higher risk of predation, melanistic ectotherms may have certain physiological advantages such as more efficient thermoregulation in colder climates and thus, reduced basking time. The common grass snake (Natrix
-
Ecomorphological differences among forest and rock dwelling species of Darevskia Arribas, 1999 (Squamata, Lacertide) in the Elburz Mountains, Iran Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-12-21 Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani, Hossein Nabizadeh, L. Lee Grismer
Ecological pressure is the major driver of morphological adaptation. Different habitat preferences even among closely related species, often result in the evolution of different body shapes. In the present study, we employed geometric morphometric and principal component analyses (PCA) to compare body shape and head plate morphology among seven species in the genus Darevskia Arribas, 1999 from the
-
First record of Anatololacerta pelasgiana (Mertens, 1959) in mainland Greece: another new species in Athens Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-12-14 Apostolos Christopoulos, Charikleia-Foteini Pantagaki, Nikos Poulakakis, Panayiotis Pafilis
Urban habitats receive an increasing number of species due to anthropogenic activities, mainly transportations. Here, we report a new addition to the herpetofauna of Athens (Greece): a small population of the Pelasgian wall lizard (Anatololacerta pelasgiana) was found in a suburb of the Athenian metropolitan area. The species normally occurs in southwestern Anatolia and southeastern Aegean islands
-
Amolops putaoensis Gan, Qin, Lwin, Li, Quan, Liu & Yu, 2020, a newly recorded torrent frog for China Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-11-22 Yin-Peng Zhang, Xiao-Long Liu, Bryan L. Stuart, Dong-Yi Wu, Yu-Fan Wang, Jing Che, Zhi-Yong Yuan
Amolops putaoensis is a recently described torrent frog species from A. monticola group that is known only from its type locality, northern Myanmar. We compared morphology and mitochondrial DNA sequence data from ten recently collected adult male specimens from the upper Dulong River System in Gongshan County, Yunnan Province, China, to the original description of A. putaoensis. Both datasets strongly
-
Multimale breeding aggregations by “many-friends” snakes: courtship behaviours by Malagasy Pseudoxyrhophiine snakes, Dromicodryas bernieri and D. quadrilineatus, and their sexual size dimorphism Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-11-17 Ryobu Fukuyama, Akihiro Itoigawa, Akira Mori
When several male snakes dispute over one female in the breeding season, two major male-male rivalries are known to occur: male-male combat and multimale breeding aggregation. The roles of male body size and the degree of sexual size dimorphism are different between these rivalries. We report field observations of mating behaviour including a multimale breeding aggregation of pseudoxyrhophiins, Dromicodryas
-
Filling a gap in the distribution of the Berthold’s Bush Anole, Polychrus gutturosus (Squamata, Polychrotidae), in Honduras Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-11-14 Cristopher A. Antúnez-Fonseca, Marcio Martínez, Travis W. King, Diego I. Ordoñez-Mazier, Larry D. Wilson, Manfredo A. Turcios-Casco
The family Polychrotidae Fitzinger, 1843 is represented in Honduras by a single species, Polychrus gutturosus Berthold, 1845. This canopy dweller is distributed in the lowland moist forests and riparian forest within pine savannah of the northern and eastern regions of Honduras. Only 13 records and nine localities support the presence of the species in the country; therefore, the distribution and
-
Erythrism in the Eastern Grass Snake, Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-10-21 Daniel Jablonski, Benny Trapp, Elias Tzoras, Konrad Mebert
We describe the unusual case of erythrism in the Eastern Grass Snake, Natrix natrix. This colour morph is very rare and has not been reported in the literature before. Despite having observed thousands of N. natrix in the field, we personally detected this morph in only three individuals originating from Slovakia, Romania, and mainland Greece, while photos of a fourth individual from a Greek island
-
Eat or be eaten? An observation of Podarcis erhardii consuming Scolopendra cingulata from Andros Island, Cyclades, Greece Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-10-18 Tanmayi Patharkar, Lucas Van Passel, Kinsey M. Brock
Podarcis wall lizards mainly feed on coleopterans, orthopterans, arachnids, and other small invertebrates. However, Aegean wall lizards, Podarcis erhardii, are widely distributed across Aegean islands and are increasingly observed eating non-traditional food items ranging from plant material to conspecific eggs and body parts. Here, we report the first documented case of P. erhardii consuming a large
-
First record of Theloderma khoii Ninh, Nguyen, Nguyen, Hoang, Siliyavong, Nguyen, Le, Le & Ziegler, 2022 from China, with confirmation of Rhacophorus orlovi Ziegler & Köhler, 2001 in China (Anura, Rhacophoridae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-10-18 Shuo Liu, Mian Hou, Yi Fan, Mingzhong Mo, Dingqi Rao
We report the first country record of Theloderma khoii Ninh, Nguyen, Nguyen, Hoang, Siliyavong, Nguyen, Le, Le & Ziegler, 2022 from China based on a specimen collected from Wenshan Prefecture, southeastern Yunnan, China. Morphologically, the specimen from Wenshan Prefecture agrees well with the type specimens of T. khoii from Vietnam except for having a smaller body size, and phylogenetically clustered
-
Trophic ecology of Gymnodactylus geckoides Spix, 1825 (Squamata, Phyllodactylidae) from Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-10-11 Leonardo P. C. Oitaven, Sydnei S. Calado, Hilton N. da Costa, Glaucilane S. Cruz, Juan S. Monrós, Daniel O. Mesquita, Álvaro A. C. Teixeira, Valéria W. Teixeira, Geraldo J. B. de Moura
The diet of lizards is mainly composed of arthropods. It can be affected by biotic and abiotic factors, which influence the energy supply provided by the composition of the animal´s diet. The richness and abundance of many arthropod species can be influenced by environmental seasonality, especially in the Caatinga ecoregion, due to the rainfall regimes. The present study aims to describe aspects
-
First record of Chilapata rain-pool frog Minervarya chilapata Ohler, Deuti, Grosjean, Paul, Ayyaswamy, Ahmed & Dutta, 2009 (Anura, Dicroglossidae) from Nepal Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-09-29 Bivek Gautam, Santosh Bhattarai
Chilapata rain-pool frog (Minervarya chilapata) was described in 2009 from the Chilapata Reserve Forest of West Bengal, India. Here, we report the occurrence of M. chilapata for the first time from Morang district, Nepal, based on acoustic and morphological characters such as the presence of a distinct white line in the upper lip, small size (snout-vent length 18 to 26 mm), pointed snout and presence
-
A new species of the genus Leptobrachella (Anura, Megophryidae) from northwestern Guangdong Province, China Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-09-28 Shi-Shi Lin, Yuan-Hang Li, Yu-Hong Lu, Hong-Lin Su, Shi-Bin Wu, Qi-Qi Zhang, Mei-Juan Mo, Shao-Jun Xiao, Zhong Pan, Hu-Jun Pan, Zhao-Chi Zeng, Jian Wang
The genus Leptobrachella is a species-rich genus of megophrid frog. Rapid discovery of many new species within this genus emphasizes the importance of regional research. In this study, we describe a new species of Leptobrachella, Leptobrachella verrucosasp. nov., from northwestern Guangdong Province, China, based on a combination of molecular and morphological data. A key including congeners from
-
First record of Takydromus sikkimensis Günther, 1888 (Squamata, Lacertidae) from Nepal Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-08-08 Bivek Gautam, Santosh Bhattarai, Ram Chandra Kandel
We report the first record of Sikkim grass lizard, Takydromus sikkimensis Günther, 1888 in Nepal based on morphological characters such as the presence of four pairs of femoral pores, 12 rows of ventral scales, tail more than 3.6 times longer than snout-vent length. Our record of T. sikkimensis at Miklajung, Morang district represents the western-most observation of the species, ca. 94 km west of
-
Description of the antipredatory head-wobble behaviour in Chilean rear-fanged snakes Tachymenis peruviana Wiegmann, 1835 and Tachymenis chilensis coronellina Werner, 1898 (Serpentes, Dipsadidae) Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-07-25 Claudio Reyes-Olivares, Alex Vera-Quispe, Alejandro Zúñiga, Félix A. Urra
In this work, we describe the first records of head-wobble behaviour for Tachymenis peruviana and T. chilensis coronellina. We analyse this behaviour (occurrence, frequency) and accompanying displays in both species. Of particular note is that T. ch. coronellina exhibited more frequent head-wobbling than T. peruviana and, in both records, wind activity was observed during this antipredatory behaviour
-
A tale about vipers’ tails: phylogeography of black-tailed rattlesnakes Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-07-15 Víctor Hugo Muñoz-Mora, Marco Suárez-Atilano, Ferruccio Maltagliati, Fabiola Ramírez-Corona, Alejandro Carbajal-Saucedo, Ruth Percino-Daniel, Joachim Langeneck, Maristella D’Addario, Armando Sunny
The phylogenetic relationships among black-tailed rattlesnakes remain poorly understood and some authors indicated that the diversity of this group has been underestimated and additional analyses are required to clarify the biogeographic patterns throughout its distribution in Mexico. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among black-tailed rattlesnakes
-
The distribution of the critically endangered salamander Paradactylodon (Afghanodon) mustersi (Smith, 1940) in Afghanistan Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-06-30 Ahmad Samim Ayobi, Rafaqat Masroor, Abdul Basit, Daniel Jablonski
The Afghanistan Mountain Salamander, Paradactylodon (Afghanodon) mustersi (Smith, 1940), is an evolutionary old species, listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN Red List. The species is endemic to the Hindu Kush mountain range with records from only a few localities from four central-eastern Afghan provinces (Kabul, Ghazni, Parwan, and Wardak). Due to the long-term complicated political situation in
-
Chromatic and morphological anomalies in gymnophionans from India Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-06-22 Govindappa Venu, Govindaiah Venkatachalaiah, Halemane Ganesharao Seetharama, Gandlahalli Narasimaiah Balakrishna, Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga, Robert Kenneth Browne, Rajashekharaiah Nijagunaiah, Narayanappa Govinda Raju, Kulkarni Varadh, Sompalem Ramakrishna, Klaus Henle
Caecilians (Gymnophiona) are commonly known as limbless amphibians and are the least understood vertebrate order. In this paper, we documented skin color, eye, jaw, snout, tentacular aperture and cloacal anomalies in 12 individuals of four species belonging to the three caecilian genera Ichthyophis, Uraeotyphlus and Gegeneophis collected from hotspots of caecilian diversity in India, the Western
-
Developmental anomalies in the smooth snake, Coronella austriaca Laurenti, 1768 (Squamata, Colubridae) from Poland Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-06-17 Bartłomiej Najbar, Anna Najbar, Grzegorz Sapikowski, Krzysztof Kolenda, Tomasz Skawiński
We present four cases of rare developmental anomalies in the smooth snake Coronella austriaca Laurenti, 1768 from western Poland. These include brachycephaly, lordosis, a supernumerary row of ‘ventral’ scales, and the third reported case of dicephalism in snakes from Poland. All the cases are supported by X-ray radiography. One of the possible explanations for these anomalies is a low genetic variation
-
Diet of the exotic Madeiran wall lizard: first insights into trophic interactions in an Atlantic seabird sanctuary Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-06-14 Verónica Neves, Dorothee Rund, Catarina J. Pinho, Raquel Vasconcelos, Paco Bustamante, Petra Quillfeldt
The Madeiran wall lizard Teira dugesii is a relatively new species to the Azores Archipelago, where it was accidentally introduced about 150 to 200 years ago. This lacertid quickly became naturalised and now occurs in all the nine main islands of the Azores. At Praia Islet, off Graciosa Island, the Madeiran wall lizard was recently observed preying on chicks of the threatened Monteiro’s storm-petrel
-
First record of Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril & Bibron, 1836) (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Hainan Island, China Herpetozoa (IF 0.9) Pub Date : 2022-06-07 Hao-Tian Wang, Shuo Qi, Xian-Chun Qiu, Pi-Peng Li
Lepidodactylus lugubris is known from tropical Asia, Oceania, and Latin America, but in China it was previously known only from Taiwan Island. In this paper, we report a new herpetofaunal record based on one specimen collected from Wanning, Hainan, China, which conforms to L. lugubris on both morphological and molecular data. Our finding brings the total species of the family Gekkonidae in Hainan