×

All the Turkish populations studied, both those previously assigned to D. dryada (Subaşı and Yoldere villages, near Hopa) and those attributed to D. clarkorum (the largest sample studied so far, 177 specimens in total), are indistinguishable from each other and therefore must all be ascribed to the natural variability of a monotypic D. clarkorum. The Georgian specimens from the Type Locality of D. dryada (Charnaly river gorge, Chevachauri district) are clearly different, so that taxon cannot be considered a simple synonym for D. clarkorum, but as a valid taxon, although its proper status (more probably as a subspecies of D. clarkorum), is yet to be clarified. It is a highly threatened population, so studies should be done in vivo or with as low intrusiveness as possible.

Darevskia dryada is clearly larger (SVL) than any D. clarkorum studied, with strongly longer heads and pilei in adult males (and hence more teeth in dentary bone), and higher dorsalia counts. There also seem to be (but need to be studied in a larger sample) more longitudinal rows of temporal scales between tympanic and parietal plates, a tendency to have more supralabial scales; comparatively smaller values for longitudinal rows of scales on the ventral surface of the thigh between the femoral pores and the outer row of enlarged scales, and higher collaria, and circumanalia scales. Other differences in femoralia and gularia are also reflected in Darevsky & Tuniyev’s (1997) tables and should also be investigated with more Georgian specimens.

Two supposed discriminant characters, the frontonasal index and the presence of developed masseteric, are not valid. The frontonasal index does not discriminate both taxa; D dryada specimens fall inside the variation of D. clarkorum for this character. Also the presence of a developed masseteric plate is supposed to be rare if at all in D. clarkorum but always present in D. dryada; however, it appears in nearly 75% of D. clarkorum studied and in all D. dyada, so is also no longer valid for taxa discrimination.

Although very similar, D. clarkorum and D. dryada are morphologically different, and genetic studies (as the unpublished results mentioned by Fu, 1999) do not make the provenance of the specimens clear, and hence the correct identification of the supposed specimens of D. dryada used.

There are no geographical clines in D. clarkorum. However, as stated by Schmidtler et al. (2002), there is an inverse relationship between altitude and dorsalia values in D. clarkorum. Both the general differentiation between populations and the scalation (dorsalia) appear statistically correlated with the altitude and also with latitude (being both factors not strictly the same). The correlation seems to be stronger with morphology in general (multiple scalation characters and head biometry) than only with dorsalia. In the case of the general differentiation among samples, it is also significantly correlated with temperatures during the activity period (April-September) and with precipitation during incubation (July-August). As these climatic parameters of temperature and precipitation are not directly correlated with the dorsalia variation, the relation with altitude (and perhaps latitude) must be linked to some other climatic parameter not studied here, perhaps solar radiation or evapotranspiration.

×

The balance between speciation and extinction (i.e. diversification), together with dispersal, dictate biodiversity patterns, which vary enormously among regions and taxa. This implies that diversification depends both on ‘intrinsic’ organismal traits and ‘extrinsic’ factors associated to specific regions. Area such as the Mediterranean Basin which underwent intense paleogeographic changes are known to have favored isolation and promoted diversification. Non-exclusively, the acquisition of key phenotypic traits (e.g. morphological innovations or shifts in climatic tolerances to exploit new niches) could drive diversification. The contribution of intrinsic traits and extrinsic factors to diversification, however, remains elusive. Here we test the contribution of paleogeography and phenotypic evolution in the diversification of green lizards (Timon and Lacerta). We reconstructed a complete dated phylogeny including all known lineages within species. Further, we characterized each lineage using 1) ecologically relevant morphological traits from museum specimens and 2) climatic niche characteristics (thermal and hydric conditions across each lineage’s distribution). Diversification analyses revealed that green lizards diversified steadily, without major rate shifts, and suggested that (paleo)geography played a significant role in this process. Body and relative head size, as well as climatic niche characteristics, exhibited significant phylogenetic signal pointing to higher dissimilarity among close relatives than expected under random processes. In contrast, thermal niche characteristics were more similar among clos relatives than expected by chance. However, trait-dependent diversification analyses did not lend support to any influence of these variables on diversification rates. Our results suggest that the geographic history of the Mediterranean Basin governed the diversification of green lizards.

×

The common wall lizard is warmth – loving species which is mainly spread in the northern Mediterranean area. Its northern area of circulation spreads over the north of France, Luxembourg, along the Maas in Belgium, the south of the Netherlands, scattered appearances in Germany in the Eifel area and the Rhine area as far as Bonn. North of the Alps, the common wall lizard is a typical species of wine-growing regions. In Luxembourg, wall lizards are common along river valleys, whereas the species is largely absent in central and northern parts of Luxembourg. Within its native range the species shows a clear phylogeographic structure. To reconstruct the invasion history and the genetic diversity of the populations, 311 lizards (two to thirty individuals per population) were captured by hand or by noose within 31 populations of P. muralis in Luxembourg (n = 162), Germany (n = 17), France (n = 93), Italy (n = 12), Croatia (n = 9) and Belgium (n = 18). We sequenced for all populations a part of the mtDNA (cytochrome b) and genotyped all individuals at 10 microsatellite loci. We tested our data for the occurrence ofnull alleles with Micro-Checker 2.2.3 and for linkage disequilibrium with Fstat 2.9.3. STRUCTURE v 2.3.1 was used to analyse the genetic structures among subpopulations. The admixture model was used. We chose the correlated allele frequency model. AFST based AMOVA with 9999 iterations was performed in GenAlEx 6.41 with the three STRUCTURE based genetic clusters as populations. In our case 15 clusters have been generated over all 31 populations, among 7 clusters in Luxembourg. By means of the statistical methods, a separation of the North Luxembourg and the South Luxembourg populations is shown. The immigration routes are clearly demonstrated for the northern populations by means of the mtDNA data.

×

Invasive species are a major threat to island biodiversity, and their eradications have substantially contributed to the conservation of island endemics. However, the consequences of eradications on the trophic ecology of native taxa are largely unexplored. Here, we used the eradication of invasive black rats Rattus rattus and European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus from the Berlenga Island, in the western coast of Portugal, as a whole-ecosystem experiment to investigate the effects of the eradication of invasive mammals on the trophic niche and body dimensions of the island-restricted Berlenga wall lizard Podarcis carbonelli berlengensis over a 2-year period. Our results suggest an expansion of the isotopic niche and an intensification of the sexual dimorphism of the lizard following mammal eradication. Additionally, we found considerable variability in isotopic niche across the island and detected evidence of sex-specific and season-modulated nutritional requirements of this threatened reptile. Our findings support that the eradication of 2 of the planet’s most problematic invasive vertebrates led to changes in the lizard trophic niche and sexual dimorphism in just 2 years. This suggests that the ecological pressures—for example, prey availability and habitat structure—to which lizards are exposed have substantially changed post-eradication. Our study emphasizes the scientific value of island eradications as experiments to address a wide range of ecological questions and adds to the increasing body of evidence supporting substantial conservation gains associated with these restoration interventions.

×

Few studies have analyzed spatially the home ranges of small lizards, namely in the Iberian Peninsula. We studied the home ranges of two Iberian lacertids (Podarcis bocagei and P. hispanica) in a sympatric situation. Fieldwork was performed in a small area (Moledo beach, 0.8 ha) in the North-West of Portugal, situated within an urban area, limited by buildings, stone walls and small ields of traditional agriculture. The study area is characterized by four stones walls, and a small beach area with rocks and vegetation. Both species are in strict sympatry and present high densities. We captured 76 lizards of both species, and the exact position was geo-referenced with a professional Trimble GPS (horizontal error lower than 50 cm). We collected morphological measures, as well as tissue and blood samples; we marked the lizards with colored inks and release them in the same place of capture. We followed marked and unmarked lizards during seven days, making random paths around the stone walls and the beach. By visual contact and without recapture them, we recorded lizards’ positions with the GPS and collected other information such as species, sex, age, social interactions, environmental temperature, humidity, and substrate temperature. We calculated the home ranges of marked individuals with minimum convex polygons (MCP), within a Geographical Information System. We analyzedthe relationships between males and females of diferent species and their movements. We recorded a total of 774 individuals of Podarcis bocagei (339 females and 435 males), of which 236 were marked, and 243 individuals of Podarcis hispanica (126 females and 117 males), of which 72 were marked. Preliminary results showed movements among distant walls and overlapping of female home ranges with the home ranges of several males.

×

Colour morphs sometimes have different behavioural strategies which may be maintained by frequency or density dependence mechanisms. We investigated temporal changes in behavioural reaction to a novel environment among colour morphs (yellow, orange, white) of the European wall lizard (Podarcis muralis). Adult males were given two 15 min experimental trials, and their locomotion was highly consistent between the two trials. Boldness, freezing and escape behaviour were less repeatable. Colour morphs differed in their locomotion and freezing behaviour. Boldness was similar among the morphs, whereas escape behaviour was lowest in yellow morph. Consequently, yellow morph males tended to explore novel environments quickly and thus were more likely to move to potentially safe areas. Orange and white males showed more fear when exposed to a novel environment. Whether such alternative behavioural strategies can contribute to the maintenance of variable fitness optima among the morphs and ultimately to the maintenance of polymorphism remains open to further investigation.

×

Analysis of different aspects of the modern herpetology with the common lizard, Lacerta (Zootoca) vivipara, as a model species, shoes that the species could be considered as an effective integrative model object of biological researches.

×

Evolutionary biologists aim to understand how novel characters arise an why they spread through populations. Here I will review our ongoing research on the evolution of a striking suite of exaggerated traits – morphology, coloration and behaviour – in common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis). Genomic analyses reveal that the suite of traits, traditionally associated with the ‘nigriventris’ phenotype, originated recently close to modern Rome. The phenotype has since spread and eventually introgressed into a distantly related lineage in western Italy. I will explain why the traits are favoured, what limits their spread, and how this creates a mosaic of phenotypic and genetic variation of the species in Italy.

×

The present paper represents a contribution to the knowledge regarding the current composition and distribution of the herpetological fauna from a poorly surveyed Romanian region (Vaslui County, Eastern Romania). We confirm the presence of most of the recently recorded amphibian and reptile species from the region (Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus cristatus, Bombina bombina, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Pelophylax ridibundus, P. kl. esculentus, Rana dalmatina, Emys orbicularis, Anguis fragilis, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis and Natrix natrix), give the first recent records for two species (Coronella austriaca and Vipera berus) which have not been recorded in the county since the 1960’s and also give the first ever record for the slow-worm (Anguis fragilis) in Vaslui County.

×

Color polymorphisms are widely studied to identify the mechanisms responsible for the origin and maintenance of phenotypic variability in nature. Two of the mechanisms of balancing selection currently thought to explain the long-term persistence of polymorphisms are the evolution of alternative phenotypic optima through correlational selection on suites of traits including color and heterosis. Both of these mechanisms can generate differences in offspring viability and fitness arising from different morph combinations. Here, we examined the effect of parental morph combination on fertilization success, embryonic viability, newborn quality, antipredator, and foraging behavior, as well as inter-annual survival by conducting controlled matings in a polymorphic lacertid Podarcis muralis, where color morphs are frequently assumed to reflect alternative phenotypic optima (e.g., alternative reproductive strategies). Juveniles were kept in outdoor tubs for a year in order to study inter-annual growth, survival, and morph inheritance. In agreement with a previous genome-wide association analysis, morph frequencies in the year-old juveniles matched the frequencies expected if orange and yellow expressions depended on recessive homozygosity at 2 separate loci. Our findings also agree with previous literature reporting higher reproductive output of heavy females and the higher overall viability of heavy newborn lizards, but we found no evidence for the existence of alternative breeding investment strategies in female morphs, or morph-combination effects on offspring viability and behavior. We conclude that inter-morph breeding remains entirely viable and genetic incompatibilities are of little significance for the maintenance of discrete color morphs in P. muralis from the Pyrenees.

×

In the northern area of Braşov County, the herpetofauna appears to be characteristic for a hilly and low-mountain zone and includes the following species: Salamandra salamandra, Triturus cristatus, Lissotriton vulgaris, Bombina variegata, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo, Pseudepidalea viridis, Hyla arborea, Pelophylax ridibundus, Pelophylax kl. esculentus, Rana dalmatina, Rana temporaria, Rana arvalis, Emys orbicularis, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Podarcis muralis, Anguis fragilis colchicus, Coronella austriaca and Natrix natrix. The presence of other three species (Zootoca vivipara, Zamenis longissimus and Vipera berus) in this area is also listed in the scientific literature. The status of amphibians and reptiles in the vicinity of human localities is vulnerable and uncertain, being threatened by intensive agricultural and mining activity, overgrazing, deforestation, waste deposition and aggressive human behavior. The further existence of several small populations of R. arvalis, P. muralis and L. viridis is unstable. Undisturbed habitats still exist near the Olt River and in central part of the Northern Perşani Mountains. The next steps concerning active protection of herpetofauna would be delimitation and protection of habitats, excavation of new breeding sites for amphibian populations and starting herpetological education in this area.

×

Lizards are among the least studied groups in ecotoxicology, and despite a recent increase in the number of studies, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding their response to environmental contamination. In Europe, lacertid lizards have been identiied as potential model species for reptile ecotoxicology. The main question of our project was to assess if highly abundant lacertid lizards belonging to the genus Podarcis, could be used as bioindicator of pesticide exposure and toxicity in agricultural areas. To achieve this end, we used a three- stage tiered approach. The irst tier took the form of a ield survey to document both exposure and population endpoints of lacertids occurring in areas of intensive pesticide and usage and areas of negligible pesticide usage. The second tier was a mesocosm study in which naïve lizards were exposed to pesticides in a controlled experiment. Finally, the third tier included a laboratorial approach to the efects of one of the most common insecticides used worldwide, chlorpyrifos. We assessed pesticide impact using a comprehensive set of endpoints applied at diferent levels of biological organization, including behavioral, physiological, biochemical and histological biomarkers. The ield work conirmed the di culty of diferentiation between the efect of contaminants and other (local) factors at the population level but our results suggest a diference in the metabolic activity between animals from reference and exposed locations. Animals from exposed ields seem to be in worst body conditions and in a deicitary energy balance when compared to animals from the reference locations. The results of the mesocosm study validated the correlative data obtained in the ield survey. While the laboratory approach showed that environmentally relevant dosages of chlorpyrifos can afect P. bocagei. According to our data, P. bocagei seems to be a suitable indicator of sub-lethal exposure to pesticides.

×

Thyroid glands of 47 Lacertae agiles aged over 3 years were examin- ed. Three phases of activity were distinguished: the period of spring tran- sition, of fuli activity and of its gradual decrease. The period of greatest activity fell for either sex in June. The two remaining phases began earlier in małe łizards. There were also observed the differences in structure and activity of the gland, which were connected with the age of Lacertae agiles and their active part in the reproduction.

×

Climate can exert an effect on the strength of sexual selection, but empirical evidence is limited. Here, we tested whether climate predicts the geographic distribution and introgressive spread of sexually selected male color ornamentation across 114 populations of the common wall lizard, Podarcis muralis. Coloration was highly structured across the landscape and did not reflect genetic differentiation. Instead, color ornamentation was consistently exaggerated in hot and dry environments, suggesting that climate-driven selection maintains geographic variation in spite of gene flow. Introgression of color ornamentation into a distantly related lineage appears to be ongoing and was particularly pronounced in warm climates with wet winters and dry summers. Combined, these results suggest that sexual ornamentation is consistently favored in climates that allow a prolonged reproductive season and high and reliable opportunities for lizard activity. This pattern corroborates theoretical predictions that such climatic conditions reduce the temporal clustering of receptive females and increase male-male competition, resulting in strong sexual selection. In summary, we provide compelling evidence for the importance of climate for the evolution of color ornamentation, and we demonstrate that geographic variation in the strength of sexual selection influences introgression of this phenotype.

×

The checklist and a provisional atlas of the amphibian and reptile species occurring in the Lepini Mountains (Latium, central Italy) are reported. Eleven species of amphibians and seventeen species of reptiles have been found in the study area. These species represent 85% of the entire central Italian herpetofauna. One species (Testudo hermanm) seems to be recently extinct probably due to over-collecting and habitat perturbance, and at present occurs in semi natural conditions only (specimens introduced by man). The dominant species are Salamandrina terdigitata, Triturus carnifex, Triturus vulgaris, Bufo bufo, Rana italica, Rana sinklepton esculenta, Lacerta viridis, Podarcis muralis, Podarcis sicula, Chalcides chalcides, Hierophis viridillavus, and Natrix natrix. From the biogeographical point of view, the most interesting species are Salamandrina terdigitata, Bombina variegata, Rana italica, Podarcis sicula, Chalcides chalcides, Elaphe quatuorlineata, and Coronella girondica.

×

The zone of syntopy between Lacerta agilis, Lacerta strigata and Parvilacerta parva were discovered in vicinity of Mets Parni village, Lori Province, Armenia. 93 individuals of L. agilis (83.7%) and18 of L. strigata (16.2%) and one lizard of P. parva were examined during 2009-2011. According to our observations, the season activity of L. agilis is shorter than syntopic L. strigata on month. L. strigata emerged from hibernation at mid-April and were active until the mid-October, while L. agilis left winter burrows two week after L. strigata at the beginning of May and disappeared into hibernation on two week earlier at the end of September. Females of L. strigata lay thier irst clutchof eggs at the end of May, whereas L. agilis lay the irst clutch at the beginning of summer. The hatchlings of both species active till end October when the thermal conditions still favourable. Similarly, the appearance of young from winter hibernation occurs earlier than adults. Our surveys also revealed that two syntopic species possess spacial diferentiation of the same slope, where in bottom of slope were met L. strigata, in the middle of slope were both species and on higher places near to top of slope were mainly L. agilis. Thus, the dates of season activity, stages of reproductive cycles as well as pattern of spacial diferentiation allow to syntopic species to share resources of habitats.

×

Tonic immobility, or the ability to play dead, is widespread among vertebrates. It is a last line of defence against a threat, and usually follows physical restraint. Here, I report two lizards exhibiting tonic immobility in the presence of humans, but remarkably, without any handling or physical contact. These two lizards belonged to an invasive population of the Italian Wall Lizard (Podarcis siculus), and both events took place in different years and situations, suggesting this behaviour may be more common than previously thought. There are rare documented cases of animals exhibiting this behaviour without handling; however, to my knowledge, this is the first description of a lizard displaying tonic immobility to humans, in the absence of handling. This is also the first incident of tonic immobility in the Italian Wall Lizard. I discuss these anecdotal events in the light of this invasive population inhabiting a highly urbanized location.

×

The distribution of the reptiles of the cities of Halle (Saxony-Anhalt) and Leipzig (Saxony) is described. A big fund of historical data of the distribution it exists. Recent data of 1961-2008 are shown and in formations on habitate use, phenology and status of threat are added. The biodiversity of the reptiles decreases from the periphery of the town to the city centre. In the historical old towns no reptiles occure. The periphery of both towns, mainly characterised by agriculture and industry hosts an extremely low number of reptile species. Occurrence of national importance can be found in the floodplains of the south and northwest of both towns. These locations are hot spots of reptile species diversity. Currently three autochthonous reptile species occur in the city of Halle and five autochthonous species in the city of Leipzig. The Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) is the most frequent species. The Gras snake (Natrix natrix) and the Slow worm (Anguis fragilis) are rarer compared to it. The Viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara) occurs only in Leipzig. Since the end of the 1980s there was no record on the European Pond tortoise (Emys orbicularis), which is possibly extinct. The origin of the recently +observed Wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) in Halle is unknown.

×

The sand lizard Lacerta agilis reaches the western edge of its range in the where it is restricted to habitats on sandy soils and consequently has a limited and patchy distribution. This hasleft the sand lizard particularly vulnerable to the efects of habitat loss and fragmentation and the species has sufered signiicant declines. Sand lizards were sampled from a number of sites within the species’ UK stronghold of Dorset and genotyped at 15 microsatellite loci. Individual populations were identiied using Bayesian assignment methods. Populations exhibited relatively high levels of genetic diferentiation over small geographical distances and diferentiation patterns could not be explained by isolation by distance. The efect of the landscape on genetic population structure was investigated at a ine scale in two scenarios: across a series of isolated/fragmented sites separated by natural and artiicial barriers to dispersal; and, within a large area of forestry plantation where small patches of suitable habitat are present among larger areas of less suitable habitat. Remotely sensed habitat data was used to create a resistance surface and least-cost path analysis was used to explain genetic population structure within both scenarios.

×

Harsh and variable environments have been hypothesized to both drive and constrain the evolution towards higher cognitive abilities and behavioural flexibility. In this study, we compared the cognitive abilities of island and mainland Aegean wall lizards (Podarcis erhardii), which were expected to live in respectively a more variable and a more stable habitat. We used four proxies of behavioural flexibility: a neophobia assay, a problem-solving test and a spatial + reversal learning task. Surprisingly, the two populations did not differ in neophobia or problem-solving. Insular lizards, however, outperformed mainland conspecifics in an initial spatial learning task, but were less successful during the subsequent reversal learning. Our results thus seem to indicate that the effect of environmental variability on cognition is complex, as it may favour some, but not all aspects of behavioural flexibility.

×

Aim: Climate change is expected to cause mountain species to shift their ranges to higher elevations. Due to the decreasing amounts of habitats with increasing eleva tion, such shifts are likely to increase their extinction risk. Heterogeneous mountain topography, however, may reduce this risk by providing microclimatic conditions that can buffer macroclimatic warming or provide nearby refugia. As aspect strongly influences the local microclimate, we here assess whether shifts from warm southexposed aspects to cool north-exposed aspects in response to climate change can compensate for an upward shift into cooler elevations. Location: Switzerland, Swiss Alps. Methods: We built ensemble distribution models using high-resolution climate data for two mountain-dwelling viviparous ectotherms, the Alpine salamander and the Common lizard, and projected them into various future scenarios to gain insights into distributional changes. We further compared elevation and aspect (northness) of current and predicted future locations to analyse preferences and future shifts. Results: Future ranges were consistently decreasing for the lizard, but for the salamander they were highly variable, depending on the climate scenario and threshold rule. Aspect preferences were elevation-dependent: warmer, south-exposed microclimates were clearly preferred at higher compared to lower elevations. In terms of presence and future locations, we observed both elevational upward shifts and northward shifts in aspect. Under future conditions, the shift to cooler north-exposed aspects was particularly pronounced at already warmer lower elevations. Main conclusions: For our study species, shifts in aspect and elevation are complementary strategies to mitigate climatic warming in the complex mountain topography. This complements the long-standing view of elevational upward shift being their only option to move into areas with suitable future climate. High-resolution climate data are critical in heterogeneous environments to identify microrefugia and thereby improving future impact assessments of climate change.

×

In oviparous species, pesticides may affect embryo survival via maternal transfer or contaminant absorption from the soil, thus representing an important cause of population decline. Maternal transfer is a source of contamination during vitellogenesis and oviductal egg retention. Currently, there is still limited evidence of the potential risk of embryonic exposure routes in reptiles. We investigated whether different agricultural treatments affect embryo, egg, and hatchling development and survival in the Italian wall lizard. We kept gravid females from conventional and control fields in captivity until oviposition and, after eggs being incubated in a pesticide-free environment, offspring morphology and performance (running speed) were assessed. Our results showed that the size of the mother positively influences the number of the eggs and offspring, as well as hatching body condition. Bigger females from conventional treatments tended to lay more eggs. Moreover, at equal female body conditions, eggs and hatchlings from conventional treatments had worse quality (i.e., smaller size and lower body condition) than those from control areas. No effect of treatment was observed on hatchling locomotor performance. In conclusion, our study provided new insights of the direct and indirect effects of field management (i.e., pesticide exposure) on females` reproductive success through the alteration of female`s behaviour, which in turn may affect offspring development and health.

×

The sand lizard Lacerta agilis reaches the western edge of its range in the where it is restricted to habitats on sandy soils and consequently has a limited and patchy distribution. This has left the sand lizard particularly vulnerable to the efects of habitat loss and fragmentation and the species has sufered signiicant declines. Sand lizards were sampled from a number of sites within the species’ UK stronghold of Dorset and genotyped at 15 microsatellite loci. Individual populations were identiied using Bayesian assignment methods. Populations exhibited relatively high levels of genetic diferentiation over small geographical distances and diferentiation patterns could not be explained by isolation by distance. The efect of the landscape on genetic population structure was investigated at a ine scale in two scenarios: across a series of isolated/fragmented sites separated by natural and artiicial barriers to dispersal; and, within a large area of forestry plantation where small patches of suitable habitat are present among larger areas of less suitable habitat. Remotely sensed habitat data was used to create a resistance surface and least-cost path analysis was used to explain genetic population structure within both scenarios.

×

Climate change is negatively affecting many species. The increase in mean air temperature is often associated with shifts in distribution, changes in phenology, and local extinctions. Other factors that only partially correlate with air temperature, like water shortage, may also contribute to the negative consequences of climate change. Although the effect of temperature on lizards’ ecophysiology is highly studied, many lizards are also at risks of increased water loss and dehydration, which are predicted to increase under climate change. Here we aimed for the first time to explore if lacertid lizards exposed to dehydration thermoregulate less precisely than hydrated lizards and if dehydrated lizards are less active, change the daily pattern of thermoregulation and balance water balance against thermoregulation. We exposed four lizard species with differences in the thermal preference to thermal gradients with or without a source of water. We measured preferred body temperatures, daily pattern of thermoregulation, and the use of space. Dehydration negatively affected thermoregulation in all investigated species. Dehydrated lizards reduced their preferred body temperature and showed a species-specific pattern of hourly change in thermal preference. Furthermore, they more frequently used the colder parts of the gradients and spent more time hidden. Lizards experiencing dehydration may suffer a reduction in survival and fitness because of poor thermoregulation. Similarly, they may spend more time hidden, waiting for more favourable weather conditions. Such inactivity may carry ecological costs especially in those regions that undergo either short or prolonged periods of droughts.

×

This thesis provides description of the ecological niche space of the Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) in the Vojvodina region of Serbia with a detailed presentation of its distribution in the area. Additionally, a quantification of the developmental stability of the wall lizard in Vojvodina on an urbanization gradient is given. Finally, the ecological and conservational status of the species in the Vojvodina region is described. The species’ ecological niche space was analysed using the ENFA and MaxEnt modelling approaches, with ecogeographical variables derived from bioclimatic, atmospheric water regime, orographic, and land cover habitat variables. The obtained models were compared with models for peripanonian and mountainous Serbia since we believe the current distribution of the wall lizard in Vojvodina depends on ecological signals specifically present in the Vojvodina region but are absent in the two other ecogeographical regions of Serbia. Niche models for lizards in Vojvodina were significantly different from models for the peripanonian and mountainous regions of Serbia. The differences in ecological niche space were interpreted and related to the bionomy of the species. Ecological niche models revealed a wide distribution of the wall lizard across urban habitats of the Vojvodina region and a clear association with habitats of this type. Specifically, we identified a pattern of the close association of species’ presence with edge habitats of urban and industrial sites, and a general avoidance of agricultural habitats. In the other two regions, this signal was less pronounced with different habitat and orographic variables becoming more important. Overall, bionomic signals related to habitat structure were more important than scenopoetic signals related to abiotic conditions in defining the ecological space of this species in Serbia. Since urban habitats are generally believed to be stressful environments with numerous challenges to species’ overall fitness, we analyzed developmental stability of lizards across a gradient of urbanization to provide insight into the possible coping mechanisms of this species. Developmental stability was described by analyzing fluctuating asymmetry in qualitative characters of the pholidosis, as well as fluctuating asymmetry, allometry, modularity and integration of the pileus and frequency of phenodeviants in the pileus region of the lizard. Developmental stability results showed that urban and suburban lizard populations do not develop under more stressful conditions than populations from natural habitats, while they do have a more canalized developmental response. The wide distribution and a close connection to urbanized habitats with successful adaptation to new environments lead to the conclusion that the Common Wall Lizard should be considered as an indigenous species for the Vojvodina region, contrary to proposed qualifications.

×

So far, seven species of the genus Darevskia Arribas, 1997 have been documented from Iran: Darevskia chlorogaster (Boulenger, 1909), Darevskia deilippii (Camerano, 1877), Darevskia mostouii (Baloutch, 1976), Darevskia praticola (Eversmann, 1834), Darevskia steineri (Eiselt, 1995), Darevskia valentini (Boettger, 1892) and Darevskia raddei (Boettger, 1892). Based on extensive and long-lasting ield work in various regions of the Iranian Plateau, taxonomy and distribution of the lacertid lizards of the genus Darevskia Arribas, 1997 are discussed. Some new records and a new taxonomic entity within this genus are reported. The distribution maps of all the studied species are given and a key to the Iranian species of Darevskia is provided.

×

In 26 Portuguese castles 5 amphibian and 11 reptile species were recorded. Most species immigrated into the castle area from the surrounded environment. In some regions the distribution of Tarentola mauritanica and Hemidactylus turcicus is restricted to castles and the adjacent village or town; it is highly probable that they were introduced there by man. The microhabitat castle is highly endangered by restaurations.

×

Due to its geographic location, the Caucasus region connects species from three diferent continents in a heterogeneous landscape, creating an environment prune to the development of speciation events and multiple endemisms. Among them, the lacertid genus Darevskia is a group of rock lizards radiating and diversifying in the region. Among their highly polymorphic members a number of parthenogenetic forms are present result from the hybridisation between bisexual Darevskia species. However, the origin of these forms lacks an explicit spatiotemporal context. One of the most interesting bisexual species in the group is Darevskia raddei which is responsible for the motherhood of some unisexual forms, namely D. unisexualis, D. uzzeli and D. bendimahiensis and D. sapphirina). Fruthermore, this species is considered conspeciic to D. nairensis and D. (raddei) vanensis, two forms of unclear status which link to the parthenogenetic forms need to be clariied. This, this study aims to reach a global comprehension of the three putative bisexual taxa within of the D. raddei complex (D. raddei, D. nairensis and D. (raddei) vanensis), and their phylogenetic relationships with the parthenogenetic forms they theoretically parented. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted on samples of the D. raddei complex, ranging from Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and Iran. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian methods were applied on a combination of mitochondrial and nuclearmarkers. Namely, three mtDNA (cytochrome b, ND4 and 12s) and two nDNA (MC1R and c-mos) markers were used. Our results conirm that Darevskia raddei (sensu lato) is the proposed maternal species for at least D. unisexualis, D. uzzeli, D. bendimahiensis, D. sapphirina and D. rostombekowi, as already supported by previous studies. However, it does not support a genetic diferentiation between the three forms described within the complex, which are to be considered conspeciic. Moreover, there is reinforced evidence that the three parthenogenetic forms considered arose more than once in the history of the genus, from diferent lineages of the bisexual parents.

×

Maintaining body temperature is essential for the optimal performance of physiological functions. Ectotherms depend on external heat sources to thermoregulate. However, thermoregulation may be constrained by body condition and hydration state. Autotomy (i.e., the voluntary shed of a body part) evolved in various animal lineages and allowed surviving certain events (such as predator attacks), but it may affect body condition and volume/surface ratios, increase dehydration and constrain thermoregulation. In the framework of a general analysis of the evolution of autotomy, here we assessed the effects of tail loss on the thermal preferences and evaporative water loss rates (EWL) in the lizard Podarcis bocagei, integrating the thermal and hydric factors. We did not observe shifts in the thermal preferences of experimentally autotomized lizards when compared to the controls, which contradicted the hypothesis that they would raise preferred temperature to increase metabolic rates and accelerate regeneration. Evaporative water loss rates were also similar for tailed and tailless in dividuals, suggesting negligible increase of water loss through the injury and no specific ecophysiological re sponses after autotomy. Therefore, the changes observed in autotomized lizards in the field are to be considered primarily behavioural, rather than physiological, and thermoregulation could be secondarily affected by behavioural compensations for an increased predation risk after autotomy. Functional studies are necessary to understand how lizards’ interaction with the environment is altered after autotomy, and further studies including different dehydration levels would be useful to fully understand the effect of water shortage on lizards’ per formance after caudal autotomy.

×

Zwischen 1976 und 2002 wurde die Artenzusammensetzung der Herpetofauna an 90 Ruinen von Wassermühlen in Portugal untersucht. Es wurden 12 Amphibien- und 19 Reptilienarten registriert, die 69 % der in Kontinental-Portugal vorkommenden Arten repräsentieren. Die Zusammensetzung der Herpetozönosen wird durch die geografische Lage, den Habitattypus des Umfeldes und der Phase des Zerfallsprozesses der einzelnen Mühlen geprägt. Durch die anthropogene Belastung der Flüsse ist vielerorts eine deutliche Reduzierung der Individuendichte und Artenzahl der Amphibien und hydrophiler Reptilien zu verzeichnen.

×

The non-stop release and increase in the ecosystem of toxic and polluting substances such as endocrine disrupting chemicals pose a threat to the survival of wildlife. Nonylphenol and Octylphenol are well known xenobiotics, with estrogen-like properties, widely used to optimize the manufacturing of different products, and due to their hydrophobicity and low solubility, they are persistent and ubiquitous in many environmental matrices. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of these compounds on the testis of the lizard Podarcis siculus during the reproductive period, focusing our attention on the steroidogenesis process. The lizard P. siculus has been chosen as animal model as it is usually used as a sentinel species and because the morphology and physiology of testis between lizards and mammals do not change, allowing a fine correlation of observed effects to human health. Obtained results showed that both substances used in this study, are able to alter testis histology and localization of key steroidogenic enzymes such as 3_- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17_-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and P450 aromatase, which represents the major target of these two alkylphenols. In conclusion, Nonylphenol and Octylphenol inhibit steroidogenesis, interfering with the reproductive capacity of the lizard Podarcis siculus.

×

Atlantolacerta andreanskyi is a very enigmatic lacertid lizard that, according to the most recent molecular analyses, may belong to the tribe Eremiadini. It is a mountain specialist, restricted to areas above 2500 m of the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco with apparently no connection between the different populations. In this respect, the situation in A. andreanskyi is similar to an archipelago, with the different “islands” being represented by mountaintops. As a result of this scenario, a very high level of genetic differentiation is expected between the different populations, although it is not clear how the Pleistocenic glacial cycles might have affected this species. In fact, the relatively large and apparently disjunctive range of A. andreanskyi with populations occurring on isolated mountains suggests it may not be a single species. In order to test these hypothesis 137 specimens of A. andreanskyi were sampled from 5 different populations across the distribution range of the species (431 Km). A total of 2 gene fragments from mitochondrial DNA (12S, ND4) and 5 gene fragments from nuclear DNA (Pdc, Acm4, Cmos, Rag1, MC1R) were amplified. The results of the molecular analyses clearly show that all the populations analyzed present a very high level of genetic differentiation for the mitochondrial markers used and are also differentiated at the nuclear level. The taxonomic, biogeographic and evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed.

×

Apathya is a lacertid genus occurring mainly in south-east Turkey and its adjacent regions (part of Iran and Iraq). So far two morphological species have been attributed to the genus, i.e. A. cappadocica (with five subspecies, A. c. cappadocica, A. c. muhtari, A. c. schmidtlerorum, A. c. urmiana and A. c. wolteri) and A. yassujica. The first of them occupies most of the genus’ distribution while A. yassujica is endemic of the Zagros Mountains. The topology and the genetic distances retrieved from this study, reveal that Apathya is a highly variable genus, which comes in agreement with the high morphological variation found in previous studies. Such levels of morphological differentiation and genetic divergence often exceed those between species of other Lacertini genera that are already treated as full species, justifying our view that the genus requires taxonomical revision. The phylogeographical scenario proposed reveals that dispersal and vicariant events in Anatolia and Southwest Asia throughout the Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene resulted in the present distribution of the genus under study. Key geological event for the understanding of the phylogeography of the genus is the movement of the Arabian plate that led to the configuration of Middle East specifically the formation of the mountain ranges of Turkey and Iran.

×

Agriculture intensification is among one of the major threats affecting terrestrial reptiles worldwide. There is however a lack of information available on the ecology of these vertebrates in agricultural landscapes. Basic information like the pattern of occurrence in cultivated fields is key to assess the probability of an animal being affected by threats driven by agricultural managing. Focussing on the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus), we performed a field study to assess in detail its distribution and abundance in two cultivations, vineyards and cereal fields. Lizard distribution and abundance significantly varied among land uses, regardless of the arthropod fauna composition and diversity (analysed in the same fields), and the management activities. In the cereal fields, lizards were present exclusively along the field margins while in the vineyards they also occurred in the inner portions of the cultivated areas, even if they were more abundant next to the borders. The widespread presence of lizards in the vineyards suggest that P. siculus can likely adapt to such cultivated areas. This partly lowers the effect of habitat loss due to vineyard planting but exposes animals to the risks related to management activities, including mechanical practices and chemical application. In contrast, the presence of sowed lands, as extremely simplified habitats, results primarily in a definitive loss of habitat for lizards that are unable to settle within them, while the exposure to threats driven by management is less direct than in vineyards.

×

New data on the distribution of amphibians and reptiles of conservation interest in southern Tuscany. The amphibian and reptile fauna native to southern Tuscany inclu des 31 species (13 amphibians and 18 reptiles), most of which are protected under the Habitats Directive (EEC Directive 43/1992, ratified by Italy with DPR 357/1997) and by the recent Tuscan Regional Law on biodiversity (LR 56/2000). Seventeen species are of particular significance and their conservation warrants or may require designation of Special Conservation Zones or Sites of Regional Importance. In this note, new data is provided on the distribution of eleven of these species (Salamandra salamandra, Salamandrina terdigitata, Triturus alpestris, Triturus carmfex, Bombina vanegata, Bufo viridis, Rana italica, Coronella austriaca, Coronella girondica, Elaphe quatuonlineata and Natrix tessellata) which considerably increases the number of 10 x 10 km squares of the UTM grid in which these species are present in southern Tuscany.

×

Podarcis wall lizards are endemic to the Mediterranean Basin where they represent the predominant reptile group. Despite being extensively used as model organisms in evolutionary and ecological studies their phylogeny and historical biogeography are still incompletely resolved. Moreover, molecular clock calibrations used in wall lizard phylogeography are based on the assumption of vicariant speciation triggered by the abrupt Mediterranean Sea level rise at the end of the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC). However, the validity of this biogeographic calibration remains untested. In this study we inferred a robust time tree based on multilocus data and fossil calibrations using both gene concatenation and species-tree approaches and including models with gene-flow. We found five deeply divergent, geographically coherent, and well-supported clades comprising species from i) Iberian Peninsula and North Africa; ii) Western Mediterranean islands, iii) Sicilian and Maltese islands; and iv-v) Balkan region and Aegean islands. The mitochondrial tree shows some inconsistencies with the species tree that warrant future investigation. Diversification of main clades is estimated in a short time frame during the Middle Miocene and might have been associated with a period of global climate cooling with the establishment of a marked climatic zonation in Europe. Cladogenetic events within the main clades are scattered throughout the time tree, from the Late Miocene to the Early Pleistocene, suggesting that speciation events in wall lizards reflect a complex interplay between regional topography, climate and geological history rather than a shared major climatic or paleogeographic event. Our absolute time estimates, as well as a relative dating approach, demonstrate that the assumption of a causal link between sea-level rise at the end of the MSC and the diversification of many island endemics is not justified. This study reinforces the notion that multiple dispersal and vicariant events, at different time frames, are required to explain current allopatric distributions and to account for the historical assembly of Mediterranean biota, and cautions against the use of biogeographic calibrations based on the assumption of vicariance.

×

The study of environmental factors affecting vertebrate reproduction has long interested both developmental and evolutionary biologists. Although photoperiod has been considered to be an important environmental parameter for vertebrates such as birds, temperature is probably a primary external factor responsible for reproductive cyclicity in reptiles. In spite of the progress made in the understanding of reptilian reproductive strategies and adaptations, much remains to be learned about the interplay between endocrine physiological factors, such as hormones, and environmental parameters. In this report, we have examined the effects of in vivo administered FSH on oocyte recruitment during the most significant periods of the reproductive cycle of the lizard, Podarcis sicula. The results show that when FSH is administered in proximity to the reproductive period, it stimulates oocyte growth and ovulation; when the hormone is administered at the beginning of the winter stasis it affects ovarian activity without inducing ovulation. Ovarian adenylate cyclase activity is moderately sensitive to in vitro FSH stimulation during the pre- and post-reproductive periods. The sensitivity to hormone stimulation increases significantly during the reproductive period and winter stasis. We have also tested the hypothesis that environmental temperature affects the responsiveness of ovarian adenylate cyclase to FSH stimulation. For such a purpose, we exposed animals to 28° C or 4° C in different periods of the ovarian cycle. The results show that, whenever the temperature applied mimics the thermal regime of the coming season, adenylate cyclase sensitivity to FSH shifts towards levels that anticipate the natural responsiveness.

×

The spiny-tailed lizard, which has a series of taxonomic revisions, is one of the most common lizard species in Turkey. In this study, sequence data derived from three microsatellite loci (Du215, Du281, and Du323), two mito chondrial (16S rRNA and Cyt-b) genes and combined data were used to evaluate the taxonomic status of Darevskia rudis and Darevskia bithynica with new samples from all subspecies populations in Turkey. Our results indicated that the genetic variations of microsatellite loci were not specific to populations within species, and only minor differences separated D. rudis and D. bithynica populations. Furthermore, the markers we used for phylo genetic analyses (NJ, ML, MP, and BI) produced topologically similar trees based on 16S rRNA and Cyt-b while the combined data produced conflicting trees with the separate gene analyses. Finally, the basal relationships among the populations in Turkish populations D. rudis and D. bithynica were not resolved with this dataset, and we found a hard polytomy at the basis of the phylogeny.

×

We are present a brief review of the herpetofauna of the northeastern part of the Black sea coast. A total twenty seven species was recorded. Of which two newt species (Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus karelinii), nine species of tailless amphibians (Bombina bombina, Pelobates fuscus, P. syriacus, Bufo bufo, Epidalea viridis, Hyla arborea, Rana dalmatina, Pelophylax ridibundus, P. esculentus), ten species of lizards (Mediodactylus kotschyi, Angius fragilis, Pseudopus apodus, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Lacerta agilis, L. trilineata, L. viridis, Podarcis muralis, P. tauricus) and seven species of snakes (Natrix natrix, N. tessellata, Dolichophis caspius, Elaphe sauromates, Zamenis longissimus, Coronella austriaca, Vipera ammodytes). Their conservation status was stated and their presence in the protected areas in the study area was analyzed. A map of the herpetologically important areas was draw.

×

After a brief introduction to the main geologica!, climatologica! and botanical features of the area- a territory of Latium region, Central Italy- the work synthetized data about its vertebrate fauna with exclusive regard to Amphibians, Reptiles an d Mammals. In this list 46 species and subspecies are considered ofwhich 8 are Amphibians, 11 Reptiles and 27 Mammals. Ecologica! analysis has focused the attenction on the absence or scarcity of many thermophilous species, a fact which finds explanation, according to the Authors, in the `continental` position ofthe district. Among the species, many are rare or localized and some considerations are carried out in order to their management and protection.

×

We assessed the presence of Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in reptiles, their ectoparasites and in questing ticks collected in a nature preserve park in southern Italy, as well as in a peri-urban area in another region. We also investigated the exposure to these pathogens in forestry workers, farmers and livestock breeders living or working in the nature preserve park given the report of anecdotal cases of spotted fever rickettsioses. Rickettsia spp. were molecularly detected in Podarcis muralis and Podarcis siculus lizards (i.e., 3.1%), in Ixodes ricinus (up to 87.5%) and in Neotrombicula autumnalis (up to 8.3%) collected from them as well as in I. ricinus collected from the environment (up to 28.4%). Rickettsia monacensis was the most prevalent species followed by Rickettsia helvetica. An undescribed member of the family Anaplasmataceae was detected in 2.4% and 0.8% of the reptiles and ectoparasites, respectively. Sera from human subjects (n = 50) were serologically screened and antibodies to Rickettsia spp. (n = 4; 8%), C. burnetti (n = 8; 16%) and A. phagocytophilum (n = 11; 22%) were detected. Two ticks collected from two forestry workers were positive for spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. Ixodes ricinus is involved in the transmission of SFG rickettsiae (R. monacensis and R. helvetica) in southern Europe and lizards could play a role in the sylvatic cycle of R. monacensis, as amplifying hosts. Meanwhile, N. autumnalis could be involved in the enzootic cycle of some SFG rickettsiae among these animals. People living or working in the southern Italian nature preserve park investigated are exposed to SFG rickettsiae, C. burnetii and A. phagocytophilum.

×

Tissue regeneration is a fundamental evolutionary adaptation, which is well known in lizards that can regenerate their entire tail. However, numerous parameters of this process remain poorly understood. Lizard tail serves many functions. Thus, tail autotomy comes with many disadvantages and the need for quick regeneration is imperative. To provide the required energy and materials for caudal tissue building, lizards are expected to undergo a number of physiological and biochemical adjustments. Previous research showed that tail regeneration induces changes in the digestive process. Here, we investigated if and how tail regeneration affects the digestive performance in five wall lizard species deriving from mainland and island sites and questioned whether the association of tail regeneration and digestion is affected by species relationships or environmental features, including predation pressure. We expected that lizards from high predation environments would regenerate their tail faster and modify accordingly their digestive efficiency, prioritizing the digestion of proteins; the main building blocks for tissue repair. Second, we anticipated that the general food shortage on islands would inhibit the process. Our findings showed that all species shifted their digestive efficiency, as predicted. Elongation rate was higher in sites with stronger predation regime and this was also applied to the rate with which protein digestion raised. Gut passage time increases during regeneration so as to improve the nutrient absorbance, but among the islanders, the pace was more intense. The deviations between species should be attributed to the different ecological conditions prevailing on islands rather than to their phylogenetic relationships.

×

In 2019, a survey was conducted on the omnivory of the Common wall lizard Podarcis muralis in Tolmezzo (Carnia). Consumption of the following foods/species was recorded: Podarcis muralis, apple, pear, banana, melon, wa termelon, pineapple, plum, tomato, Arum italicum, Fragaria vesca, chicken egg, Chaenomeles japonica. Use of the carcass of a conspecifi c and consumption of a dry leaf are also reported. A review of the available literature failed to fi nd reports of these foods. This use occurred with relative regularity and was performed in 57.14% of cases by males and in 25% by females.

×

Im voranstehenden Aufsatz wird eine neue Form der gewöhnlichen Eidechse Lacerta agilis L . als var. Dzieduszyckii m. beschrieben. Dieselbe unterscheidet sich sehr scharf von anderen bekannten Formen dieser Art durch eine besonders charakteristische Zeichnung und Färbung der Rückenzone. Es ist nämlich das Rückenband in zwei Reihen tiefschwarzer, länglicher, hellgrün umsäumter Flecken zerlegt. Das Exemplar, ein Männchen, stammt aus der nächsten Umgebung von Lemberg (Hołosko). Auf der beigesetzten Tafel sind ausser der beschriebenen Varietät noch die ebenfalls aus der Umgebung der Stadt Lemberg bekannten Formen: v. annulata Wern, und lineata Dürigen (albo v. spinalis Wern.) dargestellt.

×

Within a competitive exclusion experiment conducted in 1971, five pairs of Podarcis siculus lizards were transferred from islet Pod Kopište to a nearby islet of Pod Mrĉaru in the Adriatic Sea. In only 35 years the newly established population exhibited significant morphological and ecological changes. This study combines experimental common garden approach with population genomics tools to discriminate between plastic and genomic response in Pod Mrĉaru population. Crossing experiment in common garden pointed towards medium to high heritability of diverged phenotypic traits related to head shape, indicating they hold enough additive genetic variance to evolve under selection. Genotyping by sequencing elucidated genome-wide divergence between Pod Mrĉaru and Pod Kopište populations. 18 loci putatively under selection were found to be associated with divergent phenotypic traits in source and newly established population, and/or differences in ecological variables among multiple P. siculus populations, suggesting rapid genomic adaptation on the islet of Pod Mrĉaru.

×

This study provides observation on 21 species of amphibians and reptiles obtained during various field trips in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2018. The core of this study is distributional data collected mostly by the second author of this paper that were systematically evaluated. Our records show a notable expansion of the current distribution range for several species and highlight the need for more extensive further sampling within the entire country. The first record of Cyrtopodion agamuroides (Nikolsky, 1900) complex for Afghanistan is presented here, increasing the number of herpetofauna in the country to 117 species.

×

Background: Blood parasites of the genus Karyolysus Labbé, 1894 (Apicomplexa: Adeleida: Karyolysidae) represent the protozoan haemogregarines found in various genera of lizards, including Lacerta, Podarcis, Darevskia (Lacertidae) and Mabouia (Scincidae). The vectors of parasites are gamasid mites from the genus Ophionyssus. Methods: A total of 557 individuals of lacertid lizards were captured in four different localities in Europe (Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) and blood was collected. Samples were examined using both microscopic and molecular methods, and phylogenetic relationships of all isolates of Karyolysus sp. were assessed for the first time. Karyolysus sp. 18S rRNA isolates were evaluated using Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood analyses. Results: A total of 520 blood smears were examined microscopically and unicellular protozoan parasites were found in 116 samples (22.3% prevalence). The presence of two Karyolysus species, K. latus and K. lacazei was identified. In total, of 210 samples tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the presence of parasites was observed in 64 individuals (prevalence 30.5%). Results of phylogenetic analyses revealed the existence of four haplotypes, all part of the same lineage, with other parasites identified as belonging to the genus Hepatozoon. Conclusions: Classification of these parasites using current taxonomy is complex - they were identified in both mites and ticks that typically are considered to host Karyolysus and Hepatozoon respectively. Furthermore although distortions to the intermediate host erythrocyte nuclei were observed, the defining characteristic of Karyolysus, the haplotypes were nearly identical to those reported from lizards in the Iberian Peninsula, where such distortions were not reported and which were thus identified as Hepatozoon. Based on the phylogenetic analyses, neither vertebrate host, nor geographical patterns of the studied blood parasites could be established.

×

The Mediterranean Basin has experienced extensive change in geology and climate over the past six million years. Yet, the relative importance of key geological events for the distribution and genetic structure of the Mediterranean fauna remains poorly understood. Here, we use population genomic and phylogenomic analyses to establish the evolutionary history and genetic structure of common wall lizards (Podarcismuralis). This species is particularly informative because, in contrast to other Mediterranean lizards, itis widespread across the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan peninsulas, andin extra-Mediterranean regions. We found strong support for six major lineages within P. muralis, which were largely discordant with the phylogenetic relationship ofmitochondrial DNA. The most recent common ancestor of extant P. muraliswas likely distributed in the Italian Peninsula, and experienced an “Out-of-Italy” expansion followingthe Messinian salinity crisis (~5 Mya), resulting inthe differentiation into theextant lineages on the Iberian, Italian and Balkan peninsulas. Introgression analysis revealed that both inter-and intraspecific gene flow have been pervasive throughout the evolutionary history of P. muralis. For example, the Southern Italy lineagehas a hybrid origin, formed through admixture betweentheCentral Italylineage and anancientlineagethatwas the sister to allotherP. muralis. More recent genetic differentiation isassociated with the onset of the Quaternary glaciations, which influenced population dynamics and genetic diversity of contemporary lineages. These results demonstrate the pervasive role of Mediterranean geology and climate for the evolutionary history and population genetic structure of extant species.

×

Colour polymorphism in common wall lizards, Podarcis muralis: causes and consequences. Il polimorfismo cromatico è definito come la coesistenza all`interno della stessa popolazione di due o più morfi di colore distinti e geneticamente determinati. La lucertola muraiola (Podarcis muralis) presenta un complesso polimorfismo nella colorazione ventrale, con tre morfi monocromatici (bianco, rosso, giallo) e tre morfi con colorazione intermedia (bianco-rosso, giallo-rosso, bianco giallo). Dal 2004 è in corso uno studio a lungo termine sui meccanismi ecologici, fisiologici, genetici e comportamentali che mantengono il polimorfismo in questa specie. I risultati finora raggiunti permettono di ipotizzare che i morfi di colore della lucertola muraiola siano associati a differenti strategie comportamentali che coesistono all`interno della stessa specie.

×

The biogeography of host-parasite dynamics is an area that has received little attention in studies of island ecology. While a few studies have shed insight on patterns of parasitism in insular host populations, more empirical evidence is needed to ascertain how isolation impacts parasites. Biogeography generally theorizes that the physical size of islands and the duration of each island’s isolation can be driving geographic factors controlling species interactions and populations dynamics. To test this, we assessed the effect of island structure and population isolation on the endemic insular lizard Podarcis erhardii and its native hemogregarine parasite (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina) in the Cyclades (Aegean Sea). We analyzed the relationships of prevalence and parasitemia of hemogregarine infection with several factors concerning the island (size, time of isolation, spatial isolation, population density) and host (body size) levels using regression and structural equation models, respectively. Regressions indicate that islands with greater host density and islands which have been isolated for shorter timespans tend to have higher hemogregarine prevalences; structural equation models suggest a similar pattern for parasitemia. We hypothesize this may be driven by insular density compensation. Hosts on islands that are more temporally and spatially isolated also tend to have higher prevalence and parasitemia of hemogregarines. Our results indicate that island area, island isolation, and host population density are likely to be significant drivers of changes in host-parasite interactions in fragmented populations.

×

The exposure to environmental toxicants such cadmium (Cd) is an important research area in wildlife protection. In this study, the effect of Cd oral administration on the ovarian structure and function and on reproductive performance of the Italian wall lizard Podarcis sicula was studied. In vivo, adult female lizards were randomly assigned to three groups. Cd was given with food in single dose and in multiple doses 3 days/week for 4 weeks at dose of 1.0 μg/g body weight. Following euthanasia, the ovaries were removed and analyzed for morpho-functional changes. Results demonstrated that Cd increases prefollicular germ cells number; the evaluation of the number of follicles detects significantly higher number of atretic growing follicles, whereas primary follicles remain unchanged with respect to controls. After Cd treatments, follicles are deformed by the presence of large protrusions and a general dysregulation in the follicle organization is observed. The zona pellucida is also affected. Cd causes alteration in sugar metabolism and in metallothionein gene expression. Finally, Cd administration significantly reduces clutch size and dramatically increases embryo mortality. In conclusion, data here described show that Cd induces morpho-functional alterations in lizard follicles and indicates that these are responsible for a significant impairment of oogenesis. The effects of the dose are time independent, persisting essentially unchanged regardless of single or multiple administration, so it can be concluded that even occasional, sublethal Cd contamination may significantly impair reproductive performance in these animals.

×

The cleidoic eggs of oviparous reptiles are protected from the external environment by membranes and a parchment shell permeable to water and dissolved molecules. As a consequence, not only physical but also chemical insults can reach the developing embryos, interfering with gene expression. This review provides information on the impact of the exposure to cadmium contamination or thermal stress on gene expression during the development of Italian wall lizards of the genus Podarcis. The results obtained by transcriptomic analysis, although not exhaustive, allowed to identify some stress-reactive genes and, consequently, the molecular pathways in which these genes are involved. Cadmium-responsive genes encode proteins involved in cellular protection, metabolism and proliferation, membrane trafficking, protein interactions, neuronal transmission and plasticity, immune response, and transcription regulatory factors. Cold stress changes the expression of genes involved in transcriptional/translational regulation and chromatin remodeling and inhibits the transcription of a histone methyltransferase with the probable consequence of modifying the epigenetic control of DNA. These findings provide transcriptome-level evidence of how terrestrial vertebrate embryos cope with stress, giving a key to use in population survival and environmental change studies. A better understanding of the genes contributing to stress tolerance in vertebrates would facilitate methodologies and applications aimed at improving resistance to unfavourable environments.

×

Niet veel mensen weten van het voorkomen van smaragdhagedissen in Scheveningen. Op een geïsoleerd duin midden in een recreatieve hotspot leeft al zeker enkele decennia een kleine populatie. Naast de succesvolle vestiging van de exotische ondersoorten van de inheemse muurhagedis (Podarcis muralis) is dit de eerste nieuwe hagedissensoort die zich in Nederland heeft weten te vestigen. Vanwege de voorgenomen aanleg van een parkeergarage, waarvoor het gehele duin moet worden ontgraven, is het einde voor deze populatie echter nabij. Op de valreep, in 2019 en 2020, is er toch nog beperkt onderzoek uitgevoerd.

×

The extensive use of pesticides in agricultural environments produces drastic effects on wildlife, hence the need for less invasive indicators of environmental stress to monitoring the impact of agriculture treatments on bio logical systems. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), as measure of developmental instability, has recently been pro posed as reliable biomarker of populations stress due to environmental disturbance. We investigate femoral pores (FP) and dorsal head shape (HS) traits in populations of the Italian wall lizard inhabiting agricultural environ ments to examine whether different pesticide exposures (conventional, organic and control) can cause distinctive degree of FA. High-resolution photographs of FP and HS were taken in the field with a digital camera. The number of FP were counted twice on both sides and HS was analysed using geometric morphometrics with 25 landmarks and 12 semilandmarks. Individuals under conventional management showed higher levels of FA compared to control ones, and females exhibited higher FA levels than males for the FP. However, no significant difference was found for the HS trait. Our study provided evidence that FA may have a real potential as biomarker of population stress in wall lizards, highlighting the importance in the choice of the experimental design and the traits adopted for estimating DI.

×

The first overview of the amphibians and reptiles of Dugi Otok Island, Northern Dalmatia, is presented, based on the published data and new records collected during the last twenty years. A total of 15 species are present on the island, of which only one was not recorded on our surveys. In comparison to other islands of Northern Dalmatia, Dugi Otok is the second most diverse island in terms of herpetofauna, just after Pag Island. The main threats to the amphibians and reptiles on the island are the disappearance and degradation of aquatic habitats, the abandonment and succession of traditional agricultural fields and olive groves and the increasing presence of several invasive species.

×

The Neuwied basin is part of a basin situated between the Upper and the Lower Middle Rhine Valley. There has been a previous report on the wall izards of the Engerser Field, an enclosed nature protection area situated near the Rhine. It has the indigeneous sand lizard Lacerta a. agilis as well as the indigeneous, but immigrated wall iizard Podarcis muralis brogniardii (Eastern France genetic lineage) and the introduced foreign genetic line Podarcis muralis maculiventris (West, South Alps lineage), all of which are ecologically separated and compete only where their preferred habitats meet. Last winter, the Rhine had a high flood, as it happens irregularly, and this has reduced mainly the Italian population and eliminated the southern zone of hybridization. Furthermore, a population of wall lizards the Urmitz railroad bridghe over the Rhine has a slightly different colouration than the typical indigeneous lizards. This population seems to have been influenced by the Western France genetic lineage of P.m. brongniardii. A look at the railroad system and ist vicinities in the Neuwied basin revealed a morphology and ethology of the wall lizards indicating two introductions. The French lineage came in 2012 to the north of Vallendar (along with new vinestocks from Burgundy) and at an unknown date to the Rasselstein industrial areain the East of Neuwied; from this latter area, hybrids with the indigeneous Eastern French lineage were exported with machinery to various spots in the Neuwied basin, amongst them the princely lands at Sayn. More prominently, the North Italian wall lizard P.m. maculiventris, Southern Alps lineage has invaded the central Neuwied railway station in recent times, obviously as a stowaway in freight traffic. Hybridizing with the indigeneous lineage, the Italian llzards have spread eastwards along the railway track and into its southern neighbourhood up to the track triangle for the Urmitz bridge offshoot; this has happened mainly in the last five years at an estimated rate of 3/4 km p.a. The hills as well as the southernmost and northern areas of Neuwied as well as on the opposite, left bank of the Rhine continue to have the indigeneous Podarcis muralis brogniardii (Eastern France genetic lineage).

×

This study provides distribution data for 12 species of reptiles in the Southern Bug eco-corridor located within the steppe zone, Mykolaiv Oblast (province), Ukraine. We compiled 935 records from published literature (324), from public databases (68), and from 12 field surveys we made in 2016–2020 (543). All records were mapped on to a grid of 10×10 km, representing the 294 cells of the studied area. We present new distributional data for Podarcis tauricus. For all the other species, our records add new localities that fall within areas where these reptiles were previously reported. Species richness and Shannon’s H’ index show that herpetofauna diversity was higher in the areas along the Southern Bug River. The maximum number of records within a single cell was 118 (for 10 species) in this oblast. Also the high number of identified reptile chorotypes (nine) within the Mykolaiv Oblast revealed that southern Ukraine is an important zoogeographical territory in Europe. These data provide the basis for future biogeographical and ecological studies and conservation priorities.

×

Kroatien ist eines der herpetologisch artenreichsten Länder Europas und daher ein beliebtes Reiseziel mitteleuropäischer Herpetologen. Aufgrund des in den letzten Jahrzehnten stetig weiter ausgebauten Autobahnnetzes ist das Land gut und schnell zu bereisen, lediglich die Grenzwartezeiten an den Urlaubswochenenden sind noch einigermaßen mühsam, da Kroatien noch nicht im Schengen-Raum aufgenommen wurde. Viele im Rahmen der ÖGH oder Herpetofauna.at durchgeführten Exkursionen führten uns in den letzten Jahren nach Kroatien.

×

This study was conducted to see whether herpetofaunal assemblage differed amongst hiking trails, undisturbed forest and urban areas within the Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan. Circular plot area-constrained searches (45 plots in each habitat, each plot with an area of 25 m2) were used from March 2018 to July 2019. We recorded seven amphibian species, nine lizard species and six snake species. The species richness of amphibians and lizards was the same in the studied strata, while the detection and encounter rate of snakes was lower in the undisturbed forest and urban areas. The encounter rate of amphibians differed significantly between urban areas and hiking trails/undisturbed forest. The encounter rate and population density of lizards differed significantly between undisturbed forest and urban areas. The most frequently encountered amphibian species along the hiking trail and urban areas was Duttaphrynus stomaticus, with Hoplobatrachus tigerinus in undisturbed forest. The most common and frequently encountered lizard species along the hiking trail and urban areas was Hemidactylus brookii, while the Ophisops jerdonii was the most frequently seen in undisturbed forest. The most common and frequently encountered snake species along the hiking trail and undisturbed forest was the Indotyphlops braminus, while Ptyas mucosa was the most common in urban areas. The subsequent bio-assessment, based on herpetofauna, of the Park revealed good to excellent biotic integrity The Park faces threats including livestock grazing, alien invasive vegetation and human disturbance due to settlements, restaurants and tourism-related activities. While several of these threats have been mitigated since the establishment of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, the Park still requires improved management, especially regarding regulating tourism.

×

The European green lizards of the Lacerta viridis complex consist of two closely related species, L. viridis and L. bilineata that split less than 7 million years ago in the presence of gene flow. Recently, a third lineage, referred to as the “Adriatic” was described within the L. viridis complex distributed from Slovenia to Greece. However, whether gene flow between the Adriatic lineage and L. viridis or L. bilineata has occurred and the evolutionary processes involved in their diversification are currently unknown. We hypothesized that divergence occurred in the presence of gene flow between multiple lineages and involved tissue-specific gene evolution. In this study we sequenced the whole genome of an individual of the Adriatic lineage and tested for the presence of gene flow amongst L. viridis, L. bilineata and Adriatic. Additionally, we sequenced transcriptomes from multiple tissues to understand tissue-specific effects. The species tree supports that the Adriatic lineage is a sister taxon to L. bilineata. We detected gene flow between the Adriatic lineage and L. viridis suggesting that the evolutionary history of the L. viridis complex is likely shaped by gene flow. Interestingly, we observed topological differences between the autosomal and Z-chromosome phylogenies with a few fast evolving genes on the Z-chromosome. Genes highly expressed in the ovaries and strongly co-expressed in the brain experienced accelerated evolution presumably contributing to establishing reproductive isolation in the Lacerta viridis complex.

×

The first reports of sightings of Lacerta bilineata or Lacerta viridis at the Spitzberg near Tübingen go back to the 19th century. It is only in the last few years that sightings and interest in the bright green lizards have increased. However, the population has hardly been studied, so it is unclear whether it is a population of Lacerta bilineata, Lacerta viridis or even both. The exact distribution area and the population size are also unknown. What is certain, however, is that the occurrence on the Spitzberg is due to one or more exposures and thus represents an allochthonous island population. In the context of this work, the population size could be roughly estimated and the habitat preferences of the species on the northern edge of their range could be clarified. Furthermore, with the help of citizens, the distribution area was limited to the southern slopes of the Spitzberg and the nature reserve Spitzberg-Ödenburg. The investigation of the reptile fauna revealed a potential endangerment of the indigenous sand lizard by the green lizard. By recording the habitat preferences, it was possible to discuss potential dispersal areas, especially near Wurmlingen, Wendelsheim and on the southwest slopes of the Schönbuch. Based on the results, recommendations for measures relating to the population management of the green lizards on the Spitzberg were developed.


Amendment and comments by GUNTRAM DEICHSEL (June 2021):
The results of haplotype determinations were available only after filing in this thesis. All 12 swabs analyzed identify the species as Lacerta bilineata. All sighted juveniles displayed green coloration elements. This matches my own observations, confirming L. bilineata as the species on Spitzberg montain. Hence no objective hints to the other species taken into consideration, namely L. viridis, were found. However, an anecdotal report relates the release of one specimen of this species on Spitzberg mountain.
The comparison of different extrapolation methods with differing results makes the problems of population estimates apparent. For this reason, ULRICH SCHULTE recommends in a written note to myself to confine reports to observation frequencies.
The tick species Ixodes rhizinus is mentioned in chapter 1.1.7 as an expoarasite. The correct spelling is I. ricinus. Strict protection of L. viridis and L. bilineata according to appendix IV oft he FFH guidelines , mentioned in chapter 4.5.1, applies to national occurrences of these species in Germany only.

×

Green lizards of the genus Lacerta have served as excellent models for studying the impact of Pleistocene climatic oscillations on genetic structures. The Caspian green lizard, Lacerta strigata, occupies various habitats across the Caucasus and the South Caspian Sea, with the Hyrcanian Forests and north of the Alborz Mountains forming the core of the range. This study aimed to re-examine the phylogenetic relation ships of L. strigata with other congeneric members and to assess the genetic structure and historical demography of the species. Furthermore, Species Distribution Models (SDMs) were performed to infer the species` potential habitat suitability and were then projected on climate scenarios reflecting current and past (6 ky and 21 ky before present) conditions. A total of 39 individuals collected from most of the distribu tion range, together with additional lacertid species sequences from the GenBank database, were examined using mtDNA (Cyt b and 12S ribosomal RNA) and nuclear (C-mos and β-fibrinogen) sequence data. Based on the phylogenetic analyses, L. stri gata was found to be a sister taxon to all other members of the genus. The species included two main clades (regional western and eastern) that diverged in a period between the Early and Middle Pleistocene. Based on the BBM and S-Diva analyses, both dispersal and vicariance events explained the phylogeographic structure of the species in the Hyrcanian Forests. The historical demographic analyses using Bayesian skyline plots showed a mild increase in the effective population size from about 120 Kya for the western regional clade. According to phylogeographic structures and SDMs evidence, as in other species within the region, it appears that the south of the Caspian Sea (Hyrcanian Forests), and the Alborz Mountains acted as multiple refu gia during cold periods and promoted expansion outwards amid the warm periods. Overall, the results provided evidence that the genetic structure of the species has been influenced by the Pleistocene climatic fluctuations.

×

At a time of high biodiversity loss and in the light of global climate change, some species are at particular risk. Geographically restricted specialists may undergo biotic homogenisation. Less charismatic and smaller taxa are often under-studied, with cryptic species raising additional monitoring challenges. The close links between reptile biological cycles and temperature and moisture leave many populations facing an uncertain future. Following dramatic population declines of the sand lizard Lacerta agilis in the UK due to habitat loss, fifty years of captive breeding and reintroduction efforts have focused on returning populations to sites in their former range. Ongoing presence of the species shows reintroduction efforts are broadly successful, but the cryptic nature of the sand lizard has raised post-release monitoring difficulties. This research addressed the challenges associated with this species, offering a more quantitative assessment of reintroduction practice to determine efforts are best-placed and to inform protocols going forward. Microhabitat preference of the sand lizard was studied in the light of monitoring difficulties. Detectability of sand lizards varied, with less dominant adults spatiotemporally restricted to less optimal environmental conditions. Juveniles showed aggregative behaviour as a thermoregulation mechanism, the benefits of which may influence post-release movement. Survey methodologies ere assessed at the receptor site, Eelmoor Marsh SSSI in Hampshire, UK. Recommendations were made for the sand lizard as well as the wider reptile community, including the more generalist common lizard Zootoca vivpara and slow worm Anguis fragilis, and predators adder Vipera berus and grass snake Natrix helvetica. Refugium materials of felt and slate proved favourable to sand lizards and common lizards, both species highlighted as being poor users of traditional tin refugia. eintroduction protocols currently focus on hatchlings. Hatchlings, yearlings, and a small number of two-year-olds were released in this study. Releases were undertaken in September 2017 and September 2018, of 80 and 86 lizards respectively, and post-release monitoring occurred for a year following each. Overwinter survival favoured yearlings over hatchlings. Yearlings also showed predictable post-release movement and survival; hatchlings did not. Yearlings displaying higher locomotor performance and those that showed a less exploratory and less active behavioural response to the novel release site, were more likely to survive overwinter. The furthest travelled yearlings pre-winter showed more exploratory and active traits. Many yearling lizards showed release site fidelity, remaining in or returning repeatedly to the area, highlighting the importance of maintaining this as optimal, structurally diverse habitat. Released yearlings were observed having successfully bred within a year, at two years of age; released hatchlings would likely not breed until their third year. Observations of sand lizards in less favourable environmental conditions and beyond the normal active season indicated release may be favourable earlier in the year; this would benefit from further study. Continued monitoring is recommended to observe longer-term trends. This research highlighted the potential and benefits of developing a rigorous post-release monitoring approach for cryptic species. It showed the importance of building on current understanding of species ecology and biology at demographic and individual levels to aid conservation initiatives.

×

In order to elucidate mitochondrial evolution and resolve the phylogeny of the widely distributed European green lizards(Lacerta viridiscomplex), we determined 16 mitochondrial genomes from a representative sampling of the fourpreviously identified major clades corresponding toL. bilineata(western distribution range),L. viridis(most of theeastern distribution range), the unnamed Adriatic (or West Balkan) and the Turkishþsouth-eastern European clades.The mitogenomes were on average 17,162 bp long with a canonical vertebrate gene inventory of 13 protein-codinggenes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes and a long non-coding Control Region. We detected severalalmost completely clade-specific insert and tandem-repeat signatures. Phylogenetic analyses using all 13 protein-codinggenes as well as rRNA- and tRNA-coding sequences from a total of 20 mitogenomes inferred a resolved branchingpattern of the four divergent clades. The Turkish clade is strongly supported as sister to all other members of thecomplex. Within the monophylum comprising the remaining clades,L viridisis sister to a clade containingL. bilineataand the Adriatic clade. Unexpectedly, one specimen of western Italy (Calambrone, Pisa)–which is within thedistribution range ofL. bilineata–clustered together with the Adriatic clade with high bootstrap support, calling forfurther research on the biogeography of theL. viridiscomplex. Integrating our results with those of previous studiessuggest that the lineages have reached the level of distinct taxa, but to determine whether they have become fullyindependent lineages on the species level requires further research that tackles nuclear genomic variation of all fourclades and the viability of hybrids and gene flow within putative hybrid zones.

×

Sexual reproduction imposes risks on participating adults through increased probability of injury, predation pressure, or parasite exposure. Evolutionary theory predicts that animals will tolerate parasite infection during reproduction at the expense of increased parasite load, resulting in individual trade-offs between the temporary costs of current reproduction against the long-term evolutionary benefits in the form of life-long production of viable offspring. We tested this hypothesis, predicting that participation in sexual reproduction increases parasite exposure by investigating ectoparasite load on sand lizards (Lacerta agilis). Using generalized additive models to correct for bimodal seasonal dynamics of ectoparasite activity, site and year, we found that ectoparasite load is higher in adults (animals that overwintered at least twice) than in subadults that overwintered once only. Between sexes of adult sand lizards, males had a higher number of blood-sucking ectoparasites than females. Our results indicate that both sexually-motivated extensive locomotion associated with territory defence and mate search in males, and increased energy uptake during gestation in females, contribute to elevated ectoparasite exposure. Increased host mobility associated with increased ectoparasite exposure leads to collateral burden of reproduction on sand lizard populations.

×

This paper comprises, the collections made in four northern provinces of Afghanistan (Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, Malmana, Kataghan) and In the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar which is separated from the Central Asiatic Subregions by the mountain range of Hindu-Kush. In all, 135 Individuals belonging to 34 species were determined. The herpetofauna of the northern provinces was compared with that of Nangahar. In this province 9 species, [Gmnodactylus sp. (kachhensis ssp. nov.?), Calores versicolor, Uromastyx hardwicki, Varanus bengalensis, Oligodon arnensis, Fowleya piscator, Psammophis leithiand Bungarus coeruleus], typical of the Oriental Region, were fund but the forms typical of the Turanian zone are missing here. This specific structure of the herpetofauna arranges the -Nangahar provinces [the drainage area of the Kabul River in the environs of Jalad-Abad] to the Oriental Region. In the Nangarhar province a new form belonging to Gymnodactylus kachhensis was found. Its taxonomy was not solved.

×

Although the insular distribution of the rich herpetofauna of Greece has been studied more extensively, the mainland one is still underexplored. The region of Attica in central Greece represents one of these “black spots” in the mainland. Thus, in 2019 we surveyed for the first time the herpetofauna of Attica in a systematic way. We collected 794 field records of 31 species (4 amphibians, 27 reptiles); Testudo graeca and Trachemys elegans were documented for the first time for Attica.

×

The paper presents data on the ecology of two common species of reptiles in the Tambov Region: the sand lizard, Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758, and the common grass snake, Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758). The material was collected in the Michurinsky, Pervomaysky, Tambovsky and Inzhavinsky (on the territory of the Voroninsky State Nature Reserve) Districts of the Tambov Region during the 2019 field season. Field observations and accounting for the numbers of animals on the routes were carried out in the most typical biotopes for the study sites: in pine forest, deciduous forest, in steppe areas affected to varying degrees by anthropogenic transformation, in floodplains of rivers and along the shores of lakes and artificial reservoirs. Information on the following aspects of the ecology of these reptile species in the region is presented and discussed: habitat distribution and numbers, seasonal and diurnal activity, phenology of reproduction and development and the influence of anthropogenic factors. All materials obtained as a result of our own research are compared with the data of the literature sources cited in the paper. On the basis of wide distribution in the region, relatively high numbers and trends to synanthropy it is stated that the state of the populations of the sand lizard and common grass snake in the region in the present conditions is safe and special measures for their protection are not required.

×

The results of faunistic surveys upon the amphibian and reptile populations in the Cozia National Park are presented. We recorded (found) 11 amphibian species (including the hybridogenetic Pelophylax kl. esculentus) and 12 reptile species; some species (Bufotes viridis and Emys orbicularis) were found after a long lapse in scientific recording. We observe that the Cozia Massif appears to have a richer herpeto fauna than that of the adjoining Narâțu and Căpățânii massifs.

×

Experimentally assessing the preferred body temperature (Tpref) of ectothermic animals is important to understand thermal adaptation. In lizards, this variable is usually estimated by measuring body temperature in thermal gradients. To quantify the extent to which different experimental setups influence the inferred Tpref values we submitted 65 individual lizards of three species to randomized tests using six different experimental setups at Oukaimeden, Morocco, including setup variants similar to those that have been most often used in lacertids. Among-treatment differences were substantial. Using an infrared bulb as heat source in combination with artificial cold lighting yielded about 5°C lower Tpref estimates than photothermal treatments with an incandescent bulb as heat and light source, possibly because lizards thermoregulated differently without a visual cue related to the heat source, or due to the absence of a natural photoperiod. Photothermal assays in which Tpref was assessed by hourly cloacal measurements over a 10h period yielded 2.2°C lower Tpref estimates than 2h treatments where body temperature was measured every minute with a thermocouple attached to the belly. This probably reflects that the 2h treatments targeted lizards in the initial warming-up phase, whereas the 10h treatment attempts to capture the preferred temperature of a lizard over its entire daily cycle including phases of inactivity. Lastly, we observed large differences among treatments with contact thermometers versus infrared laser thermometer measurements, calling for caution when the latter are used with artificial heat sources. Our data do not provide thorough tests of the physical, behavioural or physiological causes underlying the observed differences between treatments, but illustrate that for meta-analyses where detailed comparisons are needed, a rigorous consideration of the optimal experimental setup and its consistent use will remain necessary.

×

Our study focused upon an area in which the herpetofauna had previously been very poorly studiedWe have managed to identify 12 species of amphibians (Triturus cristatus, Triturus vulgaris, Bombina bombinaBombina variegata, Hyla arborea, Rana ridibunda, Rana dalmatina, Rana temporaria, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Pelobatefuscus) and 4 reptile species (Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Anguis fragilis and Natrix natrix) in the 16 investigatedlocalities. Nine of these species have been cited now for the first time in the area. W have also identified hybridbetween B. bombina and B. variegata at 420 m ASL, this altitude is the superior limit of hybrids between Bombinspecies in Romania.

×

Sympatric lizard species differing in morphology present convenient models for studying the differentiation in thermal behavior and the role of morphological differences in thermal biology. Here we studied the thermal biology of two sympatric lizard species which occur together sympatrically in western Anatolia, Frig Valley. These two species differ in body size, with the larger Lacerta diplochondrodes and smaller Parvilacerta parva. Field body temperatures of the individuals belonging to both species were recorded in the activity period. Additionally, several environmental parameters including solar radiation, substrate temperature, air temperature and wind speed were also monitored to investigate the relative effect of these abiotic parameters on thermal biology of the two species. The field body temperature and temperature excess (difference between body and substrate temperature) of two species while being relatively close to each other, showed seasonal differences. Solar radiation, substrate temperature and air temperature were the main effective factors on thermal biology in the field. Additionally, although body size did not have a direct significant effect on body temperature or temperature excess, the interaction between body size and wind were effective on temperature excess. In conclusion, our study partially supports the conservation of thermal biology of related lizard species.

×

The Horvath’s rock lizard Iberolacerta horvathi (Méhely, 1904) is an understudied lacertid species, which is geographically isolated from its congeners and currently classified as Near Threatened under IUCN red listing criteria. Due to its limited distribution and narrow environmental preferences, we expect that the species had been affected by past climatic oscillations. By combining all available data on species occurrences and our own records, we produced an updated distribution map. We used ecological niche models to identify the current environmental factors underlying the species range and developed a habitat suitability map. We sequenced one mitochondrial and one nuclear marker to characterize the distribution of the genetic variability and infer the historical demography of the species. The habitat suitability map identified areas where targeted field searches should be prioritized, as well as unsuitable habitats coinciding with likely barriers to gene flow. We found considerable genetic variability suggesting that the species probably survived the Pleistocene glaciations in at least two main refugia, one in the South and the other in the central/northern portion of its distribution. While southern populations show a moderate demographic decrease starting at the onset of the Eemian interglacial, the northern populations underwent an expansion during Late Pleistocene. We provide a revised species distribution and a first characterization of its genetic variability across its distribution to guide conservation priorities for this endemic and spatially restricted species.