Herpetofaunal inventory of Van province, eastern Anatolia, Turkey

In this study, amphibian and reptile diversity in the province of Van (eastern Anatolia, Turkey) was surveyed. For this purpose, four herpetological excursions (20 days in total) were conducted covering all the districts of the province in 2014. In this paper, up-to-date herpetofaunal inventory of Van Province, including two urodelian, four anuran, two chelonian, 15 saurian (lizards), and 14 ophidian (snakes) species (six amphibians and 31 reptiles in total) is presented. To the best of our knowledge, Salamandra infraimmaculata, Heremites auratus, Dolichophis jugularis, Eirenis modestus, and Telescopus fallax were recorded for the first time in the province of Van. Additionally, the first published print record of Stellagama stellio in Van Province is presented. The major threat to the herpetofaunal diversity in surveyed habitats was found as human-origin habitat degradation. With the georeference database obtained in this study, it will be possible to determine the actual distribution ranges of the species and to guide decision-makers. The results of the study will provide a useful basis for future monitoring studies and distribution information will contribute to the conservation of the species of interest.Bu çalışmada, Van ilinin (Doğu Anadolu, Türkiye) kurbağa ve sürüngen biyoçeşitliliği araştırılmıştır. Bu amaçla, 2014 yılında tüm ilçeleri kapsayacak şekilde toplam 20 gün olmak üzere dört arazi çalışması gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu yayında Van iline ait güncel herpetofauna envanteri sunulmaktadır. Elde edilen verilere göre güncel olarak Van ilinde iki kuyruklu kurbağa, dört kuyruksuz kurbağa, iki kaplumbağa, 15 kertenkele ve 14 yılan olmak üzere toplam altı amfibi ve 31 sürüngen türü bulunmaktadır. Salamandra infraimmaculata, Heremites auratus, Dolichophis jugularis, Eirenis modestus ve Telescopus fallax türleri bu çalışma ile Van’dan ilk defa kaydedilmiştir. Ayrıca daha önce Van ilinden fotoğraf ile kaydedilen Stellagama stellio ise basılı makale kaydı olarak ilk kez verilmiştir. Çalışma yapılan habitatlarda herpetofauna çeşitliliğini tehdit eden en önemli faktör insan kaynaklı habitat parçalanması olarak bulunmuştur. Bu çalışmada elde edilen coğrafi referans veri tabanı ile türlerin güncel dağılışlarının belirlenmesi mümkün olacaktır ve bu veriler karar-vericileri yönlendirecektir. Çalışmanın sonuçları gelecekte yapılacak izleme çalışmaları için temel oluşturacaktır ve dağılış verileri türlerin koruma planlarına katkı sağlayacaktır.T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığ

AMPHIBIANS and REPTILES of MOUNT ARARAT

Kita

Data on the reproduction of a Caucasian Viper, Vipera kaznakovi Nikolsky, 1909 (Serpentes: Viperidae) from Hopa (Northeastern Anatolia, Turkey)

In the current study we report an observation of a Caucasian Viper, Vipera kaznakovi from Hopa (Artvin, Turkey) giving birth. During our field studies, we captured a female Vipera kaznakovi on July 21, 2012 from Esenkıyı village, Hopa (Artvin, Turkey), it was brought to the laboratory and kept in a terrarium for a period until May 28, 2013. The female (SVL= 483 mm, total length, TL = 541 mm) gave birth to eight young (mean SVL= 146 mm, mean TL= 161.4 mm, range= 155 – 172 mm; mean weight, W= 3.11 g, range= 2.6 – 3.4 g) on August 11, 2012. In six and a half months, the juvenile snakes had reached 163 mm SVL, 187 mm TL and 5.1g W and increased their size by approximately 15%

Range extension of Lyciasalamandra antalyana (Başoğlu & Baran, 1976) (Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae)

We report 17 specimens of the Lycian salamander Lyciasalamandra antalyana, endemic to Turkey from Burdur province, in the western Mediterranean region of Anatolia. Previously all known localities for L. antalyana were in Antalya province. These new records extend the known distribution area of the species to Burdur province in Turkey. These new specimens were compared with L. antalyana specimens from some other known localities (Hurma and Yağca populations) in terms of morphological and serological features. According to coloration and metric characters, our specimens can be included in L. antalyana. This paper represents a considerable range extension for this species, 32 km air distance to the north-east and reports L. antalyana from Burdur province for the first time

Age-dependent variations in the venom proteins of Vipera kaznakovi Nikolsky, 1909 and Vipera ammodytes (Linnaeus, 1758) (Ophidia: Viperidae)

Polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and densitometry analysis were used to analyze venom extracts of Vipera kaznakovi (16.5, 30, and 55 cm) and Vipera ammodytes (28.5, 36.7, and 51.5 cm) specimens of 3 different lengths. V. kaznakovi specimens were collected from Hopa (Artvin Province); 2 V. ammodytes specimens were from Ağva (İstanbul Province) and the longest one was from Yuvacık (Kocaeli Province). The electropherograms of the venom protein samples showed age-dependent qualitative and quantitative variations.Field excursions of this study were supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) (project number: 111T338)

Ergebnisse einer herpetologischen bestandsaufnahme in der Provinz Ağrı (Ostanatolien, Türkei) (Anura; Testudines; Squamata)

As a result of a literature survey and field studies covering all regions of the Turkish Province of Ağrı, the authors found the area inhabited by three anuran, two chelonian, 16 lizard and 14 snake species. The records and their locations are presented in a map, a table and an Appendix. In the field studies the present paper is based upon Mauremys caspica, Ablepharus bivittatus, Parvilacerta parva, Eremias pleskei, Xerotyphlops vermicularis, Natrix natrix, Coronella austriaca, Eirenis eiselti, Dolichophis jugularis, Dolichophis schmidti, Platyceps najadum and Montivipera wagneri were recorded for the first time in the Province of Ağrı.T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığ

New locality records of snakes (Ophidia: Colubridae: Dolichophis, Eirenis) in Eastern Anatolia

We report new localities of Dolichophis jugularis, Dolichophis schmidti and Eirenis (Pediophis) eiselti from Malazgirt (Muş province) in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Dolichophis schmidti and Eirenis eiselti were recorded from Muş province for the first time while we present the easternmost locality of Dolichophis jugularis in Turkey with a considerable range extension.This research was partly supported by the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (project number: 111T338)

Data on the reproduction of a Caucasian Viper, Vipera kaznakovi Nikolsky, 1909 (Serpentes: Viperidae) from Hopa (Northeastern Anatolia, Turkey)

Abstract. In the current study we report an observation of a Caucasian Viper, Vipera kaznakovi from Hopa (Artvin, Turkey) giving birth. During our field studies, we captured a female Vipera kaznakovi on July 21, 2012 from Esenkıyı village, Hopa (Artvin, Turkey), it was brought to the laboratory and kept in a terrarium for a period until May 28, 2013. The female (SVL= 483 mm, total length, TL = 541 mm) gave birth to eight young (mean SVL= 146 mm, mean TL= 161.4 mm, range= 155 -172 mm; mean weight, W= 3.11 g, range= 2.6 -3.4 g) on August 11, 2012. In six and a half months, the juvenile snakes had reached 163 mm SVL, 187 mm TL and 5.1g W and increased their size by approximately 15%