Amphibians and Reptiles of the Mediterranean Basin

The Mediterranean basin is one of the most geologically, biologically, and culturally complex region and the only case of a large sea surrounded by three continents. The chapter is focused on a diversity of Mediterranean amphibians and reptiles, discussing major threats to the species and its conservation status. There are 117 amphibians, of which 80 (68%) are endemic and 398 reptiles, of which 216 (54%) are endemic distributed throughout the Basin. While the species diversity increases in the north and west for amphibians, the reptile diversity increases from north to south and from west to east direction. Amphibians are almost twice as threatened (29%) as reptiles (14%). Habitat loss and degradation, pollution, invasive/alien species, unsustainable use, and persecution are major threats to the species. The important conservation actions should be directed to sustainable management measures and legal protection of endangered species and their habitats, all for the future of Mediterranean biodiversity

Food composition of Uludağ frog, Rana macrocnemis Boulenger, 1885 in Uludağ (Bursa, Turkey)

Feeding habit and food preferences of Uludağ frog, Rana macrocnemis were studied in 2006 and 2007 in Uludağ (Bursa, Turkey). Stomach contents of 165 (87 males, 58 females, 20 juveniles) individuals were analyzed and a total of 2,129 prey items were determined. It was found that the species fed mainly on a variety of invertebrates and especially on insects (96.5%). The most frequently consumed prey items were Coleoptera (62.8%), Diptera (14.4%), and Hymenoptera (9.8%). There was no significant sex- and age-dependent difference in the feeding regime. It appears that the species is feeding less in the breeding period and more in the post-breeding period. It was also evident that there was an increase in the consumption of Coleoptera depending on the elevation

Morphology of peripheral blood cells from various species of Turkish Herpetofauna

In this study, measurements of morphological and size parameters of peripheral blood cells (erythrocyte, leucocyte, thrombocyte) on blood smear preparation devices stained with Wright’s stain were given for 87 species from Turkish herpetofauna (19 amphibian species including 7 urodeles and 12 anurans as well as 68 reptile species including 4 turtles, 30 lizards and 34 snake. It was determined that erythrocyte and nucleus sizes showed great variations among the species of herpetofauna and even among the preparations of the same species; the largest blood cells (erythrocyte, leucocyte, thrombocyte) were found in urodeles; aquatic and semiaquatic species had larger erythrocytes than terrestrials, and the largest erythrocytes were in turtles among the reptile species examined. Lymphocytes were determined as the predominant cells among the blood leucocytes in blood smears of all the examined species

Does the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) breed in Turkey?

Po prvi puta izvještamo o reprudukciji u udomaćenoj populaciji crvenouhe kornjače (Trachemys scripta elegans) iz južne Anatolije (Anamur, Mersin). Opazili smo ženku koja je izlegla 15 jaja ujutro, 3. lipnja 2012., te ženku koja je kopala gnijezno 16. svibnja 2015. Dana 23. Rujna 2013 opazili smo i dva netom izvaljena mladunca, dužine 26.1 mm i 28.4 mm dužine. Sukladno našim opažanjima, Mediteranska obala Turske ima potencijal da ispunjava potrebe ove vrste. Utjecaj crvenouhe kornjače na nativne populacije kornjača je kompeticija za hranu i mjesta za sunčanje.Here, we report for the first time reproduction in a naturalized population of the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) from Southern Anatolia (Anamur, Mersin). We detected a female laying 15 eggs in the morning of July 03. 2012 and a female digging nest on May 16. 2015. Moreover, two hatchlings 26.1mm and 28.4mm in length were observed on September 03. 2013. According to our observations, the Mediterranean coast of Turkey has the potential to provide the requirements of the species. The described impacts of the red-eared sliders on native turtles are competition for food and basking sites

Food composition of Ocellated Skink, Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775) (Squamata: Scincidae), from the Cyprus Island

Abstract. We examined the food composition of the museum specimens of Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775) collected from Morphou (= Güzelyurt) and Gönyeli (Nicosia District, Northern Cyprus). The stomach contents of 41 (23 males, 11 females, and 7 juveniles) individuals were analyzed, and totally 86 prey items were detected. The species was found to feed mainly on a variety of insects (94.3%) and particularly on coleopterans (62.1%). No statistically significant sex-or age-dependent difference was observed in the feeding regime. In conclusion, the diet of C.ocellatus was based mainly on insects and other arthropods. Keywords. Chalcides ocellatus, Ocellated skink, food analysis, Cyprus The Ocellated Skink, Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775), is a medium-sized semi-fossorial lizard which is mainly distributed from North Africa, the Middle East, and the most part of the Mediterranean basin Chalcides ocellatus is a predominantly insectivorous lizard which feeds on various terrestrial insects. Data on the food composition of C. ocellatus were investigated in Turkey We examined 41 (23 males, 11 females, and 7 juveniles) preserved specimens of C. ocellatus deposited at the ZMHRU (The Zoology Museum of Harran University, Şanlıurfa, Turkey). They were used to determine the Northern Cypriot Herpetofauna as a continuation of the previous study The food contents were assessed in terms of the numeric proportion (the number of a particular prey item in all prey items, N%) and the frequency of occurrence (the frequency of lizard stomachs containing a particular prey type, F%). The trophic niche overlap was 168 Kerim Çiçek, Bayram Göçmen measured using Pianka's index (O, 1973). This index ranges from 0 (no similarity) to 1 (totally similar). The food-niche breadth was determined using Shannon's index (H, Shannon, 1948). The values of this index typically range from 1.5 (narrow niche breadth) to 3.5 (wide niche breadth) The average SVL of the 41 (23 males, 11 females, and 7 juveniles) individuals of C. ocellatus from Northern Cyprus under examination was 48.0 (SD = 3.75, range = 42.8-52.2) mm for juveniles, 71.9 (6.86, 55.0-83.2) mm for males, and 72.10 (5.46, 64.5-81.3) mm for females. There are no statistical differences in size between the sexes (t-test, t = 0.107, P = 0.916). In the stomach contents of 41 individuals, 86 prey items (9 in juveniles, 49 in males, and 28 in females) were detected, with their sizes varying between 3 and 20 mm, and the median number of prey items was 1 (range = 1-3) in juveniles, 2 (1-6) in males, and 1 (1-6) in females. A rather weak correlation was observed between the SVL and the number of prey items (Kendall τ = 0.31, P = 0.02). No statistical difference in the number of prey items in the stomach contents was present among males, females, and juveniles (Kruskal-Wallis test, χ 2 = 4.678, P = 0.096)

Food composition of Ocellated Skink, Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775) (Squamata: Scincidae), from the Cyprus Island

We examined the food composition of the museum specimens of Chalcides ocellatus (Forskal, 1775) collected from Morphou (= Güzelyurt) and Gönyeli (Nicosia District, Northern Cyprus). The stomach contents of 41 (23 males, 11 females, and 7 juveniles) individuals were analyzed, and totally 86 prey items were detected. The species was found to feed mainly on a variety of insects (94.3%) and particularly on coleopterans (62.1%). No statistically significant sex- or age-dependent difference was observed in the feeding regime. In conclusion, the diet of C.ocellatus was based mainly on insects and other arthropods

Platyceps collaris (Müller 1878), P. najadum (Eichwald 1831), Zamenis hohenackeri

Abstract. The present study is on the morphologies and sizes of peripheral blood cells (erythrocytes, leucocytes and thrombocytes) of thirty two Turkish snake species from blood smears, stained with Wright's stain

Unsustainable harvest of water frogs in southern Turkey for the European market

Frogs have been harvested from the wild for the last 40 years in Turkey. We analysed the population dynamics of Anatolian water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) in the Seyhan and Ceyhan Deltas during 2013–2015. We marked a total of 13,811 individuals during 3 years, estimated population sizes, simulated the dynamics of a harvested population over 50 years, and collated frog harvest and export statistics from the region and for Turkey as a whole. Our capture estimates indicated a population reduction of c. 20% per year, and our population modelling showed that, if overharvesting continues at current rates, the harvested populations will decline rapidly. Simulations with a model of harvested population dynamics resulted in a risk of extinction of > 90% within 50 years, with extinction likely in c. 2032. Our interviews with harvesters revealed their economic dependence on the frog harvest. However, our results also showed that reducing harvest rates would not only ensure the viability of these frog populations but would also provide a source of income that is sustainable in the long term. Our study provides insights into the position of Turkey in the ‘extinction domino’ line, in which harvest pressure shifts among countries as frog populations are depleted and harvest bans are effected. We recommend that harvesting of wild frogs should be banned during the mating season, hunting and exporting of frogs < 30 g should be banned, and harvesters should be trained on species knowledge and awareness of regulations

Uludağ (Bursa)’da yaşayan, Rana macrocnemis Boulenger, 1885 (Anura: Ranidae)’in populasyon dinamiği

Bu çalışmada, 2006-2008 yılları arasında Uludağ Kurbağası, Rana macrocnemis'in Uludağ populasyonunun dağılışı ve birlikte yaşadığı diğer kurbağa türlerinin belirlenmesi; markala-tekrar yakala yöntemi ile populasyonun büyüklüğü, yoğunluğu, üç yıllık değişimi, cinsiyet oranının hesaplanması; populasyonunun yaşı, üreme ekolojisi ve yaşadığı habitat tiplerinin tespiti ve ortam koşullarının populasyon üzerine etkisi hakkında bilgi edinilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Uludağ'da Rana macrocnemis'in beş kuyruksuz [R. dalmatina, Pelophylax ridibundus, Hyla arborea, Pseudepidalea viridis ve Bufo bufo] ve iki kuyruklu kurbağa türü [Triturus karelinii ve Ommatotriton ophryticus] ile birlikte yaşadığı belirlenmiştir. Uludağ Kurbağası'nda erkeklerin 58,12 (SD= 4,708) mm, dişilerin 58,18 (6,080) mm ve juvenillerin 31,84 (7,602) mm total boya (BUU) sahip olduğu, total boy bakımından cinsiyetler arasında eşeysel dimorfizm bulunmadığı tespit edilmiştir. 2006-2008 yılları arasında Kirazlıyayla'da (KY) 992 [523 ??, 352 ??, 117 juvenil]; Sarıalan'da (SA) 967 [495 ??, 373 ??, 99 juvenil]; Oteller Bölgesi'nde (OT) 938 [458 ??, 346 ??, 134 juvenil]; Kilimli Göl'de 583 [256 ??, 235 ??, 92 juvenil]; Kara Göl'de 507 [219 ??, 194 ??, 94 juvenil]; Aynalı Göl'de 487 [214 ??, 208 ??, 65 juvenil]; Koğukdere Gölü'nde 387 [176 ??, 164 ??, 48 juvenil], Heybeli Göl'de 91 [46 ??, 33 ??, 12 juvenil] olmak üzere tüm çalışma süresince 4952 [2387 ??, 1904 ??, 661 juvenil] birey markalanmıştır. Uludağ'da populasyonun %47,13'sinin erkek, %39,03'ünün dişi ve %13,84'ünün de genç bireylerden oluştuğu belirlenmiştir. Tüm istasyonlarda cinsiyet oranının erkek eğilimli olduğu gözlenmiştir. Ortalama populasyon büyüklüğü; KY'de 1535 (1455-1616), SA'da 1578 (1476-1676), OT'de 1481 (1362-1600), Kilimli Göl'de 823 (770-876) Kara Göl'de 742 (689-796), Aynalı Göl'de 675 (627-723), Koğukdere Gölü'nde 658 (591-724) ve Heybeli Göl'de 151 (146-156) olarak hesaplanmıştır. Populasyonlar arasında yakalanma oranı 0,22-0,93, hayatta kalma oranı 0,57-0,98 değerleri arasında değişmekte olup, ortalama populasyon yoğunluğu 0,19-2,52 birey/m2 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Uludağ populasyonunda erkeklerin ortalama yaşı 4,65 (0,208), dişilerin 4,72 (0,202) ve gençlerin ise 1,10 (0,048) olarak hesaplanmış olup, cinsel olgunluk yaşı yüksekliğe bağlı olarak 2-6 arasında değişmektedir. Genellikle erkeklerin dişilere oranla bir yaş daha erken cinsel olgunluğa eriştiği saptanmıştır. Çalışmada en büyük yaş GB'deki dişi bir bireyde 11 olarak tespit edilmiştir. Üreme döneminin karların erimesi ile Nisan ayı başlarında başlayıp yüksekliğe bağlı olarak Haziran ayı sonuna kadar devam ettiği belirlenmiştir. Üreme başlangıcı KY'de Nisan'ın 2. haftası, SA'da Nisan'ın 3. haftası, OT'de Nisan ayının son haftası ve GB'de ise Mayıs ayının ikinci haftasıdır. Bir yumurta kümesindeki ortalama yumurta sayısı 987 (326) olarak hesaplanmıştır. Bırakılan yumurtaların hava şartlarına bağlı olarak 7-32 gün arasında açıldığı, 46-130 gün arasında metamorfozun tamamlandığı belirlenmiştir. 25. safhadaki larvalarda ortalama total boyu 11,967 (1,514) mm olduğu; 46. safhada metamorfozunu tamamlamış bireylerin ortalama 20,87 (3,240) mm BUU değere sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Çalışmada su seviyesi ve sıcaklık başta olmak üzere, çevresel faktörlerin türün yıl içindeki aktivitesini, üreme fenolojisini ve bolluğunu etkilediği belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca Uludağ'daki amfibi komünitesinin sürdürülebilirliği açısından alınması gereken önlemler tartışılmıştır