Heavy metals in bones from Harbour Porpoises Phocoena phocoena from the Western Black Sea Coast

During the last few years, the Western Black Sea coast has documented increase in the number of stranded marine mammals, particularly the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). This species is a subject to threats such as exposure to contaminants, fishery by-catch and introduced new marine species. The aim of this study was to analyse spatial and age trends in bone metal concentration in harbour porpoises from the Western Black Sea Coast. Selected heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd and Ni) were measured in bones of 33 harbour porpoises stranded along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast from 2017. Spatially, we found higher metal levels in the harbour porpoises stranded in the Northern region compared with those from Southern region. The effect of aging was evident only for Zn content – the levels were higher in juveniles than in adults. The obtained results suggested that heavy metal contamination represent an important threat encountered by harbour porpoises

Notes on the defensive behavior and activity of Ablepharus kitaibelii (Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) in Bulgaria

Vergilov, Vladislav (2017): Notes on the defensive behavior and activity of Ablepharus kitaibelii (Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) in Bulgaria. ZooNotes 116 (116): 1-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8301369, URL: http://www.zoonotes.bio.uni-plovdiv.bg/ZooNotes_2017/ZooNotes_116_2017_Vergilov.pd

Injuries reflecting intra- and interspecific interactions in the Snake-eyed Skink Ablepharus kitaibelii (Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) (Squamata, Scincidae) from Bulgaria

The Snake-eyed Skink’s intra- and inter-specific interactions and their impacts on the individual (e.g. injuries) have received little attention so far. As part of copulation, male lizards bite the females; observations confirm an old report that bites occur in the fore side of the body, along with more recently published information about the back side. Additionally, out of 435 individuals observed in situ, 10 had missing extremities (toes, ankles, etc.); however, further studies should identify the causes of such injury, e.g. male-male combat, predators. For the first time, an adult male was observed biting a juvenile ex situ; the specific reasons, however, remain unknown. This report should generate further interest in ecological and behavioral studies, assessing the costs and benefits to potential territorial defense, intra-specific combat, and predator pressure and escape mechanisms

Nomenclatural-taxonomic notes on the genus Ablepharus Fitzinger, 1824 (Squamata: Scincidae)

Gemel, Richard, Vergilov, Vladislav (2020): Nomenclatural-taxonomic notes on the genus Ablepharus Fitzinger, 1824 (Squamata: Scincidae). Zootaxa 4858 (3): 448-450, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4858.3.1

Diversity of hemipenes and its taxonomical implication in the genus Ablepharus(Squamata: Scincidae)

The genus Ablepharus encompasses 10 species and 12 subspecies, distributed from Hungary to India. Most species and subspecies have been described from the Middle East and Central Asia, based on external morphology (pholidosis, body size and coloration). The present study is an attempt to demonstrate the hemipenial morphology throughout the genus. Some taxonomical questions arose during comparison of the hemipenes of several subspecies and species, showing the necessity of a revision of the genus. A dendrogram generated from distinctive hemipenial characters revealed rapid divergence of this structure in closely related taxa and discrepancy with the phylogenetic tree based on molecular data from previous studies

Updated distribution and species composition of the amphibians and reptiles along the Lower Danube, Bulgaria

In a recently published paper (Popgeorgiev et al. 2019), we compiled for the first time published and unpublished data on localities of the herpetofaunal species observed up to ca. 10 km south of the Bulgarian Danube River. Overall, we identified 687 published records belonging to 62 cells of the 10×10 km MGRS grid. Another 1918 records with real coordinates of our unpublished data from the past ca. 13 years belong to 1269 cells of the 1×1 MGRS grid. As a result, 34 native species – 15 amphibians (4 salamanders and 11 frogs) and 19 reptiles (1 turtle, 2 tortoises, 8 lizards and 8 snakes), and one invasive turtle, have been recorded; further species findings are unlikely. This study further identifies areas that are under-sampled and species such as Pelophylax lessonae that are cryptic. Our data are especially relevant concerning the high economic incentives to change the hydrology of the Danube, which will likely negatively impact the biodiversity along the river and its surrounding

The distribution and biogeography of slow worms (Anguis, Squamata) across the Western Palearctic, with an emphasis on secondary contact zones

International audienceAbstract The slow-worm lizards ( Anguis ) comprise five species occurring throughout most of the Western Palearctic. Although these species are relatively uniform morphologically – with the exception of A. cephallonica , which exhibits a quite unique morphology – they are genetically deeply divergent. Here, we provide detailed distribution maps for each species and discuss their biogeography and conservation based on updated genetic data and a robust distribution database. We pay particular attention to the so called ‘grey zone’, which typically represents secondary contact zones and in some cases confirmed or presumed hybrid zones. Four of the five species live in parapatry, while only two species, A. cephallonica and A. graeca from the southern Balkans occur in partial sympatry. Further research should focus on the eco-evolutionary interactions between species in contact, including their hybridization rates, to reveal deeper details of the slow-worm evolutionary and natural history