First record of tail bifurcations in the snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) from Pastrina hill (northwestern Bulgaria)

Primer registre de bifurcació caudal en Ablepharus kitaibelii Bibron (Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) del puig Pastrina (nord-oest de Bulgària) Registrem el primer cas de bifurcacions caudals en A. kitaibelii. Aquesta anomalia morfològica va ser identificada en un estudi de seguiment de quatre anys portat a terme en una zona d’elevada presència herpetològica al puig Pastrina (nord-oest de Bulgària). D’un total de 415 espècimens capturats, quatre (0,96%) van presentar una duplicació lateral simètrica o asimètrica de la cua. Només es van registrar bifurcacions de la secció caudal més distal, la qual cosa contrasta amb les registrades en altres llangardaixos  com ara Gekkonidae, Lacertidae i Teiidae, en què s’han registrat supervivències amb bifurcacions a les seccions caudals més proximals.Primer registro de bifurcación caudal en Ablepharus kitaibelii Bibron (Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) del monte Pastrina (noroeste de Bulgaria) Registramos el primer caso de bifurcaciones caudales en A. kitaibelii. Esta anomalía morfológica fue identificada en un estudio de seguimiento de cuatro años realizado en una zona de elevada presencia herpetológica en el monte Pastrina (noroeste de Bulgaria). De un total de 415 especímenes capturados, cuatro (0,96%) presentaron una duplicación lateral simétrica o asimétrica de la cola. Se registraron únicamente bifurcaciones de la sección caudal más distal, lo que contrasta con las registradas en otros lagartos como, por ejemplo, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae y Teiidae, en los que se han registrado supervivencias con bifurcaciones en las secciones caudales más proximales.We report for the first time on the occurrence of tail bifurcations in the snake-eyed skink (A. kitaibelii). This morphological anomaly was identified during a four-year monitoring program conducted in a herpetological hot-spot at Pastrina hill (northwestern Bulgaria). From a total of 415 captured specimens, four animals (0.96%) showed symmetrical or asymmetrical lateral duplication of the tail. Only bifurcations of the distal-most caudal section were detected in contrast to some other lizards (e.g. Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, Teiidae) that are reported to survive with bifurcations at more proximal tail sections

X-ray Diffraction method for determination of crystallite sizes of gold and silver items – New opportunities for archaeology and for protection against forgery

This work presents the results of X-ray studies of the nanostructure of gold and silver items, using the obtained data for purposes of identification and comparison. The study covers gold and silver archaeological items, as well as gold and silver nuggets (both exposed and not to thermal and mechanical actions). The items were studied by means of XRD analysis and emphasis was placed on line-profile analysis, aimed at obtaining information about the microstructural properties of materials: size of coherently diffracting domains in crystals (crystallite size). Crystallite sizes, as a constant numerical feature of an item, can be used successfully for: ascertaining an item’s authenticity and thus providing protection against forging; studying issues relevant to the treatment of forgeable metals in the ancient ages, when man started using them; providing exact time and place correlations (included in complex researches of archaeological items and combined with other methods), etc.The present work is part of a detailed X-ray study of gold and silver, aimed at specifying the nanostructure characteristics of items: crystallite sizes, micro-strains at unit cell level, unit cell parameters. This work is based on crystallite size characteristics and offers the first examples demonstrating the potential of the method, while also suggesting possible future actions that would further evaluate this potential.Ce travail présente les résultats d’une étude des rayons-X de la nanostructure d’objets en or et en argent ; les données obtenues sont utilisées pour l’identification et la comparaison. Cette étude concerne des objets archéologiques en or et en argent ainsi que des pépites d’or et argent (n’ayant subi aucune action thermique ou mécanique). Les objets ont été étudiés au moyen de l’analyse DRX, l’accent ayant été mis sur l’analyse des profils de lignes, de façon à obtenir des informations sur les propriétés microstructurales : taille des domaines diffractant de façon cohérente (taille des cristaux). La taille des cristallites, caractéristique numérique constante d’un objet, peut être utilisée avec succès pour : vérifier l’authenticité d’un objet et ainsi fournir protection contre la contrefaçon ; étudier des questions pertinentes liées au traitement de métaux utilisés par les faussaires dans le passé, aux débuts de leur utilisation par l’homme ; fournir des corrélations exactes de temps et localisation (inclues dans des recherches complexes sur les objets archéologiques et combinés à d’autres méthodes), etc.Ce travail fait partie d’une étude détaillée des rayons X de l’or et de l’argent, ayant pour but de spécifier les caractéristiques nano-structurelles des objets : tailles de cristallites, micro-tensions au niveau de cellules d’unité, paramètres de la cellule d’unité. Ce travail se base sur les caractéristiques cristallites et offre les premiers exemples démontrant le potentiel de la méthode ainsi que suggérant des actions futures possibles permettant d’évaluer ce potentiel

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

Raman spectra of ZSM-39 single crystals

International audienc

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