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Book review of the Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Europe
Abstract
Remark: this isn't the "real"atlas! This is a book Review of the Atlas; the author of the book Review is Tim Halliday.
... Horvath's rock lizard is one of the eight species currently recognized in the genus Iberolacerta Arribas, 1997 (Mayer & Arribas 1996, Odierna et al. 1996, Arribas 1999a, 1999b, Almeida et al., 2002, Mayer & Arribas, 2003, Arribas & Carranza 2004, Crochet et al. 2004, Arribas et al. 2006, Arnold et al. 2007, Galán et al. 2007, Mayer & Pavlicev 2007). Seven of these species live in the Pyrenees and in the northern and central mountains of the Iberian Peninsula, while one, Horvath's rock lizard, occurs in Central and South-eastern Europe (Gasc et al. 1997, Arnold et al. 2007, Sillero et al. 2014). Today, the distribution of Horvath's rock lizard is restricted to a relatively small range extending across the eastern Alps, pre-Alps and northern Dinaric Mountains (Bischoff 1984, Sillero et al. 2014, Žagar et al. 2014). ...
... The report on the population found in Karwendel Gebirge in south Germany (Capula & Luiselli 1990) was strongly disputed (Bischoff 1991, Faberl & Faberl 1991, Tiedemann 1992, Capula & Luiselli 1993, Franzen et al. 1993, Schmidtler & Schmidtler 1996) and has not been re-confirmed (Cabela et al. 2004). The common wall lizard has the largest distributional range of all species of the genus Podarcis Wagler, 1830 (Gasc et al. 1997, Sillero et al. 2014). Previous studies revealed that this species originated from multiple glacial refugia (Gassert et al. 2013, Salvi et al. 2013), and multiple lineages were identified within three Mediterranean peninsulas (Iberian, Apennine and Balkan; Salvi et al. 2013). ...
... Previous studies revealed that this species originated from multiple glacial refugia (Gassert et al. 2013, Salvi et al. 2013), and multiple lineages were identified within three Mediterranean peninsulas (Iberian, Apennine and Balkan; Salvi et al. 2013). Its widespread distribution expands across most of Central Europe, the northern part of Iberian Peninsula, large parts of the Apennine and the Balkan Peninsulas and stretches to the east into North Turkey (Gasc et al. 1997, Sillero et al. 2014). The northernmost native distribution is probably still unresolved because results from a recent genetic study suggested that the population on Jersey (Channel Islands, UK) and in the Chausey archipelago may be of native origin (Michaelides et al. 2015), while in the past it has been believed that the species distribution does not extend beyond the Netherlands and that common wall lizards found in UK were introduced (Arnold 1995). ...
The study reports on the distribution and habitat use of two lizard species in the Kočevsko region: Horvath’s rock lizard and common wall lizard. Extensive sampling across an altitudinal span of 200 to 1,100 m a.s.l. in the study area revealed 62 localities with populations of both or either species. At 11 of these localities (18%) species occurred in syntopy, at 42 locations (68%) only common wall lizards were found, while at 9 locations (14%) only Horvath’s rock lizards were recorded. Both species occurred across the entire altitudinal span but exhibited an opposite pattern of relative abundances and frequencies, which increased with increasing altitude in Horvath’s rock lizard and with decreasing altitude in common wall lizard. The habitat use of common wall lizard was more general (it was found in seven habitat types) than Horvath’s rock lizard that was registered only in three habitat types with rocks.
... Central Europe (which of course includes the Carpathians) is the most species-rich region for European Palearctic mammals (Mitchell-Jones et al., 1999;Baquero & Telleria, 2001;Kry stufek & Griffiths, 2002;Ara ujo et al., 2005). The Carpathians are also a European diversity hotspot for amphibians (Gasc et al., 1997) and breeding birds (the Western Carpathians are depicted as a hotspot on the map published by Ara ujo et al., 2005). Such high vertebrate richness is the effect of not only overlapping distribution ranges of different faunal elements, but also the availability of well-preserved habitats, some of which are unique within Europe. ...
... This suggests that even northern parts of the Carpathians were suitable for long-term survival and speciation of freshwater fish . The Carpathian newt (Lissotriton montandoni, Salamandridae) is also often considered a Carpathian endemic, although it also occurs in an isolated site in the Eastern Sudetes mountains in Central Europe (Gasc et al., 1997). The Carpathians are an important diversity hotspot for many groups of invertebrates and, for some of them, especially those with relatively limited dispersal capacities, the mountains are also a centre of endemism. ...
The Carpathians are the largest mountain range in Central Europe. Their geographical position, extent, isolation, landscape heterogeneity, well-preserved environment, and relatively low impact of Quaternary glaciations make them of utmost importance for studies on European biodiversity and biogeography. In this review, introducing a Special Issue of the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, we provide an overview of current research and focus on three main aspects: (1) distribution patterns and species richness including endemism; (2) phylogeographical patterns, inference of major barriers, and divergence areas; and (3) cytological studies and cytogeography inferred from vascular plant polyploid complexes. Our survey shows that, although accurate estimation is not possible for several important taxonomic entities because of unavailable or dispersed data, the Carpathians are a clear hotspot of European diversity for many groups of organisms, such as mammals, breeding birds, amphibians, lichens, and vascular plants. Certain groups, not necessarily those with high species richness, are rich in endemic taxa. This holds mainly for subterranean invertebrates, molluscs, grasshoppers, beetles, spiders, and vascular plants. Distribution patterns of endemic richness vary across taxonomic groups, as well as geographically, reflecting both history and habitat features. In general, the SouthEastern Carpathians have a significantly higher proportion of endemic taxa than the northerly-situated Western Carpathians. Molecular clock-based estimations have provided some insight into the diversification age of the Carpathian biota, including a Tertiary origin for some endemic taxa and lineages, especially those confined to environmentally stable habitats. Distribution patterns, as well as phylogeographical and phylogenetic data, corroborate the persistence of many high-mountain and forest taxa during the Quaternary climatic oscillations, often in multiple spatially delimited areas isolated by physical barriers. Several studies show that the Carpathian massifs played an important role as refugia for rare lineages and/or as stepping stones in migrations. Phylogeographical analysis reveals clear patterns of biogeographical breaks, as well as links, although clear exceptions also confirm that extant distribution patterns are often shaped more by idiosyncratic processes acting at different geological times. Cytogeographical data also uncover several consistent patterns, which probably reflect a deeper evolutionary history. In conclusion, the available data highlight the unique position of the Carpathians in the evolution and preservation of European biota within the European Alpine System.
... As the most widely distributed terrestrial snake on the planet, the adder, Vipera berus Linnaeus, 1758, occupies nearly one-third of the Eurasian continent (Saint Girons, 1980; Gasc et al., 1997). Its range extends from Scotland (6 @BULLET W) east to Sakhalin Island of the Russian Far East (143 @BULLET E), and from Greece (42 @BULLET N) north to northern Fennoscandia (69 @BULLET N) (Nilson, Andrén & Szyndlar, 1994; Sillero et al., 2014). ...
... Three subspecies are generally recognized: the nominate subspecies V. b. berus is found in most of the distribution range, V. b. sachalinensis is restricted to East Asia, and V. b. bosniensis occurs on the Balkan Peninsula, though some authors also consider Vipera nikolskii as a subspecies of the adder according to the biological species concept (Milto & Zinenko, 2005; Zinenko, Ţurcanu & Strugariu, 2010). The species inhabits diverse biotopes throughout northern temperate regions in various altitude ranges from sea level in the north up to the altitude of 2,600 m in the south (Gasc et al., 1997). Extensive studies on the adder have been published, for example on intraspecific taxonomy, mechanism of thermal melanism, and phylogeography (Nilson, Andrén & Szyndlar, 1994; Ursenbacher et al., 2006; Clusella-Trullas, Van Wyk & Spotila, 2007; Joger et al., 2007). ...
As the most widely distributed snake in Eurasia, the adder (Vipera berus) has been extensively investigated in Europe but poorly understood in Asia. The Southern Altay Mountains represent the adder's southern distribution limit in Central Asia, whereas its population status has never been assessed. We conducted, for the first time, field surveys for the adder at two areas of Southern Altay Mountains using a combination of line transects and random searches. We also described the morphological characteristics of the collected specimens and conducted analyses of external morphology and molecular phylogeny. The results showed that the adder distributed in both survey sites and we recorded a total of 34 sightings. In Kanas river valley, the estimated encounter rate over a total of 137 km transects was 0.15 ± 0.05 sightings/km. The occurrence of melanism was only 17%. The small size was typical for the adders in Southern Altay Mountains in contrast to other geographic populations of the nominate subspecies. A phylogenetic tree obtained by Bayesian Inference based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (1,023 bp) grouped them within the Northern clade of the species but failed to separate them from the subspecies V. b. sachalinensis. Our discovery extends the distribution range of V. berus and provides a basis for further researches. We discuss the hypothesis that the adder expands its distribution border to the southwest along the mountains' elevation gradient, but the population abundance declines gradually due to a drying climate.
... For most species groups, the original data are point or grid-based observations collected (often through national organisations) and stored in a database and used to produce atlases. This has resulted in a suite of distribution maps or range maps of species, e.g. for mammals, birds and herpetofauna in national or European-wide atlasses (Cabela et al. 2001;García-Barros et al. 2004;Gasc et al. 1998;Głowaciński and Rafiński 2003;Hagemeijer and Blair 1997;Kudrna 2002;Kudrna et al. 2011;Kudrna et al. 2015; Observatoire de la Faune 2004; Pleguezuelos et al. 2004;Sillero et al. 2014;Verovnik et al. 2012). The distribution maps are based on field observations for different periods. ...
... countries (UK, NL, AT, DE, BE, IE, PT, IT, PL, GR, ES and BG) more detailed information on the distribution of herpetofauna species was available, and this was used to fit models at a finer scale of 1x1 km. The resulting fine scale distributions were used to calculate the percentage of Natura 2000 coverage per species, and compare these with the larger scale habitat masking and 5x5 km modelling results for validation as reported in paragraph 4.6.Changes over timeA 50x50 km resolution map of the herpetofauna of Europa was published in 1998(Gasc et al. 1998), which allows for a comparison over time. Coverage by Natura 2000 for 1998 (based on habitat masking) was compared to the habitat masking results based on the data of 2014. ...
In order to assess the significance of the presumed “umbrella effect” of Natura 2000 areas the European Commission initiated a study, in 2013, to address the following questions: 1) Which are, amongst the species regularly occurring within the European territory of the EU-28 Member States, those that significantly benefit from the site conservation under the EU Birds and Habitats Directive? 2) What is the percentage of all species occurring in the wild in the EU that benefit significantly from Natura 2000? 3) How significant is the contribution of Natura 2000 in relation to the objective of halting and reversing biodiversity loss? The approach used existing data, and covered the terrestrial mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibian, butterfly and plant species. The analysis is mostly based on statistical distribution models and GIS processing of species distribution data in relation to their presence within protected areas of the Natura 2000 network. The main findings for all species groups were: Animal species for which Natura 2000 areas were not specifically designated occur more frequently inside Natura 2000 than outside (in particular breeding birds and butterflies). These species do, therefore, gain benefit from the protected areas network. The species for which Natura 2000 areas were designated generally occur more frequently within the Natura 2000 site boundaries than the non-annex species; this is in particular the case for birds and butterflies, for amphibians and reptiles the difference is negligible. More specific conclusions and findings, as well as discussion of these results and implications for further studies are included in the report.
... The presence of common chameleons was repeatedly reported for Italy (e.g. Razzetti & Sindaco 2006;Sindaco & Jeremenko 2008;Corti et al. 2011;Di Cerbo & Di Tizio 2011), and the species was usually listed as present (at least in the past) in Sicily (Bruno & Maugeri 1976;Gasc et al. 1997;Arnold & Ovenden 2002), although its acclimatisation was never confirmed (Razzetti & Sindaco 2006;Sindaco & Jeremenko 2008). More recently, apparently acclimatised populations were reported in two other regions, Apulia and Calabria (Basso & Calasso 1991;Fattizzo 1996;Fattizzo & Marzano 2002;Sperone et al. 2010). ...
... As already stated, the common chameleon has been repeatedly reported in Sicily (e.g. Bruno & Maugeri 1976;Gasc et al. 1997;Arnold & Ovenden 2002). All of this information is mostly referable to the findings of Monte Pellegrino (Palermo) which is reported back to the 19th century by Grohmann (1832). ...
The common chameleon Chamaeleo chamaeleon is present in many Mediterranean countries. Its occurrence in Italy is historically reported for Sicily, where it appears to be no longer present. While many contemporary findings across the Italian Penisula refer to single observations, likely due to introduced or released animals, the species turned out to be established in two southern regions (Apulia and Calabria) with acclimatised populations. To investigate their provenance, we analysed tissue samples of individuals from these localities. A fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and compared with sequences available in Genbank. Our results showed that individuals from Calabria share haplotypes with those from Tunisia (N. Africa), while those from Apulia are coincident to samples from Israel. This suggests that individuals were most likely introduced in Italy.
... The presence of common chameleons was repeatedly reported for Italy (e.g. Razzetti & Sindaco 2006; Sindaco & Jeremenko 2008; Corti et al. 2011; Di Cerbo & Di Tizio 2011), and the species was usually listed as present (at least in the past) in Sicily (Bruno & Maugeri 1976; Gasc et al. 1997; Arnold & Ovenden 2002 ), although its acclimatisation was never confirmed (Razzetti & Sindaco 2006; Sindaco & Jeremenko 2008 ). More recently, apparently acclimatised populations were reported in two other regions, Apulia and Calabria (Basso & Calasso 1991; Fattizzo 1996; Fattizzo & Marzano 2002; Sperone et al. 2010). ...
... As already stated, the common chameleon has been repeatedly reported in Sicily (e.g. Bruno & Maugeri 1976; Gasc et al. 1997; Arnold & Ovenden 2002). All of this information is mostly referable to the findings of Monte Pellegrino (Palermo) which is reported back to the 19th century by Grohmann (1832). ...
The common chameleon Chamaeleo chamaeleon is present in many Mediterranean countries. Its occurrence in Italy is historically reported for Sicily, where it appears to be no longer present. While many contemporary findings across the Italian Penisula refer to single observations, likely due to introduced or released animals, the species turned out to be established in two southern regions (Apulia and Calabria) with acclimatised populations. To investigate their provenance, we analysed tissue samples of individuals from these localities. A fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and compared with sequences available in Genbank. Our results showed that individuals from Calabria share haplotypes with those from Tunisia (N. Africa), while those from Apulia are coincident to samples from Israel. This suggests that individuals were most likely introduced in Italy.
... Linnaeus, 1758 (Anura, Ranidae) has a large distribution range, including most of Europe as far north as northern Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals; within Europe, it is the only amphibious species that is able to colonize the northernmost and highest habitats (GASC ET AL., 1997). This is possibly due to its ability to survive through the winter, prolonging hibernation up to nine months per year (TATTERSALL & ULTSCH, 2008). ...
... Linnaeus, 1758 (Anura, Ranidae) has a large distribution range, including most of Europe as far north as northern Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals; within Europe, it is the only amphibious species that is able to colonize the northernmost and highest habitats ( GASC ET AL., 1997). This is possibly due to its ability to survive through the winter, prolonging hibernation up to nine months per year ( TATTERSALL & ULTSCH, 2008). ...
The diet of Rana temporaria (Linnaeus, 1758) was studied in the Gran Paradiso National Park, at and above the local timberline, up to the upper limit of its altitudinal distribution. A total of 128 adult frogs (length range: 3.7-9.0 cm) were captured from 2010 to 2012. Stomach content from 46 individuals was obtained by stomach flushing, of which 66% of the stomachs were empty. The diet composition was compared with the composition of the ground-dwelling invertebrate community, sampled by pitfall trapping. The number of prey items in the stomachs was lower at higher altitude and during the breeding season, when most of the stomachs were empty. R. temporaria feeds on a large number of taxa (in order of abundance: Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Opiliones, Araneae, Lepidoptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Orthoptera, Acarina and Chilopoda), including a single observation of cannibalism on a freshly metamorphosed frog. There is a strong similarity between prey composition and availability. Therefore, near its altitudinal limit, Rana temporaria shows a generalist and slightly selective predatory behavior.
... In order to gather as many records as possible for Z. vivipara in B&H, we analysed all available literature data that mentioned Z. vivipara in B&H (BOLKAY, 1924, 1929, ARNOLD, 1987, WERNER, 1989, VEITH, 1991, GASC et al., 1997, IZMIRLIJA et al., 2007, BAŠKIERA, 2013, ZIMIĆ et al., 2013, ŠUNJE et al., 2014as well as unknown records from the collection deposited in the National Museum of B&H in Sarajevo. A small number of Z. vivipara records are cited in available publications as repeated records (VEITH, 1991; ZIMIĆ et al., 2013; ŠUNJE et al., 2015) which give the impression that there are more records than the original records actually show, therefore they are not included in the calculations (Graph 1). ...
... A small number of Z. vivipara records are cited in available publications as repeated records (VEITH, 1991; ZIMIĆ et al., 2013; ŠUNJE et al., 2015) which give the impression that there are more records than the original records actually show, therefore they are not included in the calculations (Graph 1). On the European distribution map of Z. vivipara (GASC et al., 1997) three points on the B&H map on scale 1: 100 000 are presented. These points (in a broad sense) cover: Mt. ...
Zootoca vivipara is a poorly investigated lizard species in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The species is often associated with mountain ecosystems in the Dinaric area. For the first time we present all records of this species in Bosnia and Herzegovina. By analysing data from literature, the herpetological collection (National Museum) and from field work, we conclude that this species mainly inhabits the northern and central parts of the country. The amount of data is still small, but it is believed that its distribution is underestimated. Therefore, the conservation status of Z. vivipara in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be considered as: Data Deficient (DD).
... The European Common Frog is the most widespread anuran species of Europe inhabiting all kinds of permanent and temporary waters from northern Spain to subarctic Fennoscandia, and all the way to the Ural mountains in the east [1]. ...
In this work we studied the acoustic variability in the induced release call on wild populations of the European common frog Rana temporaria. We used a computational model to analyze the induced release calls in both sexes. Our analysis detected three different acoustic phenotypes: (a) Non-canonical males comprised a large part of the population and were the main cause of the biased sex ratio (Phenotype 2), since (b) canonical males (Phenotype 1) and (c) canonical females (Phenotype 3) had close to a 1:1 ratio. Phenotype 2 were much more abundant in locations were tadpoles were exposed to high water temperatures during their development, suggesting that a masculinizing effect of temperature is responsible for the biased sex ratio, and a likely origin for "pirate" males which search for newly laid clutches to fertilize not fertilized eggs by the "parental" males.
... We follow the systematics of the recent european reptiles after Gasc (1997), the chronostratigraphy for the neogene (Mn 01-Mn 18) of Mein (1990), and that for the Quaternary ( MnQ 19-MnQ 27) of Guerin (1990). For this study we used the term "reptiles" as a synonym for the group of the cold-bloodied amniots including testudines ( see schoch & sues, 2015). ...
The paper summarizes and evaluates all scattered and scanty data on the fossil and subfossil records of reptiles from Bulgaria. A complete list of the 72 localities and the taxonomic composition and kind of reptilian findings are presented for the first time. Data cover at least 98 taxa (25 identified up to species level) of 26 genera, 22 families and 6 orders at least. Chronostratigraphically they range from the Kimmeridgian (Late Jurrasic) to the Late Holocene (subrecent), i. e.last 157.3 Ma. Two families (Varanidae and Elapidae) and one subfamily (Lygosominae) of the skinks today include only representatives of exotic distribution. About one fifth of all taxa are fossil. Three of the fossil taxa are described as new to the science. Apart from herpetologists from Bulgaria, experts from Poland and Germany have contributed most to exploration of fossil and subfossil reptiles in the country.
... Με αυτόν τον τρόπο ξεχωρίζουν από τα αμφίβια και από τις άλλες δύο ζωικές ομάδες, τα πουλιά και τα θηλαστικά, οι οποίες φέρουν τρίχες και φτερά. Στον παρακάτω Πίνακα 5-3 παρουσιάζονται συνοπτικά τα είδη των θηλαστικών, ερπετών και αμφιβίων τα οποία δύναται να εμφανίζονται στην περιοχή μελέτης (Gasc, 1997 ...
Soil erosion is a serious environmental problem in the world. Generally, with high erosion rates in many parts of the world, efforts should be directed towards curtailing its hazard. This requires quantitative data to identify critical areas where urgent conservation is needed especially in reservoir’s catchment areas. Traditional approaches based on runoff plots are expensive, time consuming and generate point-based data. Modern tools can be used instead to assess soil erosion. Understanding the hydrologic and topographic characteristics of reservoirs, and how those characteristics have changed over time, is essential for the effective management of these valuable resources. Reservoirs experience physical changes as a result of sediment deposition, shoreline erosion, and wind processes over time. The purpose of this study was the comparison of a current bathymetric survey with data collected during reservoir construction, in order to assess quantities and rates of reservoir sedimentation and compare them with the rates predicted using three soil erosion models (RUSLE, RMMF and Gavrilovic) in reservoir basin area. Marathon reservoir in Attica, Greece was used as study area. The study was in cooperation with the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP), which owns the reservoir. Marathon reservoir is situated in Attica prefecture in central Greece, near Athens. It was created by the construction of a concrete dam, 54 meters high at the junction of the Charadros and Varnavas torrents. The construction began in 1925 and the project began its operation in 1931. The reservoir has a surface area of 2.4 square kilometers, a watershed of 117.8 square kilometers, a maximum capacity of 41 million m3 of water and an operational volume of 34 million m3. The reservoir operates as a backup source for the water supply system of the greater Attica region and as a primary regulating reservoir. A bathymetric survey was conducted in Marathon reservoir with a transducer (echosounder) equipped with a GPS unit. Approximately, 32000 readings were taken from the survey and corrections were made based on fluctuations in the water surface elevation that occurred during the survey. Once data were edited for obvious errors with survey software, the soundings were converted to elevation in meters and then exported to text files for import into GIS software. The individual points were then mapped to produce a Digital Elevation Model (D.E.M.) of the current morphology of the reservoir bottom. Digitalization of old maps produced a D.E.M. of the old morphology of the reservoir bottom, before the construction of the dam. The two DEMs were subtracted in order to estimate the volume of sediments that were placed in the reservoir. The volume of sediments were estimated 4,68 hm3. In order to evaluate the results of hydrographic survey, a geoelectric resistivity survey was also carried out by applying electrical soundings, which measured the electrical resistivity of sediments. Schlumberger array was applied in this study. Lots of vertical electrical soundings were measured along 2 profiles situated near the part of the reservoir, where Charadros torrent flows. The thickness of the sediments along the profiles was 4 to 7
1-4
m, which was the same that estimated with the bathymetric survey. Soil samples were collected directly from the basins of Charadros and Varnavas torrents based on maps and random sampling. Soil sampling was carried out with a soil auger from representative sites of the study area. Soil descriptions were made according to the FAO guidelines for soil description. Vegetation parameters were also collected, which included surface cover (%), plant canopy (%) and plant height (m) from the major land uses of the study area. Three soil erosion models: the Revised Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), the Revised Morgan Morgan and Finney (RMMF) and Gavrilovic model were applied in a GIS environment. Results from chemical and physical soil laboratory analysis were used to estimate the K factor of RUSLE model and also many factors of RMMF and Gavrilovic model. Software was used to generate the slope length (LS) factor of RUSLE model. Estimates were made for surface cover factor (C) of RUSLE and RMMF models to compare with the typical values used in Greece. The results show that the predicted sediment volume from RUSLE and RMMF models was lower than that of the bathymetric survey. Gavrilovic model provide a good estimation of reservoir sediment volume, 4,69 hm3, almost the same prediction with hydrographic survey. The sediment volume prediction by the RUSLE and RMMF model was 1.64 hm3 and 0,29 hm3 accordingly. Overall, the Gavrilovic model performed better than RUSLE and RMMF models and is recommended for the study area.
... It may be an evidence of past connections between Istrian rivers and the paleo-Po drainage. A similar "paleo-Po" distribution is reported for the triotto Leucos aula (Bonaparte), the Padanian barbel Barbus plebejus Bonaparte, the alborella Alburnus arborella (Bonaparte) and some other fish species (Kottelat and Freyhof 2007), also for an amphibian, the Italian agile frog Rana latastei Boulenger ( Gasc et al. 1997) and a freshwater decapod crustacean, the white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet) ( Jelić et al. 2016b). However, a human mediated translocation of R. benacensis cannot be excluded; rather it is a supposition to be further investigated. ...
Distribution data on many freshwater fish species in Croatia are scarce and species identifications are difficult, requiring further detailed studies. This paper presents a report of the Italian gudgeon Romanogobio benacensis from the Mirna River in the Istra Peninsula in Croatia, in the south-east from its previously known distribution range. The identification of R. benacensis in Croatia was supported by morphological comparison with R. benacensis from Italy and Slovenia, the common gudgeon Gobio gobio, and the Danubian gudgeon Gobio obtusirostris from geographically close locations. A combination of character states (number of scales between anus and anal-fin origin, branched pectoral-fin rays, lateral-line scales, total, abdominal, and caudal vertebrae, and the size and number of lateral blotches) distinguishes R. benacensis from both G. gobio and G. obtusirostris. The phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial sequences of cytochrome b gene confirmed that specimens from the Mirna River belong to R. benacensis. Also, Reka River system (Adriatic Sea basin) in Slovenia is inhabited by a possibly introduced Danubian gudgeon, G. obtusirostris, and not by R. benacensis.
... The monitorization of vulnerable populations is an important endeavour if we want to understand the factors that drive amphibian decline. The European common frog, Rana temporaria, is the most widespread anuran species of Europe (Gasc et al., 1997). The research presented here deals with populations of R. temporaria from the Southern Slope of central Pyrenees, which lie at the limit of the species distribution in latitude and altitude. ...
In this study, we evaluated the diversity of skin coloration as a proxy for phenotypic diversity. The European common frog (Ranatemporaria) populations from the Southern slope of central Pyrenees lie at the limit of the species distribution in latitude and altitude. We analysed the relationship of skin color typology with different environmental variables and found a large decrease in skin type variety in frogs developing in temporary water bodies when compared to those developing in permanent water bodies. Our results show that our method can be used as a non-invasive way to study phenotypic diversity and suggest that adaptation to an early metamorphosis in a rapidly-drying habitat can have negative effects on adult phenotypic diversity. In light of these results, we argue that access to permanent water bodies is important to prevent loss of diversity in anuran populations and reduce their vulnerability to environmental impacts as well as pathogens.
... The high fish biodiversity is a result of the region's geological and palaeoclimatic history and the geophysical variety of its inland water bodies (Griffiths, Krystufek, & Reed, 2004;Skoulikidis, Economou, Gritzalis, & Zogaris, 2009). The major biogeographical barrier in the Balkans is the Dinarides-Hellenides mountain chain that separates the western and eastern faunas, with the early isolation of the Western Balkans in the Miocene leading to a rich endemic fauna (Bianco, 1986;Ćaleta et al., 2015;Gasc et al., 1997;Skoulikidis et al., 2009). In contrast, the Eastern Balkans have a lower degree of endemicity, but a higher richness of aquatic biota, and are influenced by adjacent biogeographical regions, such as the Black Sea and Western Anatolian regions. ...
Fish introductions, particularly in areas of high biological diversity and endemism, represent a major threat for biodiversity. In the Balkan Peninsula, 60 fish species have been introduced to date, of which 36 have become naturalised in inland waters. Since the Balkans are one of the world’s 35 biodiversity hotspots, this large presence of alien fish species poses a serious threat for the stability of freshwater ecosystems and the survival of the native ichthyofauna, and of aquatic biodiversity in general. The motivation for the introductions, and the historical timeline, vary among the Balkan states. Despite recent attempts to implement and align legislation aimed at preventing the introduction of potentially invasive species, and the implementation of rigorous controls of introductions and increased protection of open waters, the majority of current introductions remain intentional, primarily via aquaculture. This review paper provides a historical overview of freshwater fish introductions, the motivation behind them, and the current distribution of alien freshwater fishes in the Balkans. The ecological implications and future perspectives concerning alien fish species in the region are also discussed.
... However, taxa within these clades are morphologically similar, difficult to distinguish without the use of molecular tools, and some have unresolved taxonomic status. The Balkan water frog, Pelophylax kurtmuelleri (Gayda, 1940), previously Rana balcanica (a junior synonym,Dubois and Ohler, 1994), is known from Greece west of the Nestos River and the southern parts of neighboring Balkan countries (Sofianidou, 1997). It has been introduced into Switzerland (Dubey,Leuenberger and Perrin, 2014), Italy (Bressi, 2006;Belatti et al., 2013), southwestern Slovenia (Bressi, 2007), and Denmark (Lever, 2003). ...
Recent molecular studies have detected the occurrence of exotic water frog species (Pelophylax sp.) in central and western European populations. Here, we report genetic evidence for the occurrence of the Balkan water frog, Pelophylax kurtmuelleri, in southwestern Poland. We found a high frequency of an allele of serum albumin intron-1 and a mitochondrial cytochrome b haplotype specific for this southern taxon in frogs from the Barycz river drainage system. We interpret this finding as evidence of admixture between P. kurtmuelleri and the local ridibundus-esculentus water frog population. The origin of the exotic P. kurtmuelleri mitochondrial and nuclear alleles in southwestern Poland could be due to (i) hybridization after a human-mediated introduction of P. kurtmuelleri, (ii) the persistence of ancestral polymorphism in central European P. ridibundus, or (iii) hybridization between P. kurtmuelleri and P. ridibundus in the Balkans followed by the northward expansion of admixed P. ridibundus. Identical mtDNA haplotypes found in southwestern Poland and localities on the borders between Greece, Albania and Macedonia suggest that this region harboured the source population of P. kurtmuelleri at the studied site.
... Data on introductions of alien amphibians and reptiles into Europe was gathered mainly from books by Gasc et al. (1997), Lever (2003) and Cox et al. (2006). This was supplemented by a variety of other sources. ...
... No tissue sample for DNA analyses was collected, so the origin cannot be determined at this time. Gasc et al. [109] mapped green toads on Malta "after 1970". However, Savona Ventura (in litt.) reported that exclusively Pleistocene fossils have been found on Malta [110], perhaps from a colonization event out of Sicily during low sea levels, since the submarine plateau between Malta and Sicily is shallower than-95 m. ...
Background: Little attention has been paid to the consequences of the last landbridge between Africa and Sicily on Mediterranean biogeography. Previous paleontological and scarce molecular data suggest possible faunal exchange later than the well-documented landbridge in the Messinian (5.3 My); however, a possible African origin of recent terrestrial Sicilian fauna has not been thoroughly tested with molecular methods. To gain insight into the phylogeography of the region, we examine two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers (one is a newly adapted intron marker) in green toads (Bufo viridis subgroup) across that sea barrier, the Strait of Sicily.
Results: Extensive sampling throughout the western Mediterranean and North Africa revealed a deep sister relationship between Sicilian (Bufo siculus n.sp.) and African green toads (B. boulengeri) on the mitochondrial and nuclear level. Divergence times estimated under a Bayesian-coalescence framework (mtDNA control region and 16S rRNA) range from the Middle Pliocene (3.6 My) to Pleistocene (0.16 My) with an average (1.83 to 2.0 My) around the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary, suggesting possible land connections younger than the Messinian (5.3 My). We describe green toads from Sicily and some surrounding islands as a new endemic species (Bufo siculus). Bufo balearicus occurs on some western Mediterranean islands (Corsica, Sardinia, Mallorca, and Menorca) and the Apennine Peninsula, and is well differentiated on the mitochondrial and nuclear level from B. siculus as well as from B. viridis (Laurenti), whose haplotype group reaches northeastern Italy, north of the Po River. Detection of Calabrian B. balearicus haplotypes in northeastern Sicily suggests recent invasion. Our data agree with paleogeographic and fossil data, which suggest long Plio-Pleistocene isolation of Sicily and episodic Pleistocene faunal exchange across the Strait of Messina. It remains unknown whether both species (B. balearicus, B. siculus) occur in sympatry in northern Sicily.
Conclusion: Our findings on green toads give the first combined mitochondrial and nuclear sequence evidence for a phylogeographic connection across the Strait of Sicily in terrestrial vertebrates. These relationships may have implications for comparative phylogeographic research on other terrestrial animals co-occurring in North Africa and Sicily.
... Compared with other Mediterranean regions, only a small number of amphibian species inhabit north-west Africa [70,71]. Here we present the first comprehensive assessment of the factors determining the phylogenetic and functional diversity of the amphibian guilds in north-western Africa. ...
The composition and diversity of biotic assemblages is regulated by a complex interplay of environmental features. We investigated the influence of climate and the aquatic habitat conditions on the larval traits and the structure of amphibian larval guilds in north-western Africa. We classified the species into morphological groups, based on external traits: body shape, size, and the relative positions of the eyes and oral apparatus. We characterized the guild diversity based on species richness and interspecific phylogenetic/functional relationships. The larvae of the urodeles were classified as typical of either the stream or pond type, and the anurans as typical of either the lentic-benthic or lentic-nektonic type. The variations in the body shapes of both urodeles and anurans were associated with the type of aquatic habitat (lentic vs lotic) and the types of predators present. Most of the urodele guilds (98.9%) contained a single species, whereas the anuran guilds were usually more diverse. Both the phylogenetic and functional diversity of the anuran guilds were positively influenced by the size of the aquatic habitat and negatively by aridity. In anurans, the benthic and nektonic morphological types frequently co-occurred, possibly influenced by their opportunistic breeding strategies.
... Črna gora je sicer majhna država, vendar se v njej izmenjujeta mediteranski in kontinentalni vpliv. V njej na nivoju cele države najdemo 14 vrst dvoživk in dve vrsti sklednic (Gasc et al. 1997). Od tega jih črnogorskem primorju in zaledju ter Skadarskem jezeru srečamo dvanajst vrst (Bombina variegata, Bufo bufo, B. viridis, Hyla arborea, Lissotriton vulgaris, Pelophylax ridibundus, Pelophylax shqiperuca, Rana dalmatina, R. graeca, Salamandra salamandra, Triturus macedonicus, Mesotriton alpestris) ...
Report of Odonatological group from spring camp Ekosistemi Jadrana from 26. 4. to 1. 5. 2009 held in Montenegro. 23 dragonfly species from 13 sites are reported.
... Sanchiz, 2000, from southern Spain and southern Portugal, and P. punctatus (Daudin, 1802) (Fig. 1). The distribution of the parsley frog P. punctatus ranges from central and eastern Spain, to France and NW Italy (Toxopeus et al., 1993-Guyétant, 1997). Peracca (1886) firstly cited this species in Italy. ...
In Italy, the parsley frog (Pelodytes punctatus) reaches the eastern limit of its distribution range along the Mediterranean coast in Liguria and in southern Piedmont. The status of the Italian populations was analysed on the basis of a complete survey of known breeding sites. Since 1993, the reproduction of P. punctatus has been observed in only 15 sites, several of which were discovered during the monitoring project. Spawning sites were mainly small temporary pools, small streams and artificial tanks in Mediterranean habitats. The number of breeding females was estimated indirectly counting egg strings both in spring and autumn, from 2000 to 2002. Populations appeared isolated and made up of an extremely low number of reproductive females (range 2-19, mean 9). In Italy. P. punctatus populations show a fragmented distribution and appear threatened mainly by the drying up of pools or habitat destruction. For each reproductive site, the conservation status was evaluated, and a general conservation strategy was proposed. Active management of breeding sites, with the maintenance and/or creation of small temporary water bodies should be planned. The collaboration of private landowners and local administrations was requested, and in one case, active management of a relevant breeding site obtained.
... Magyarország herpetofaunájának feltérképezése több mint egy évszázada zajlik, azonban a kétéltűek és a hüllők magyarországi előfordulására vonatkozó ismereteink még mindig hiányosak (GASC et al. 1997). A múlt század közepétől megszaporodó közleményekben egyre több tájegység kétéltű-és hüllőfaunája vált ismertté. ...
The systematic faunistic and botanical research of the Győr–Gönyű calcareous sand steppes has been going on for over a decade now. For the assessment of this intensive ongoing work, driven mainly by environmental protection concerns, it is necessary to overview the research history of the area. The present book summarizes the prior researches and their results and also includes a list of scientific publications on the
region. This comprehensive bibliography contains not only the studies and articles published in scientific journals but the relevant research reports and thesis papers, which are usually not accessible to the general public, as well.
... Two subspecies of Testudo hermanni are currently recognized: T. hermanni hermanni and T. h. boettgeri [3]. T. h. ...
Elliptical Fourier Analysis is a good technique for characterizing the shape of complex biological and non-biological morphologies. The current investigation aimed to study plastral pigmentation contour (black areas of the ventral shell) changes, according to body size (plastral length), in Western Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni hermanni), using Elliptical Fourier Analysis. For this goal, 52 domestic pure tortoises from authorized private breeders were selected, ventral pictures were individually taken and their contour automatically digitized and straight-line plastron length obtained. Straight-line plastron length ranged from 83.6 to 150.6 mm (for males) and from 78.9 to 171.8 mm (for females).. A regression was performed for second and third harmonics as dependent variables, against plastral length (log transformed) as independent variable. Based on this sample, it is demonstrated that plastral pigmentation design does not change along animals’ life-history. Therefore, a plastral pigmentation shape isometry can be supposed, at least for this subspecies.
... Although the Tavas frog is an endemic and endangered species, there has been no published report about its population size. In addition, other brown frogs under the subgenus Rana, such as Rana arvalis, Rana dalmatina, and Rana macrocnemis, have a wide distribution area in Europe and the Caucasus (Gasc et al., 1997; Tarkhnishvili and Gokhelashvili, 1999). These species have declined in their distributional range and some populations became extinct during the last decades. ...
We applied capture-mark-recapture (CMR) methods to estimate the population size of the Tavas frog Rana tavasensis in its terra typica. For this purpose,we used Pollock’s robust design in program MARK in the 2011-2015 breeding seasons in its terra typica. Based on the selected model,equal catchability of each individual and absence of temporary migration were found to be the most likely biological hypotheses. Population sizes were estimated as 398,348,275,and 117 individuals during the four study years,respectively. Annual capture probabilities were estimated to average 0.07,and annual survival rates across years averaged 0.19. The year-specific estimations showed a remarkable decline in population size and survival rates. Anthropogenic factors,such as off-road activities,recreational activities,and animal grazing,might have played a role in this decline. This trend provides us with useful knowledge for conservation and management activities.
... The moor frog (Rana arvalis) is widespread throughout the Palearctic region, occurring from Western Europe to Eastern Siberia (Gasc et al. 1997). Adults migrate in early spring to the breeding ponds, where they reproduce soon after ice melt. ...
As organisms living in temperate environments often have only a short time window for growth and reproduction, their life-history strategies are expected to be influenced by these time-constraints. Parents may alter the pace of offspring life-history as a response to changes in breeding phenology. However, the responses to changes in time-constraints must be balanced with those against other stressors, such as predation, one of the strongest and more ubiquitous selective factors in nature. Here, after experimentally modifying the timing of breeding and hatching in the moor frog (Rana arvalis), we studied how compensatory responses to delayed breeding and hatching affect antipredator strategies in amphibian larvae. We examined the activity patterns, morphology and life-history responses in tadpoles exposed to different combinations of breeding and hatching delays in the presence and absence of predators. We found clear evidence of adaptive transgenerational effects since tadpoles from delayed breeding treatments increased growth and development independently of predation risk. The presence of predators reduced tadpole activity, tadpoles from delayed breeding treatments maintaining lower activity than non-delayed ones also in the absence of predators. Tadpoles reared with predators developed deeper tails and bodies, however, tadpoles from breeding delay treatments had reduced morphological defenses as compared to non-delayed individuals. No significant effects of hatching delay were detected in this study. Our study reveals that amphibian larvae exposed to breeding delay develop compensatory life-history responses even under predation risk, but these responses trade-off with the development of morphological antipredator defenses. These results suggest that under strong time-constraints organisms are selected to develop fast growth and development responses, and rely on lower activity rates as their main antipredator defense. Examining how responses to changes in phenology affect species interactions is highly relevant for better understanding ecological responses to climate change.
... During the last ice age, the Dinarides probably included continuous refugial populations of Alpine salamanders (Salamandra atra, Laurenti 1768), a cold adapted species that recolonised the rest of the Alps after the retreat of ice (Bolkay, 1924). Today the Alpine salamander inhabits the Alps from western Switzerland to eastern Austria, as well as several isolated areas in the Dinarides as far as Albania (Bruno, 1973; Gasc et al., 1997). In the Prenj Mountain in Bosnia-Herzegovina, a separate subspecies (S. atra prenjensis, Mikšić, 1969) was recognised due to its shorter body length and different distribution of the palatal teeth (Mikšić, 1969; Šunje & Lelo, 2010), although its taxonomic status was never fully recognised (Joger, 1986; Klewen, 1988; Grossenbacher, 1994 Grossenbacher, , 1997 Riberon et al., 2001). ...
The genetic structure of Alpine salamander (Salamandra atra, Laurenti 1768) populations in the Dinarides with respect to continuous populations in the Alps is still poorly understood. To compare Dinaric populations with the nearest Alpine populations, eleven populations were genotyped using seven microsatellite loci. Two major groups were detected: a more diverse Alpine group in the Steiner and Julian Alps, and a less diverse Dinaric group. The Pokljuka population was assigned to the Dinaric group despite its geographical location in the Alps, placing the divide between major groups north of the southern Alpine orographic boundary. Bottlenecks dated at the end of the last glaciation event were suggested for Alpine populations, but not for Dinaric populations. Genetic signatures of migration were detected within Dinaric and Alpine regions, but not between them. Populations from the Prenj Mountain (Bosnia-Herzegovina), where the subspecies S. atra prenjensis was described, were not genetically distinct from other Dinaric populations. These results suggest that, if the taxon remains valid, S. atra prenjensis should include the entire Dinarides as well as the Pokljuka population located in the Alps.
... During the last ice age, the Dinarides probably included continuous refugial populations of Alpine salamanders (Salamandra atra, Laurenti 1768), a cold adapted species that recolonised the rest of the Alps after the retreat of ice (Bolkay, 1924). Today the Alpine salamander inhabits the Alps from western Switzerland to eastern Austria, as well as several isolated areas in the Dinarides as far as Albania (Bruno, 1973; Gasc et al., 1997). In the Prenj Mountain in Bosnia-Herzegovina, a separate subspecies (S. atra prenjensis, Mikšić, 1969) was recognised due to its shorter body length and different distribution of the palatal teeth (Mikšić, 1969; Šunje & Lelo, 2010), although its taxonomic status was never fully recognised (Joger, 1986; Klewen, 1988; Grossenbacher, 1994 Grossenbacher, , 1997 Riberon et al., 2001). ...
... У той же час його чисельність зменшується у більшості регіонів. Опубліковано достатньо робіт, які вміщують відомості про розповсюдження, морфологію та харчування звичайних вужів (Бакиев и др., 2001; Бобылев, 1989, Гассо, 2005 Borczyk, 2007; Gasc et al, 2004). у заплавних озерах (о. ...
... Lizards provide an opportunity to study thermoregulation in cold climates because several species have adapted to either high latitude or high altitude. The common lizard Zootoca vivipara , Lacertidae has an Euro Siberian distribution that reaches the polar circle (Gasc et al., 1997). The cold adaptations of this viviparous species have attracted considerable interest (Gvozd ık, 2002; Herczeg et al., 2003 ). ...
Temperature plays a crucial role for ectotherm performance and thus for fitness. Terrestrial ectotherms, including reptiles, regulate their body temperature mainly by behavioural means. At high altitude, however, thermal constraints make precise thermoregulation costly. The cost-benefit model of lizard thermoregulation predicts that thermally challenging environments should favour the evolution of thermoconformity. Yet, several species maintain high and stable body temperatures even in cool environments. We studied the Atlas Day Gecko, Quedenfeldtia trachyblepharus, a cold-adapted lizard endemic to the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. We quantified thermoregulation in gravid females, non-gravid adult females, and adult males during the active season. Geckos thermoregulated during their active season, and thermoregulated with more effectiveness early in the season than late in the season. In the laboratory, the preferred body temperature ranges of gravid females, non-gravid females, and males were not significantly different. In the field, however, gravid females had smaller deviations from the preferred body temperature and maintained higher body temperatures than males and non-gravid females. Our study suggests that cold-adapted reptiles adjust their thermoregulatory behaviour in response to thermal constraints and reproductive status.
... His experimental design allowed him to conclude that growth and maturation were processes free to evolve independently. In this paper we address the diversity of patterns summarized above using life-history data from R. temporaria, a widely distributed anuran in Europe (Gasc et al., 1997). More speci®cally, our aims are: (1) to present data on growth, body length, and age (determined by skeletochronology) from a highland population in the French Alps; (2) to review the variation in growth, body length, and age in the species, using previous studies carried out at different latitudes and altitudes in western Europe. ...
Organisms living at low altitudes or latitudes can be active and grow almost all year round whereas the growing season is truncated in higher latitudes and altitudes. In numerous ectotherms, growth slows down or stops at sexual maturity, and age and size at this main transition change in different directions when the environment (biotic and/or abiotic) influences growth. As age and size are components of the phenotype which can influence fitness, their study concerns life-history evolution. Hypothesis about these variations are idealy tested among populations of the same species, and we present here a literature synthesis on life history variation, and more precisely on age, size and growth in the common Frog (Rana temporaria) from different European populations. Males and females exhibit similar trends when confronted with the reduction of activity period (both with altitude and latitude) : age at maturity is delayed and body size increases. With published data on tills species and other anuran species, we describe characteristics of the whole life cycle in relation to environmental gradients. Focusing on genetic versus environmental determinism, we propose an evolutionary scenario to explain phenotypic variations of life-history traits observed in Rana temporaria, among environmental gradients.
... During the last ice age, the Dinarides probably included continuous refugial populations of Alpine salamanders (Salamandra atra, Laurenti 1768), a cold adapted species that recolonised the rest of the Alps after the retreat of ice (Bolkay, 1924). Today the Alpine salamander inhabits the Alps from western Switzerland to eastern Austria, as well as several isolated areas in the Dinarides as far as Albania (Bruno, 1973; Gasc et al., 1997). In the Prenj Mountain in Bosnia-Herzegovina, a separate subspecies (S. atra prenjensis, Mikšić, 1969) was recognised due to its shorter body length and different distribution of the palatal teeth (Mikšić, 1969; Šunje & Lelo, 2010), although its taxonomic status was never fully recognised (Joger, 1986; Klewen, 1988; Grossenbacher, 1994 Grossenbacher, , 1997 Riberon et al., 2001). ...
The genetic structure of Alpine salamander (Salamandra atra, Laurenti 1768) populations in the Dinarides with respect to continuous populations in the Alps is still poorly understood. To compare Dinaric populations with the nearest Alpine populations, eleven populations were genotyped using seven microsatellite loci. Two major groups were detected: a more diverse Alpine group in the Steiner and Julian Alps, and a less diverse Dinaric group. The Pokljuka population was assigned to the Dinaric group despite its geographical location in the Alps, placing the divide between major groups north of the southern Alpine orographic boundary. Bottlenecks dated at the end of the last glaciation event were suggested for Alpine populations, but not for Dinaric populations. Genetic signatures of migration were detected within Dinaric and Alpine regions, but not between them. Populations from the Prenj Mountain (Bosnia-Herzegovina), where the subspecies S. atra prenjensis was described, were not genetically distinct from other Dinaric populations. These results suggest that, if the taxon remains valid, S. atra prenjensis should include the entire Dinarides as well as the Pokljuka population located in the Alps.
... During the last ice age, the Dinarides probably included continuous refugial populations of Alpine salamanders (Salamandra atra, Laurenti 1768), a cold adapted species that recolonised the rest of the Alps after the retreat of ice (Bolkay, 1924). Today the Alpine salamander inhabits the Alps from western Switzerland to eastern Austria, as well as several isolated areas in the Dinarides as far as Albania (Bruno, 1973; Gasc et al., 1997). In the Prenj Mountain in Bosnia-Herzegovina, a separate subspecies (S. atra prenjensis, Mikšić, 1969) was recognised due to its shorter body length and different distribution of the palatal teeth (Mikšić, 1969; Šunje & Lelo, 2010), although its taxonomic status was never fully recognised (Joger, 1986; Klewen, 1988; Grossenbacher, 1994 Grossenbacher, , 1997 Riberon et al., 2001). ...
... Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis (Laurenti,1768)) is a small lacertid lizard with snout-vent length of up to about 75 mm (Arnold et al. 2007). It is distributed throughout most of Europe, ranging from Spain in the southwest, France and Belgium to the north, Greece to the southeast and Slovakia and Romania in the east (Gasc et al. 1997). In Slovenia, the species is widely distributed throughout the country (Krofel et al. 2009). ...
... of the southern Europe, spanning from the Pyrenees in the west through southern France and entire Italy to north-west Croatia in the east (Gasc et al. 1997). In Slovenia, its range is limited to the south-western part of the country (Krofel et al. 2009). ...
This article presents the first documented records of brown coloured adults of Hierophis viridiflavus carbonarius in Slovenia, and overviews some of the historical notes on unconfirmed sightings of Hierophis gemonensis in the same area of distribution.
... However, differences between populations cannot be predicted by evolutionary inference from an adaptive perspective (although they may differ to some extent depending on drift). The common frog, Rana temporaria, is one of the most widely distributed amphibians in the world (Gasc et al., 1997). It occurs in a broad range of habitats from sea level to alpine altitudes and is, therefore, well suited for studies of local adaptation. ...
Natural selection of organisms results in differences between populations in response to environmental conditions - that is, local adaptation. Understanding heterogeneity at this level requires identification of the different selection pressures that cause this differentiation. Tadpoles of the common frog, Rana temporaria, from northern Sweden show superior growth in warmer incubation conditions than tadpoles from the south, and vice versa in cooler conditions. A plausible explanation for this is that the thermal optimum in the northern population has been shifted by selection to correspond better with the relatively warmer developmental conditions experienced in the north compared with the south (northern ponds are warmer because they are shallower and tend to heat more quickly following the melting of snow). To test this hypothesis, we performed an experiment in which frogs from both regions were allowed to develop in water temperatures representative of those in their natural breeding ponds and in those at the other climatic extreme. Tadpoles in the 'warm' (northern) part of the range had markedly reduced survival at low temperatures compared with those from the cooler region in the south, with a non-significant difference at relatively high temperatures. Thus, northern frogs appear to have evolved towards becoming high-temperature 'specialists', with local adaptation being upheld by hard selection on tadpole survival.
We here describe the first fossil remains of a green lizard of the Lacerta group from the late Miocene (MN 13) of the Solnechnodolsk locality in southern European Russia. This region of Europe is crucial for our understanding of the paleobiogeography and evolution of these middle-sized lizards. Although this clade has a broad geographical distribution across the continent today, its presence in the fossil record has only rarely been reported. In contrast to that, the material described here is abundant, consists of a premaxilla, maxillae, frontals, parietals, jugals, quadrate, pterygoids, dentaries and vertebrae. The comparison of these elements to all extant green lizard species shows that these fossils are indistinguishable from Lacerta trilineata. Thus, they form the first potential evidence of the occurrence of this species in the Miocene. This may be also used as a potential calibration point for further studies. Together with other lizard fossils, Solnechnodolsk shows an interesting combination of survivors and the dawn of modern species. This locality provides important evidence for the transition of an archaic Miocene world to the modern diversity of lizards in Europe. In addition, this article represents a contribution to the knowledge of the comparative osteological anatomy of the selected cranial elements in lacertids. This study gives special emphasis to the green lizards, but new data are also presented for related taxa, e.g., Timon lepidus, Podarcis muralis or Zootoca vivipara. Although the green lizards include several cryptic species for which determination based on isolated osteological material would be expected to be difficult, our comparisons show several important morphological differences, although a high degree of variability is present.
Theory of sexual selection states that males often develop showy signals, which reduce their survival but increase their reproductive success. During mate choice, these conspicuous signals can be honest indicators of individual quality conveying information about the signaler's physiological state. Sexually selected signals are influenced by many environmental factors; however, whether signals and physiological state are affected together is rarely studied. The ultraviolet-blue throat color of male Lacerta viridis is an intra- and intersexually selected signal connected to blood parasite infection and influenced by environmental factors. The aim of this study was to experimentally investigate how ecologically relevant environmental factors affect color signal intensity and key physiological traits parallel. During the mating season, we exposed 40 adult male lizards infected with blood parasites to food and basking time treatments in a full factorial design. We measured color, amount of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), hematocrit, immunocompetence, and blood parasite intensity before and after treatments. High basking time resulted in elevated immunocompetence coupled with increased ROMs. The high food treatment increased nuptial color brightness, but also increased ROMs and decreased immunocompetence. In summary, our study provides experimental evidence about environmentally induced parallel changes in an honest sexual signal and several quality-indicator physiological traits. We showed that available energy and time for high metabolism have independent and sometimes opposite effects on individual state.
Background
Past events like fluctuations in population size and post-glacial colonization processes may influence the relative importance of genetic drift, migration and selection when determining the present day patterns of genetic variation. We disentangle how drift, selection and migration shape neutral and adaptive genetic variation in 12 moor frog populations along a 1700 km latitudinal gradient. We studied genetic differentiation and variation at a MHC exon II locus and a set of 18 microsatellites. ResultsUsing outlier analyses, we identified the MHC II exon 2 (corresponding to the β-2 domain) locus and one microsatellite locus (RCO8640) to be subject to diversifying selection, while five microsatellite loci showed signals of stabilizing selection among populations. STRUCTURE and DAPC analyses on the neutral microsatellites assigned populations to a northern and a southern cluster, reflecting two different post-glacial colonization routes found in previous studies. Genetic variation overall was lower in the northern cluster. The signature of selection on MHC exon II was weaker in the northern cluster, possibly as a consequence of smaller and more fragmented populations. Conclusion
Our results show that historical demographic processes combined with selection and drift have led to a complex pattern of differentiation along the gradient where some loci are more divergent among populations than predicted from drift expectations due to diversifying selection, while other loci are more uniform among populations due to stabilizing selection. Importantly, both overall and MHC genetic variation are lower at northern latitudes. Due to lower evolutionary potential, the low genetic variation in northern populations may increase the risk of extinction when confronted with emerging pathogens and climate change.
We used MaxEnt method as a tool to assess potential distribution for Rana pseudodalmatina Eiselt & Schmidtler, 1971 in regional scale. At the local scale of distribution, we evaluated patterns of sex-biased dispersal in breeding and non-breeding seasons. The MaxEnt model predicted potential suitable habitats for R. pseudodalmatina with high success rates (AUC Training data = 0.904 ± 0.057). According to the map constructed, the Iranian long legged wood frog prefers lowland forest regions, and land cover (65.4%); elevation (19.1%) has most impact on distribution of long-legged wood frogs in northern Iran. We found that, the percentage proportion of male frogs at the breeding site was significantly more than the percentage proportion of females (75.51% and 24.48%, respectively). Distance from the nearest potential breeding ponds differs between the sexes in breeding season and non-breeding season. It seems that, habitat destructions by local human activities and global climate change affected both regional and local distribution, are major threats to survival of the Iranian long-legged wood frog.
Le nombre de paires d'écailles sous-caudales a été relevé chez 350 serpents matures (35 individus par sexe et par espèce) chez cinq taxons sympatriques du quart Nord-Ouest du département de la Loire-Atlantique. La morphologie de la queue des mâles diffère de celle des femelles car elle est plus épaisse à sa base et plus allongée pour y loger les organes copulateurs au repos (hémipénis). On dénombre ainsi plus de paires d'écailles sous-cau-dales chez les mâles, autorisant la détermination du sexe des nouveau-nés par pholidose (disposition et forme des écailles chez les reptiles). Cette méthode permet de faciliter la détermination sexuelle chez les jeunes serpents en s'affranchissant du dimorphisme sexuel par morphométrie ou polymorphisme souvent inexistant à la naissance chez les serpents de la dition. De plus, ce procédé limite le stress en évitant de sortir les hémipénis de force par pression de la face inférieure de la queue ou par sondage cloacal. MOTS-CLÉS – Dimorphisme sexuel, pholidose, serpents, Loire-Atlantique. SUMMARY: Sexing newborn by the number of under tail scales in five species of ophidians in Loire– Atlantique department. The number of pairs of scales under tail was recorded in 350 mature snakes (35 individuals by sex and species) in five sympatric taxa quarter northwest of the Loire-Atlantique department. The morphology of the tail of the male differs from the female because it is thicker at the base and more elongated to house the copulatory organs at rest. And there are more pairs subcaudal scales in males, allowing the determination of the sex of newborns pholidose. This method facilitates sex determination in young snakes freeing of sexual dimorphism by morphometry or often nonexistent polymorphism at birth in snakes in this department. Moreover, this method limits the stress by not outputting the pressure force hemipenis the underside of the tail or by cloacal survey.
This study describes the situation and population distribution of the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) in the protected area of Sèquia Major and adjacent area. Between 2013 and 2015, 77 E. orbicularis were captured, with a sex ratio close to 1:1. Regarding the population structure, biometric data showed that the population is aging, with 79.22% of the captured animals being adults with an average carapace length of 141 mm in females and 137 mm in males. Different trophic parameters, competition with other species, habitat use and physico‐chemical characteristics of the water were analysed. Results showed that the factors influencing the species distribution in the area were the vegetation coverage in ponds, the abundance of the aloctonous red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii, the presence of Mediterranean turtles (Mauremys leprosa), the trophic status of the water and the concentration of phosphates in the water. Very low recruitment was detected because of the temporary flooding of more than 80% of the nesting area, which potentially slows down the spreading of the population. © 2016, Asociacion Herpetologica Espanola. All rights reserved.
The Greek inland water fish fauna probably is the most diverse among European countries in terms of endemic species. A total of c. 177 species have been recorded. Cyprinidae is the most dominant family with 86 species (48%) which occur in almost every kind of freshwater habitat. Based on the endemic fish fauna distribution, six biogeographical regions are recognized in Greece; however, the existence of the Pindos Mountains separates the country into two main sectors: east of the Pindos Mountains are found mainly cosmopolitan species and subspecies, showing affinities to the Danubian (central and western European) ichthyofauna, while west of the Pindos Mountains there are mainly endemic species. The fishery production during the last six decades has varied as the result of political, social, developmental and environmental influence. During recent years, production has steadily decreased. This could be attributed to the ecosystem degradation; changes in the structure of fish populations through stocking of commercial species; introduction of alien species; pollution from urban wastes, agricultural, small-scale and industrial activities; eutrophication; extinction of several native species; overfishing of commercial species.
Aim
One of the fundamental tools in biogeography is the classification of the Earth surface into spatially coherent units based on assemblage distinctiveness. However, spatial coherence of biogeographical regions may be scale‐dependent, that is, it may change with changing the size of spatial units used. We ask (1) how the clusters resulting from the classification of animal assemblages at different spatial scales differ in their spatial coherence, (2) whether there are geographical trends in the patterns of spatial coherence, and (3) what factors drive these patterns at different scales and in different areas of Europe.
Location
Europe.
Methods
We used data from distribution atlases at two spatial scales (50 × 50 km and c . 10 × 10 km) and, for each scale, we selected four different areas across Europe, each of them covered by 250 grid cells. We classified each area based on the distributions of mammals (coarser scale only) and birds (both scales). Subsequently, we calculated the spatial coherence of resulting clusters and correlated it with environmental factors and geographical distance.
Results
Coarse‐scale classifications provided more spatially coherent clusters than the classifications at the finer scale and this pattern was closely related to different strength of distance decay of similarity in the species composition at different scales. Spatial coherence revealed latitudinal trends, so that coarse‐scale clusters were more spatially coherent in northern Europe. Geographical distance was the best predictor of spatial patterns at the coarser scale, although this effect was strong only in central and northern Europe. At the finer scale, topography and land cover composition were the most important.
Main conclusions
Spatial coherence of biogeographical regionalizations depends on scale and varies geographically. It is closely related to different beta diversity patterns at different scales and in different areas. Heterogeneous areas with high beta diversity and endemism reveal more complex patterns than areas characterized by lower beta diversity but a stronger relationship between beta diversity and distance, and consequently coherent clusters. If the development of the species distribution databases provides fine‐resolution data covering large areas in the future, the issue of the scale of biogeographical regionalizations will probably become even more crucial.
Common Italian names of the amphibians and reptiles present in the geographic Italy are proposed. We analysed a large set of bibliography in order to assess a list of Italian common names used and we proposed the utilization of a single name, also in view of the forthcoming publication of the distribution atlas of the Italian herpetofauna. The criteria used to assign such names follow in general the current use, the possibility to clearly distinguish similar species, geographic and linguistic parameters.
The fossil record of Chamaeleonidae is very scarce
and any new specimen is therefore considered important for
our understanding of the evolutionary and biogeographic history
of the group. New specimens from the early Miocene of
Aliveri (Evia Island), Greece constitute the only fossils of
these lizards from southeastern Europe. Skull roofing material
is tentatively attributed to the Czech species Chamaeleo cf.
andrusovi, revealing a range extension for this taxon, whereas
tooth-bearing elements are described as indeterminate
chamaeleonids. The Aliveri fossils rank well among the oldest
known reptiles from Greece, provide evidence for the dispersal
routes of chameleons out of Africa towards the European
continent and, additionally, imply strong affinities with coeval
chamaeleonids from Central Europe.
L’étude de 557 exemplaires de Psammodromus algirus, Acanthodactylus erythrurus et Psammodromus hispanicus dans une "dehesa" de Quercus rotundi folia dans la province de Sala¬ manque (Espagne) et les données sur la disponibilité trophique mesurée dans les mêmes localités ont permis de caractériser l'alimentation de ces trois espèces ainsi que d'étudier leurs inter¬ actions dans cette niche écologique.
Se han estudiado diferentes aspectos de la reproducción de tres especies ibéricas de Lacertidae, Psammodromus algirus, Psammodromus hispanicus y Acanthodactylus erythrurus, en un área adehesada del centro-oeste peninsular. Existe un escalonamiento en el inicio de la actividad reproductora de las tres formas, así P. hispanicus comienza en el mes de marzo, mientras que en P. algirus y A. erythrurus se inicia en abril y mayo, respectivamente, hecho estrechamente relacionado con la mayor o menor duración del período conjunto de gestación-incubación. En las tres especies la mayoría de los nacimientos acontecen a finales de agosto o principios de septiembre. Different aspects of reproduction in three Iberian species of Lacertidae, Psammodromus algirus, Psammodromus hispanicus and Acanthodactylus erythrurus were studied in a pasture land área in the Central-Western part of Iberian Peninsula. The beginning of reproduction for the three forms is staggered; in P. hispanicus it begins in March, while for P. algirus and A. erythrurus it begins in April and May respectively. This is closely related to the greater or lesser duration of the total gestation-incubation period. In all three species most hatchings occur at the end of August or the beginning of September. Este trabajo está incluido dentro del Proyecto CICYT PB86-0659.