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Notes on reptiles inhabiting a secondary, post development habitat, south Paphos, west Cyprus FRANK D. BOWLES 37 Albany Terrace, Dundee DD3 6HS, UK N April 1989 I visited southeast Cyprus and Agamidae Ireported on the herpetofauna observed, noticing Laudakia stellio cypriaca (Fig. 3) that some reptile species were more abundant As in eastern Cyprus, this species was very abundant in degraded habitats adjacent to new housing on most piles of big stones, even within the densely developments (Bowles, 1989). This current report populated hotel gardens. The choice habitat for L. comments on reptiles observed on a visit to Paphos, s. cypriaca was on scrubland, nearer the beach, on west Cyprus from 7-14 April 2010. the foundations of long-destroyed buildings. Here, The first week was cool with both wind and dominant males bobbed their heads rapidly as they rain, but the second week had more sunshine, with postured on the highest point of their territory. If temperatures reaching up to 24°C. one responded to their head bobbing by doing it The accommodation I used was in the third oneself (an activity best done unobserved by the last of a string of hotels ranging south along the more conventional holiday makers!), the lizard coastline from the town Paphos. Between the would at first rapidly respond, then, when fearing it accommodation and the next hotel to its south would no longer stand its ground, would speedily was an area of degraded Mediterranean scrubland run with its tail held in an upturned curve, in a that spread west to the coast and east to the semi-circle round the site, to alight on stones about main road and immediately in front of the 7 m distant. hotels (Fig. 1). Despite the constant movement of various Lacertidae vehicles and motorcycles, large numbers of holiday Acanthodactylus schreiberi makers, and locals with their dogs, seven species of As observed in eastern Cyprus, this spiny footed reptile were found within 300 m of the hotel. Of lizard was seen to be progressively more abundant these, only four were found in East Cyprus during towards the sandy coastline. Unlike eastern Cyprus, the 1989 visit (Bowles, 1989). where there were many large, virtually unmarked adults, all the animals seen here were sub-adults, SPECIES LIST with striped bodies, and, in many cases, red tails. Gekkonidae Again, as in the east, their existence is threatened Cyrtopodion kotschyi (Fig. 2) by motor-bikes, mountain bikes, and other types of This small gecko, previously reported from vehicle. Bowles (1989), with its clawed toes, and characteristic dorsal markings, was seen at night, Phoenicolacerta troodica (Fig. 4) under lamp-light on a low wall dividing the hotel This handsome lacertid, superficially resembling garden from the seashore. Away from the hotel, a race of relatively unmarked Podarcis muralis it was also found during the day under pieces of with olive-green backed males, was very common wood lying on the ground of the yard of a on the stone borders of flower-beds and found deserted mill approximately 700 m west of well within the hotel garden amidst throngs of the hotel. Here I encountered one normally supine sun-worshippers. Unlike the very timid marked adult and two black juveniles. We spiny-footed lizards, they were quite unconcerned also found an adult basking in the knoll of a by the proximity of human beings, and could be severely pruned olive tree in the same approached very closely and photographed at vicinity. leisure. They were only observed near human Herpetological Bulletin [2011] - Number 115 19 Reptiles on secondary habitats, Cyprus Figure 1. Degraded secondary habitat hosting reptiles. Figure 2. Cyrtopodion kotschyi. Figure 3. Laudakia stellio cypriaca. Figure 5. Ophisops elegans. Figure 4. Phoenicolacerta troodica. 20 Number 115 - Herpetological Bulletin [2011] Reptiles on secondary habitats, Cyprus habitation; none being seen in the scrubland or Mountains, which might explain the presence cultivated countryside. of Phoenicolacerta troodos. Although we made intensive searches in those areas of the surrounding Ophisops elegans (Fig. 5) countryside accessible to pedestrians no other This elegant little lizard with its lidless eyes, was species of reptile was seen, nor any amphibians. ubiquitous in all areas of the scrubland where We also made two visits to an archaeological site there was adequate ground cover. Strangely, near Paphos Harbour, where the splendid classical unlike those seen in eastern Cyprus, the males remains lie distributed across a very large area of lacked the turquoise pigmentation along their prime habitat. Several years ago a colleague of flanks. Whether this was due to the relatively cold ours saw a basking levantine viper (Macrovipera weather inhibiting mating, or whether they were a lebetina), but despite reasonably good weather morphologically different race, is unsure. This lizard conditions on both visits, we saw no other reptile was seen sharing basking sites with banded skinks species than those lizards present on the littoral (Trachylepis vittata). scrubland adjacent to the hotel. Like so much of the Mediterranean coast Scincidae of Cyprus, and its immediate hinterland, Trachylepis vittata Paphos exhibits some sprawling building Unlike eastern Cyprus, where the skink species developments. Some of these developments observed was the snake-eyed skink Ablepharus stretch out of Paphos and are actually budaki, the animal seen here was the much bulkier, pushing up into the Troodos foothills, causing interestingly marked banded skink Trachylepis considerable reduction and degradation of the vittata. This species was observed in scrubland, environment. The littoral scrublands, like our Dorset on well vegetated rubble on the southern side of heaths, are seen as prime building land. Their final a cleared area adjacent to a main road. It could loss could possibly result in the dissappearance of be watched in the very late afternoons, but was several reptile species. Therefore it behoves the extremely timid and had to be approached with Cyprus government to legislate for their protection considerable care. The only other habitat that we and the wide variety of fauna and flora that the saw this lizard was on the side of a tree-lined road habitat supports. boarding rough pasture, where it basked on pieces of dead trees, which had been used to enclose the FURTHER READING ground. Atatur, M.K. & Gocmen, B. (2001). Amphibians & Reptiles of Northern Cyprus. Cyprus: Kitaplar Colubridae Serisi, Bornova-Izmir. Dolichophis jugularis Baier, F., Sparrow, D.J. & Wiedl, H.-J. (2009). The In Cyprus this large whip snake grows to 2.5 m Amphibians and Reptiles of Cyprus. Frankfurt and becomes black, with the exception of the am Main: Edition Chimaira. underside of the brownish jaw. Two clear Bowles, F.D. (1989). A note on the herpetofauna of sightings of this snake were seen. A 1.5 m southeast Cyprus. British Herpetol. Soc. Bull. specimen was seen crossing a path just outside 30, 22-25. the hotel. The second specimen, of a similar size, Demetropoulos, A. & Lambert, M.R.K. (1986). was disturbed on the hotel refuse pile. It was Herpetology in Cyprus. British Herpetol. Soc. coiled up, basking and near enough to be observed Bull. 17, 22-23. accurately, even though it quickly retreated at Lambert, M.R.K. (1987). Notes on reptiles in considerable speed. Cyprus. British Herpetol. Soc. Bull. 21/22, 26-28. DISCUSSION Lambert, M.R.K. (1988). Amendments to “Notes Unlike the flatter countryside of southeast Cyprus, on reptiles in Cyprus” British Herpetol. Soc. Paphos lies at the western foothills of the Troodos Bull. 24, 10. Herpetological Bulletin [2011] - Number 115 21.

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