J. Exp. Zool. India Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 279-282, 2019 www.connectjournals.com/jez ISSN 0972-0030 NEW LOCALITY RECORDS OF BLUNT-NOSED VIPER, MACROVIPERA LEBETINA EUPHRATICA (MARTIN, 1838) IN SOUTHERN IRAQ (OPHIDIA : VIPERIDAE)

Muhanad Al-Jabry1, Zine El Abidine El Moussawi2, Nasrullah Rasregar-Pouyani and Rasoul Karamiani3 1Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, 67149 67346 Kermanshah, Iran. 2Education Directorate of Thi-Qar Province, Nasiriya, Iraq. 3Iranian Plateau Herpetology Research Group (IPHRG), Razi University, 714967346 Kermanshah, Iran. (Accepted 18 October 2018)

ABSTRACT : The Levant viper, Macrovipera lebetina euphratica is recorded from AL-Tar subdistrict (western Hammar marsh) Al-Nasiriya Province south Iraq. Information on morphological features and the biology of this subspecies is given. Key words : Macrovipera lebetina euphratica, distribution, morphology, south Iraq.

INTRODUCTION (2016) five adult female specimens have been collected Macrovipera lebetina obtusa was first described in from north eastern Iraq: of these two specimens were Jelisawetpol in Transcaucasia by Dwigubsky in 1832 (Tok collected from Diyala province, Khanaqin district (34° et al, 2002). It is distributed in Palestine, Lebanon, western 18' 26.28" N, 45° 23' 27.54" E; alt. 216m.) and three of Jordan, northern Syria, southern and central Turkey and them have been collected from Al-Khalis district (33° 49' along the Tigris-Euphrates drainage in Iraq, to the east in 1.63" N, 44° 32' 56.60" E; alt. 210m.). Afghanistan and Pakistan; from northern Baluchistan to According to Stümpel and Joger (2009), M. lebetina borders of Kashmir and to the north in Transcaucasia to segregate into four major lineages which support the the Kura Valley and in Transcaspia to the Fergana basin, validity of the allopatric subspecies lebetina, obtusa, Morocco through N. Africa, the Cyclades, Cyprus and turanica and cernovi. In this study, the morphological Persia, to N.W. India (Boulenger, 1920; Corkill, 1932; characters of a Macrovipera lebetina euphratica Leviton et al, 1992) with an isolated relict population in specimen found outside previously-known localities were Algeria, Tunisia (Nilson and Andren, 1988). It is well- examined and an attempt was made to determine its known from steppic parts of Syria and Lebanon. It may contribution to the Iraqi herpetofauna. be called an Irano-Turanian species in the Levantine MATERIALS AND METHODS countries (Al-Oran et al, 1998). Specimens have been Two adult specimens was collected from AL-Tar recorded in Iraq from Baghdad (Boulenger, 1920). In subdistrict (western Hammar marsh) Al-Nasiriya Province 1928, 1929 and 1930, seven further specimens were south of Iraq with geographical coordinates between obtained in 1928, from Sulaimaniya, Mandali, Mosul, (30,53, 11) N, (46,037, 9) E and Altitude (-1) m on, 26th Baqubah, Jebel Hamrin, Quaragan and Barzan on the of August 2017 and 28th February 2018 the collected Zab river. It is noticeable that all these records are from specimens was initially fixed in 96% ethanol and then the north-eastern quadrant of Iraq, where the country stored in 70% ethanol. The specimens are deposited in commences its rise to Kurdish and Persian hills (Corkill, the collection of Laboratory of Zoology at Alshohada 1932). Based on (Schmidt, 1939). The Vipera lebetina secondary school Al-Nasiriya Province. So classified by euphratica Martin (1838) it is found in Balad and Sinjar, taxonomic keys according to (Leviton at el, 1992; Rhadi, also found in Bisan valley and Daray Mar, Halabja, 2016). Sulaimaniya Province, these locations form a part of a mountainous region, which has a special significance. RESULTS Since it rests just beyond high mountains of Hawraman Characteristics of both specimens where found Vipera lebetina obtusa Dwigubsky 1832 The head is broad, triangular and distinct from the (Lahony et al, 2013). Moreover, according to Rhadi neck, rounded and blunt when viewed from above, Top