180 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 26 (3/4) Wien, 30. Jänner 2014 SHORT NOTE females) analyzed in this previous study. KEY WORDS: Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: Reanalysis of the data set of MESquiTA et al. Dipsadidae, Philodryas nattereri , snakes, sexual di - morphis m, clutch, hatchlings, juveniles, Caatinga, (2011), com bined with the data used in this northeastern Brazil study, provide results consistent with those SuBMiTTED: January 31, 2013 found here solely for neonates and juveniles AuTHORS: Daniel Cunha PASSOS a, c (Corre - (ANCOVA slopes – F1,86 = 7.83; P < 0.01; sponding author < [email protected] > ); Figure 2). in this way, although the dimor - Paulo Cesar Mattos Dourado de MESquiTA b, c ; Amau - rício lopes Rocha BRANDãO c, d ; Diva Maria BORGES - phism is really more pronounced in adults c as showed by MESquiTA et al. (2011), it is NOJOSA a Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e present even in hatchlings and immature life Evolução, instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara stages. Gomes, universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Our findings expand the conclusions Pavilhão Haroldo lisboa da Cunha, Sala 224, Rua São of MESquiTA et al. (2011) indicating that sex Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, 20.550-013, Rio de Janeiro – Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. differences in tail measurements develop at b Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversi - early ontogenetic stages of P. nattereri , and dade Animal, universidade Federal de Santa Maria. support the hypothesis of FOWlER & Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97.105-900, Santa Maria – Rio SAlOMãO (1994) that this dimorphism is a Grande do Sul, Brasil. c Núcleo Regional de Ofiologia da universidade plesiomorphic character in Philodryas . Federal do Ceará, Centro de Ciências, universidade ACKNOWlEDGMENTS: The authors thank Federal do Ceará. Campus do Pici, Bloco 905, Avenida the donors of grants that supported this research. D. C. Humberto Monte, Pici, 60.455-760, Fortaleza – Ceará, PASSOS received a grant from Coordenação de Aperfei- Brasil. çoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – CAPES. d instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecno - logia do Ceará. Avenida Desembargador Armando de REFERENCES: AMARAl , A. (1936): Contri - buição ao conhecimento dos ophidios do Brasil. in Viii. Sales louzada, Monsenhor Edson Magalhães, 62.580- lista remissiva dos ophidios do Brasil. Memórias do 000, Acarau – Ceará, Brasil. instituto Butantan, São Paulo; 10: 87-162. DARWiN , C. (1871): The descent of man and selection in relation to sex. london (John Murray), pp. 688. FOWlER , i. & SAlOMãO , M. G. (1994): A study of sexual dimorphism in six species from the colubrid snake genus Philodryas .- The Snake, Nittagun; 26: 117-122. FOWlER , i. & SAlOMãO , M. G. (1995): A new technique First record of amelanism to distinguish immature and adult snakes between males and females in six species of the neotropical colubrid of Vipera berus bosniensis snakes Philodryas .- Studies on Neotropical Fauna and BOETTGER , 1889, in Bulgaria Environment, Abingdon, Oxon; 30: 149-157. FOWlER , i. R. & SAlOMãO , M. G. & JORDãO , R. S. (1998): A description of the female reproductive cycle in four it is well documented that the lack of species from the neotropical colubrid snake Philodryas (Colubridae, Xenodontinae).- The Snake, Nittagun; 28: dark pigment (amelanism, albinism in the 71-78. KiNG , R. B. (1989): Sexual dimorphism in tail wide sense) represents a genetically precon - length: sexual selection, natural selection, or morpho - ditioned fault in normal pigmentation, which logical constraint?- Biological Journal of the linnean is recessively inherited ( KABiSCH 1990). in Society, london; 38: 133-154. MESquiTA , P. C. M. D & BORGES -N OJOSA , D. M., PASSOS , D. C. & BEZERRA , C. H. the narrow sense of total albinism, the phe - (2011): Ecology of Philodryas nattereri in the Brazilian nomenon is characterized by complete lack semi-arid region.- Herpetological Journal, london; 21: of pigment. Partial albinism (manifesting 193-198. RiVAS , J. A. & BuRGHARDT , M. (2001): itself as flavism and leucism) is being deter - understanding sexual size dimorphism in snakes: wear - ing the snake’s shoes.- Animal Behaviour, Oxford; 62: mined by different combinations of muta - F1-F6. SHiNE , R. (1994): Sexual size dimorphism in tions, responsible for suppressing the for - snakes revisited.- Copeia, Washington; 1994: 326-346. mation of the pigments melanin, purin, SHiNE , R. & OlSSON , M. M. & MOORE , i. T. & pteridin and flavines. Different expressions lEMASTER , M. P. & MASON , R. T. (1999): Why do male snakes have longer tails than females?- Proceedings of of the phenomenon are observed among all the Royal Society of london, london; 266: 2147-2151. vertebrate classes, including humans ( BECH - ViTT , l. J. (1980): Ecological observations on sympatric TEl 1978, 1991; OBST et al. 1984; SCHiE - Philo dryas (Colubridae) in northeast Brazil.- Papéis MENZ 1985; SCHMiDT 1989; THOMAS et al. Avulsos de Zoologia, São Paulo; 34: 87-98. ViTT , l. J. ARO ilSON iKO & VANGilDER , l. D. (1983): Ecology of a snake com - 2002; C 2005; N et al. 2005; N - munity in northeastern Brazil.- Amphibia–Reptilia, lOV et al. 2006; VAN GROuW 2006, 2011; leiden; 4: 273-296. KREiNER 2007; lóPEZ & GHiRARDi 2011). SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 26 (3/4) Wien, 30. Jänner 2014 SHORT NOTE 181

Excluding the common breeding prac - from this Balkan taxon in its natural envi - tice among herpetoculturists of selection ronment. towards abnormal color morphs ( KABiSCH The amelanistic individual was ob - 1990; BECHTEl 1995), present data indicates served by the author on June 17, 2011, at that, in the natural environment, albinos, 12:18 h local time at the ridge plateau of flavistic, and leucistic forms of reptiles are Vitosha Mountain in the “Turf Reserve” extremely rare. The most likely reasons are “Torfeno Branishte”, Bulgaria. The area is the increased predatory pressure on such an extensive ridge terrace situated above the conspicuous individuals, as well as the cor - tree line, at an altitude between 1750-1850 relation of albinism in its different manifes - m a.s.l. it is one of the largest natural de- tations with numerous malformations and posits of peat in Bulgaria, reaching depths anomalies, greatly reducing the chances for up to two meters. The vegetation is repre - survival of such individuals ( MøllER & sented by alpine and boreal ericoid commu - MOuS SEAu 2001; CARO 2005). A review of nities and temporary marshes with floating, albinism, flavism, and leucism among Euro - moving peat, and subarctic shrubs of Salix pean Viperidae, covering the period 1900- spp., with extensive areas covered by 2007, demonstrates the rarity of their occur - Siberian Juniper Juniperus sibirica (DiMiT - rence or the animals’ survival in the wild; ROV & GuSEV 2008; RuSAKOVA 2008; KA- only 24 individuals from four species entered BiSCH & GuSSEV 2008; GANEVA & TZONEV the literature or were located at important 2008). Smaller and larger rocky outcrops of museum collections in Europe ( KRECSáK monzonite are dispersed throughout the 2008). in finding the highest number of such plateau. This and another place at Vitosha anomalies in the boreal species Vipera berus Mountain are the only Bulgarian study sites (l iNNAEuS , 1768) (16 individuals), KREC - from where high numbers of over 80 vipers SáK (2008) hypothesized a tendency to - have been collected or observed in the years wards increased rates of amelanistic speci - 2010 to 2012. mens in northern range areas. The author of it was not possible to capture or pho - the present note considers this an incom - tograph the individual, which was only plete analysis as it lacks a review of the lit - briefly seen. The viper was of small size erature and museum collections from exten - (estimated length 30-35 cm) with bright yel - sive areas within the eastern and southeast - low-orange body color. A zigzag dorsal line, ern distribution of V. berus and does not fac - typical of normal colored individuals of the tor the species’ range areas. species, was not discernible. Most records The present note reports flavism from of amelanistic Adders refer to newborns or V. berus bosniensis BOETTGER , 1889, in Bul - juveniles due to the low survival rate of garia, where the occurrence of the Balkan albino forms ( HAlVARSSON 2011). Newborn Adder is restricted to various fragmented V. berus bosniensis in Bulgaria were 140- habitats at medium to high-elevation moun - 194 mm in length, with births occurring tain areas. The following Bulgarian materi - between beginning of August and beginning als were screened for amelanistic speci - of October ( BESHKOV & NANEV 2002; mens: 183 individuals from personal obser - STOJANOV et al. 2011). Therefore, the date vations and data provided by colleagues; 74 of observation and the snake’s length ex - individuals from 37 localities, deposited in clude the possibility of a newborn individ - the scientific collections of the National Mu- ual and suggest rather an age of two to three seum of Natural History - Sofia (Bulgarian summers ( SCHiEMENZ 1985; V ölKl & Academy of Science); seven individuals THiESMEiER 2002; NilSON et al. 2005). it is from the scientific collection of the Region - thus remarkable that this individual sur - al Natural History Mu seum - Plovdiv; 11 in - vived in the wild for that long of a period. dividuals, described in herpetological publi - The author speculates that in this particular cations of the fauna of Bulgaria ( KOVACHEV case the following reasons aided its sur - 1894, 1903, 1905; BOZHKOV 1958; MüllER vival: (i) Relatively low pressure comes 1939). The above materials which include from natural predators in the region, which field records of the past 20 years constitute could include Short-toed Eagle, harriers, the only pertinent information available kestrels, Common Raven, feral hogs, foxes 182 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 26 (3/4) Wien, 30. Jänner 2014 SHORT NOTE

and potentially packs of feral dogs common (2): 97-102. KREiNER , G. (2007): Schlangen Europas. for the area; some bird species represent Alle Arten westlich des Kaukasus; Frankfurt am Main (Edition Chimaira), pp. 317. lóPEZ , J. A. & GHiRARDi , potential predators during their migratory R. (2011): First record of albinism in Rhinella fernan - flights; (ii) a dense vegetation cover along dezae (GAllARDO , 1957).- Belgian Journal of Zoology, with the deep peat that provides multiple Brussel; 141 (1): 59-61. MøllER , A. P. & MOuSSEAu , T. refugia; and (iii) the presence of a solid prey A. (2001): Albinism and phenotype of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica ) from Chernobyl; Evolution, New base for the species, i. e., dense popula tions York, Oxford; 55: 2097-2104. MüllER , l. (1939): über of Zootoca vivipara (liCHTENSTEiN , 1823 ) die von den Herren Dr. v. Jordans und Dr. Wolf im Jahre and Rana temporaria liNNAEuS , 1758, as 1938 in Bulgarien gesammelten Amphibien und well as several species of small rodents. Reptilien.- Mitteilungen aus den Königlichen Naturwis - senschaftlichen instituten in Sofia, Bulgarien, Sofia; 13: large numbers of tourists pass through 1-17. NilSON , G. & A NDRéN , C. & V ölKl , W. (2005): this area, but the effect on the viper’s popu - Vipera (Pelias ) berus (liNNAEuS , 2758) [sic!] – Kreuz - lation is not yet analyzed. Several cases of otter; pp. 213-292. in: Joger, u. & Stümpel, N. (eds.): Adders killed by tourists warrant such a Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. Vol. 3/iiB, Schlangen (Ser pentes) iii, Viperidae; Wiebels - study. heim (Aula). NiKOlOV , B. & HRiSTOVA -N iKOlOVA , i. & ACKNOWlEDGEMENTS: The author would VAN GROuW , H . (2011): Aberrantly coloured Cory’s like to thank Alexander WESTERSTRöM and Yurii Shearwater Calonectris diomedea offshore Chalkidiki, KORNilEV for help, translating the words into English northern Greece; Acrocephalus, ljubljana; 32 (148/ and providing comments on the manuscript. 149): 79-80. NiKOlOV , B. & HRiSTOVA -N iKOlOVA , i. & NiKOlOV , S. & SHuRuliN KOV , P. & DuTSOV , A. (2006): REFERENCES: BECHTEl , H. B. (1978): Color Abnormally plumaged Woodchat Shrikes in Bulgaria, and pattern in snakes (Reptilia, Serpentes); Journal of with notes on albino and aberrantly pale laniidae world - Herpetology, Athens, etc.; 12 (4): 521-532. BECHTEl , wide; Dutch Birding, Amsterdam; 28: 90-95. OBST , F. J. H. B. (1991): inherited color defects. Comparison & RiCHTER , K. & JACOB , u. & ENGElMANN , W.-E. & between humans and snakes; international Journal of EulENBERGER , K. & KöHlER , H. (1984): lexikon der Dermatology, Oxford; 30 (4): 243-246. BECHTEl , H. B. 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(2006): Not every white bird is ing bogs; pp. 76-77. in: KAVRAKOVA , B. & DiM OVA , D. an albino: sense and nonsense about colour aberrations & DiMiTROV , M. & TZONEV , R. , & BElEV , T. & in birds; Dutch Birding, Amsterdam; 28: 79-89. VölKl , RAKOVSKA , K. (eds.): Guide for identifying habitats of W. & T HiESMEiER , B. (2002): Die Kreuzotter. Ein leben European importance in Bulgaria. Second edition. Sofia in festen Bahnen? Bielefeld (laurenti-Verlag), pp. 159. (The WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme, federation [Beiheft der Zeits chrift für Feldherpetologie Nr. 5]. “Green Balkans”). HAlVARSSON , R. (2011): Blek af nosen; Snoken, Stockholm; 41 (2-3): 19. KABiSCH , K. KEY WORDS: Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: (1990): Wörter buch der Herpetologie; Jena (VEB Viperidae; Vipera berus bosniensis , amelanism, flav - Gustav Fischer Verlag), pp. 477. KOVACHEV , V. 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