New Record of the Rare Vipera Barani Böhme & JOGER, 1983

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New record of the rare Vipera barani BöHME & JOGER, 1983

Baran’s Adder, Vipera barani BöHME & JOGER, 1983, is a little known and rarely encountered viper, reported only from a few localities along the northern coast of Turkey (Fig.1; BöHME & JOGER 1983; JOGER et al. 1997; BARAN et al. 1997, 2001, 2005; BARAN & ATATüR 1998; FRANZEN & HEckES 2000; SiNDAcO et al. 2000; Avci et al. 2004). Along with Vipera darevskii vEDMEDERJA, ORlOv & TUNiYEv, 1986, Vipera kaznakovi NikOlSkY, 1909 and Vipera pontica BilliNG, NilSON & SATTlER, 1990, it is one of four Turkish viper species, repeatedly assigned to the subgenus Pelias MERREM, 1820 sensu ZEROvA (1992) and NilSON & ANDRéN (1997) in the last decades (e.g., GARRiGUESA et al. 2005; ANANJEvA et al. 2006). How - ever, the systematic position of V. barani appears unsetteled (compare e.g., the contra- dictory results of JOGER et al. 2003 and kAlYABiNA-HAUF et al. 2004 versus e.g., GARRiGUESA et al. 2005) which is why morphological data of a recently found specimen is presented here, including a brief overview of current knowledge on this viper’s systematic status. in a classical morphological view, the subgenus Pelias MERREM, 1820 differs from related taxonomic units such as Vipera s. str. lAURENTi, 1768 and Acridophaga REUSS, 1927, in having large and normally irregu- larly fragmented head plates, two apical plates in contact with the rostral, and the upper preocular separated from the nasal by loreals (MAllOW et al. 2003). Moreover, Vipera barani is differentiated from other taxa of the V. berus ‘superspecies’ complex in having higher counts of ventrals and sub- caudals for females, fragmented loreals and head plates and unique coloration (BöHME & JOGER 1983; FRANZEN & HEckES 2000; BARAN et al. 2001, 2005). To clarify the taxonomic status of V. barani and reveal the phylogenetic relation- ship to related taxa, different studies were applied using biochemical methods. JOGER et al. (1997) studied the phylogeny of the V. berus complex with the specific aim of elu- cidating the phylogenetic position of the All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 15.01.2013 15:21 Seite 34

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Fig. 1: known record localities of Vipera barani BöHME & J OGER , 1983, with a star indicating the new locality at kozlu. 1 - 60 km N of Adapazarı (type locality), 2 - Geyve, Adapazarı, 3 - kozlu, Zonguldak, 4 - Silifke, Mersin (?), 5 - İkizce, Ordu, 6 - Dereli, Giresun, 7 - Çaykara, Trabzon, 8 - Ardeşen, Rize, 9 - Artvin. Data from BöHME & J OGER (1983), JOGER et al. (1997), BARAN et al. (1997, 2001, 2005), FRANZEN & H EckES (2000) and Avci et al. (2004).

poorly known species V. barani and V. nikol - was mistakenly reported under the name V. skii . Based on morphology, hemipenis pontica (BARAN et al. 1997) as was the pic - structure and mtDNA information, the ture of a specimen captured in the neighbor - authors concluded that barani might either hood of Çamlıhemşin, Rize ( BARAN & constitute a subspecies of V. berus , or repre - ATATUR 1998). FRANZEN & H EckES (2000) sent a distinct species within the V. berus captured three specimens in the provinces of ‘superspecies’ complex. No definitive new Giresun (south of Dereli) and Rize (south of classification was proposed. JOGER et al. Ardeşen), Black Sea Mountains in north - (2003) and kAlYABiNA -H AUF et al. (2004) eastern Turkey, compared their morphologi - analyzed the phylogeographic relationships cal characters with the data given in previ - within the V. berus complex based on mito - ous studies and provided information on the chondrial gene sequences (cytochrome b, species’ habitat. BARAN et al. (2001) de - 12S and 16S RNA) and classified V. barani scribed the morphology and its variation in as one of five haplotype groups of the three specimens of V. barani , two from the ‘Vipera berus s. l. group’. Trabzon Province (Arpagözü High Plateau, Baran’s viper was first described from southeast of Çaykara) and one from north - 60 km N of Adapazarı in northwestern west of Artvin (near the Georgian border). Anatolia, based on a single female specimen The latter authors concluded that V. pontica (BöHME & J OGER 1983). later, four speci - is conspecific with V. barani as both names mens were confiscated by the Turkish cus - refer to a single species of small viper oc- toms authorities from a private snake col - curring along the Black Sea coast of lector who reported that they were captured Anatolia. Avci et al. (2004) subsequently near Silifke, southern Turkey. Presence of reported V. barani from İkizce, Province of the species in this locality is however Ordu, in the Black Sea Mountains in north - strongly doubted ( JOGER et al. 1997; BARAN eastern Turkey. Twenty-one years after the & A TATüR 1998; BARAN et al. 2001, 2005). original description of the species, an adult The occurrence of the viper at Çamlıhemşin female specimen was recorded from near All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 15.01.2013 15:21 Seite 35

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A B

Fig. 2: The new record of a male specimen of Vipera barani BöHME & J OGER , 1983, from kozluk, Zonguldak, Turkey (ZDEU.11/2010) from dorsal (A) and ventral (B).

Adapazarı (Geyve) again ( BARAN et al. Zoology lab of the Department of Biology 2005). at Science Faculty. Material.- ZDEU.11/2010 (Fig. 2), Two metric measurements (taken to the male V. barani from kozlu, Zonguldak, nearest millimeter using a ruler) and 12 Turkey, found dead at 445 m a.s.l., on No- pholidosis counts of the new specimen are vember 11, 2010, by Muhsin ÇOğAl . The presented along with comparative informa - specimen which was fixed in 96 % ethanol tion to 16 other known specimens. The ven - and later kept in 70 % ethanol ( BAşOğlU & tral plates were counted ac cording to DOW- BARAN 1980) was incorporated into the col - liNG (1951), the terminology used in de- lection of ZDEU (Zoology Department of scribing the specimen conforms to BöHME & Ege University, Turkey) and stored in the JOGER (1983) and NilSON & A NDRéN (2001).

Fig. 3: Habitat of Vipera barani BöHME & J OGER , 1983, at kozluk, Zonguldak, Turkey, 445 m a.s.l. All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 15.01.2013 15:21 Seite 36

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Description (For counts and meas - species being beech ( Fagus orientalis ), horn- urements see Table 1) .- Head moderately beam ( Carpinus betulus ), oak ( Quercus sp.), large and fairly distinct, its lateral faces flat chestnut ( Castanea sativa ) and pine (Pinus and almost vertical. Rostral bumped, virtu - brutia ), including shrubs, such as rhododen - ally not visible from above. Scales and dron (Rhododendron luteum ). Sym patric plates on anterior head smooth; carinate amphibian and reptile species observed were scales present only posterior to supraocu - Bufo bufo (liNNEAUS , 1758), Bufo variabilis lars. Two apicals in contact with rostral; (PAllAS , 1769) , Anguis fragilis liN NEAUS , four gulars, two canthals, four loreals and 1758 , Darevskia rudis (BE DRiAGA , 1886), one supraocular. Nine upper labials, fourth Lacerta viridis (lAURENTi , 1768) and Natrix and fifth are largest, 12 lower labials. tessellata (lAURENTi , 1768). in addition, the Frontal and parietal fragmented. Dorsal rodent species Muscardinus avel lanarius scales strongly keeled except those on the (liNNEAUS , 1758), Myodes glareolus (ScHRE - rows adjoining the ventrals. The first large BER , 1780) and Apodemus uralensis (PAllAS , pair of gulars encompasses a number of 1811) were found in the area. small and fine scutes. ventrals 2+145; sub - Threats.- The iUcN Red list of caudals paired. Total length 520 mm. threatened species lists V. barani as ‘Near The male specimen is almost totally Threatened’ because of a significant decline black (Fig. 2). However, upper labials on due to over-harvesting for the international each side are yellowish-white with black pet trade, which almost qualifies for the sta - edges and whitish blotches are present at the tus of ‘vulnerable’. This and the negative posterior half of the lower labials. The development of its habitats, along with whitish blotches on upper and lower labials increasing tourism and persecution through form fine lines extending backwards to locals, accounts for the major threats ( TOk where the ventrals make contact with the et al. 2009). first row of dorsal scales and becoming AckNOWlEDGMENTS: The authors ack- sparse towards the posterior. Whitish spots nowledge the use of the program Maptool for analysis of different size are present on the underside and graphics in this paper. Maptool is a product of of the head. The ventral side is of lighter Seaturtle.org (available at www.seaturtle.org/maptool/). ground color than the deep black dorsal REFERENcES: ANANJEvA , N. B. & O RlOv , N. scales and covered with dense white spots, l. & k HAlikOv , R. G. & D AREvSkY , i. S. & R YABOv , i. S. & B ARABANOv , A. v. (2006): The reptiles of North which disappear toward the vent opening. Eurasia. Taxonomic diversity, distribution, conserva - The yellowish white color of the tail tip is tion Status. Sofia (Pensoft Publishers), pp. 245. Avci , restricted to seven terminal subcaudal scales A. & ü ZüM , N. & O lGUN , k . (2004): A new record of and the last three scale rings on the dorsal Vipera barani BöHME & J OGER , 1983 (Reptilia, viperidae) from north-eastern Anatolia, Turkey.- side of the tail. Russian Journal of Herpetology, Moskva; 11 (1): 77- in its morphology and color-pattern, 79. BARAN , İ. & T OSUNOğlU , M. & k AYA , M. & ZDEU.11/2010 corresponds well with the kUMlUTAş , Y. (1997): On the herpetofauna of the other known individuals (comp. Table 1 vicinity of Çamlıhemşin.- Turkish Journal of Zoology, Ankara; 21: 409-416. 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(2005): Geographical distributions and taxo - from kozluk, Zonguldak reasonably bridges nomical states of Telescopus fallax (FlEiScHMAN , the important gap between these two dis - 1831) and Vipera barani BöHME & J OGER , 1983.- tinct geographic regions. Turkish Journal of Zoology, Ankara; 29: 217-224. BA- şOğlU , M. & B ARAN , İ. (1980): Türkiye sürüngenleri. Habitat.- The locality in which the kısım ii. Yılanlar.- Ege üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi, specimen was found showed a rich diversi - kitaplar Serisi, İzmir; 76: 1-217. BöHME , W. & J OGER , ty of ligneous plants (Fig. 3), the dominant U. (1983): Eine neue Art des Vipera berus komplexes All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 15.01.2013 15:21 Seite 38

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aus der Türkei.- Amphibia-Reptilia, leiden; 4: 265- kEY WORDS: Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: 271. DOWliNG , H. G. (1951): A proposed standard of viperidae, v ipera (Pelias ) barani , new record locality, counting ventrals in snakes.- British Journal of Herpe- distribution, Turkey tology, london; 1: 97-99. FRANZEN , M. & H EckES , U. SUBMiTTED: April 19, 2012 (2000): Vipera barani BöHME & J OGER , 1983 aus dem östlichen Pontus-Gebirge, Türkei: Differentialmerk- AUTHORS: Yusuf kUMlUTAş , (corresponding male, verbreitung, Habitate.- Spixiana, München; 23: author < [email protected] >), Dokuz Eylül 61-70. GARRiGUESA , T. & D AUGAB , c. & F ERqUElc , E. University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, & c HOUMETD , v. & F AillOUxA , A.-B . (2005): Molec- Buca-İzmir, Turkey; Mustafa SöZEN , Zonguldak ular phylogeny of Vipera lAURENTi , 1768 and the relat - karaelmas University, Faculty of Science and Arts, ed genera Macrovipera (REUSS , 1927) and Daboia Department of Biology, Zonguldak, Turkey < spalax - (GRAY , 1842), with comments about neurotoxic Vipera [email protected] >; Çetin ilGAZ , Dokuz Eylül Uni- aspis aspis populations.- Molecular Phylogenetics and versity, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Evolution, San Diego; 35: 35-47. JOGER , U. & k AlYA - Buca-İzmir, Turkey < [email protected] > BiNA -H AUF , S. A. S cHWEiGER , S. M AYER , W. & O RlOv , N. l. & WiNk , M. (2003): Phylogeny of Eurasian Vipera (Subgenus Pelias ).- 12th Ordinary General Meeting of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica, St. Petersburg, Russia, 12-16 August 2003. Abstracts: 77. JOGER , U. & lENk , P. & B ARAN , İ. & B öHME , W. & Z iEGlER , T. & HEiDRicH , P. & W iNk , M. ( 1997): The phylogenetic position of Vipera barani and of V. nikolskii within the Vipera berus complex ; pp. 185-194. in: BöHME , W. & BiScHOFF , W. & Z iEGlER , T. (eds.): Herpetologia Bonnensis. Bonn (Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum A. koenig). kAlYABiNA -H AUF , S. & S cHWEi - GER , S. & J OGER , U. & M AYER , W. & O RlOv , N. & WiNk , M. (2004): Phylogeny and systematics of adders (Vipera berus complex ).- Mertensiella, Rheinbach; 15: 7-15. lENk , P. & k AlYABiNA -H AUF , S . & WiNk , M. & JOGER , U. (2001): Evolutionary relationships among the true vipers (Reptilia: viperidae) inferred from mito - chondrial DNA sequences.- Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, San Diego; 19: 94-104. MAllOW , D. & lUDWiG , D. & N ilSON , G. (2003): True vipers. Natural history and toxicology of old world vipers. Malabar, Florida (krieger Publishing company), pp. 359. NilSON , G. & A NDRéN , c . (1997): Evolution, systemat - ics and biogeography of Palaearctic vipers; pp. 31-42. in: THORPE , R. S. & W üSTER , W. & M AlHOTRA , A. (eds.): venomous snakes: ecology, evolution and snakebite. Oxford (clarendon Press) [volume 70 of the series Symposia of the Zoological Society of london]. NilSON , G. & A NDRéN , c. (2001): The meadow and steppe vipers of Europe and Asia. The Vipera (Acrido - phaga ) ursinii complex.- Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, Budapest; 47 (2/3): 87-267. SiNDAcO , R. & v ENcHi , A. & c ARPANETO , G. M. & BOlOGNO , M. (2000): The reptiles of Anatolia: a check - list and zoogeographical analysis.- Biogeographia, Bologna; 21: 441-554. TOk , c. v. & U ğURTAş , İ. & SEviNÇ , M. & B öHME , W. & c ROcHET , P. A. & J OGER , U. & k ASkA , Y. & k UMlUTAş , Y. & k AYA , U. & A vci , A. & üZüM , N. & Y ENiYURT , c. & A kARSU , F. (2009): Vipera barani . in: iUcN 2012. iUcN Red list of Threatened Species. WWW document available at http://www. iucnredlist.org (last accessed 2 December, 2012). vENcHi , A. & S iNDAcO , R. ( 2006): Annotated checklist of the reptiles of the Mediterranean countries, with keys to species identification. Part 2 - Snakes (Reptilia, Serpentes).- Annali del Museo civico di Sto ria Naturale ‘G. Doria’, Genova; 98: 259-364. ZEROvA , G . (1992): Vipera (Daboia ukrainica ) - a new viper (Ser pentes: viperidae) from the middle Sarmatian (Upper Miocene) of the Ukraine.- Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen, Stuttgart; 184: 235-249.