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POliTANO , E. & A kANi , G. C. (2003): Seasonal inci - to species rank by JOGER (2005). mono- dence, sex-ratio, and population cohorts of hinge-back phyly of Montivipera and its above group - tortoises (genus Kinixys ) in the wild and in bush-meat markets of the Niger Delta, southern Nigeria: Are ing into two lineages was largely corrobo - human predation effects random?- Revue d’Ecologie rated by molecular analyses ( HERRmANN et (Terre et Vie), Paris; 58: 243-248. OPukRi , C. O. & al. 1999; lENk et al. 2001; STümPEl & ibADA , i. S. (2008): Oil induced environmental degra - JOGER 2009). dation and internal population displacement in the Nigeria’s Niger Delta.- international Journal of NilSON & A NDRéN (1984) specified Sustainable Development, Fayetteville, NC; 10: 1-21. the type locality of V. wagneri as ‘vicinity of SEGNiAGbETO , G. H. & A FiADEmAGNO , k. & A kANi , G. C. lake urmia (“Armenisch-Persische Gren- & P ETROZZi , F. & l uiSElli , l. (2015): Sex-ratio, size- ze”), province Azarbaijan, N. W. iran’ ac- structure and morphometrics of turtle populations from Togo, West Africa.- Herpetozoa, Wien; 28 (1/2): 29-38. cording to the data in the catalogue of the kEY WORDS: Reptilia: Testudines: Pelome- Zoological museum of Göttingen (Ger - dusidae; Pelusios niger , morphology, morphometrics, many). J OGER et al. (1988), however, rated biology, reproduction, ecology, water quality; Aven, the above specification ‘N. W. iran’ as Forcados River, Nigeria doubtful. later, additional records were re - SubmiTTED: November 15, 2013 ported from northeastern Anatolia but not AuTHORS: Godfrey C. AkANi 1) , Fabio iran ( NilSON & A NDRéN 1986 ; TEYNié 1987; 1, 2) 3) PETROZZi , Gabriel H. SEGNiAGbETO & luca JOGER et al. 1988; NilSON et al. 1988; luiSElli (Corresponding author < [email protected] >) 1, 4) SiNDACO et al. 2000, 2013; bARAN et al. 1) Department of Applied & Environmental 2004, 2012; STümPEl & J OGER 2009). biology, Rivers State university of Science & Technology, P.m.b 5080, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, material.– The authors (Y. k. & Ç. Nigeria < [email protected] >. i) found a single adult female (sex was 2) Ecologia Applicata italia s.r.l., viale Jenner determined by the absence of hemipenes) of 70, i-00151 Rome, italy < [email protected] >. M. wagneri near Horasan, Erzurum, Turkey, 3) Département de Zoologie et biologie animale, Faculté des Sciences, université de lomé, bP 1515, at 1,718 m a.s.l. in the early afternoon lomé, Togo < [email protected] >. (13:00 h) of July 21, 2013 (Fig. 1) repre - 4) Centre of Environmental Studies DEmETRA, senting the snake’s westernmost known Via Olona 7, i-00198 Rome, italy. record (compare maps in SiNDACO et al. 2000, 2013). morpholo gical and colorpat - tern traits were recorded prior to the speci - Westernmost record of men’s release in the original habitat. To Montivipera wagneri avoid collecting, the location is not referred (NilSON & A NDRéN , 1984) to in detail. Snout-vent length and tail length were taken to the nearest millimeter Montivipera wagneri (NilSON & A ND- using a ruler; the ventral plates were RéN , 1984), a mountain viper endemic to counted according to DOWliNG (1951), the Turkey and maybe adjacent northwestern terminology used conforms to NilSON & iran, was described on the basis of a single ANDRéN (1984), J OGER et al. (1988) and female museum specimen as Vipera wag - bARAN et al. (2004). neri , a taxon that was subject to controver - Size and scalation.– Total length sial interpretations of species concepts 535 mm (snout-vent length 493 mm; tail (SCHäTTi et al. 1991, 1992; NilSON & A ND- length 42 mm); head relatively large and RéN 1992 ). The subgenus Montivipera was elongate, distinct from the neck, covered by introduced by NilSON et al. (1999) for small scales except enlarged supraoculars. vipers of the xanthina ‘complex’ [ M. wag - Snout rounded, covered with small keeled neri , M. xanthina (GRAY , 1849), M. albi - scales. Supraoculars in broad contact with zona (NilSON , A ND RéN & F läRDH , 1990), the eye; no scales between supraoculars and M. bulgardaghica (NilSON & A NDRéN , the eye . measurements and counts are pre - 1985) and M. bornmuelleri (WERNER , sented on Table 1 along with comparative 1898)] and the raddei ‘complex’ [ M. raddei information to eight other known speci - (bOETTGER , 1890) including its possible mens. synonym M. albicornuta (NilSON & A ND- Colorpattern.– The gray ground RéN , 1985) and M. latifi (mERTENS , D A- color of the dorsum is covered by rounded REVSkY & k lEmmER , 1967)] and later raised blotches, each with a light brown center, AutorenPDF-Vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:25 Seite 11

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Fig. 1: The female Montivipera wagneri (NilSON & A NDRéN , 1984), from near Horasan, Erzurum, Turkey.

Fig. 2: Habitat of Montivipera wagneri (NilSON & A NDRéN , 1984), near Horasan, Erzurum, Turkey, 1718 m a.s.l. AutorenPDF-Vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:25 Seite 12

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Table 1: morphometric data of the Montivipera wagneri (NilSON & A NDRéN , 1984) specimen reported here and eight individuals described in the literature. legend to the abbreviations in column one: An – anal, Ap – api - cals, C – canthals (left/right), COa – outer series of circumoculars (left/right) (without supraoculars), COb – inner series of circumoculars (left/right), Db – dorsal blotches, DS – longitudinal rows of dorsal scales (at mid-body i.e., level of ventrals number 60-75), Eul – scale rows between eye and upper labials (left/right), F – female, iC – inter - canthals (scales between apicals, canthals and intersupraoculars), iO – interoculars (in a row between supraocu - lars), iSO – intersupraoculars, ll – lower labials (left/right), m – male, PV – preventrals, SC – subcaudals (left/right), SO – supraocular scale rows, SVl – snout-vent length, Tl – tail length, ul – upper labials (left/right), V – ventrals.

This study NilSON & A NDRéN JOGER et al. (1988) (six specimens) bARAN et al. (1984) (2004) Gender FFFmmmmmF An 11------Ap 22------2 C 1/1 1/1 ------2/2 COa 13/13 14/15 13/13 12/12 13/13 13/13 12/12 12/13 12/13 COb 15/16 16/14 ------Db 24 24 ------DS 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 Eul 2/2 2/2 ------iC 14 14 ------iO 76------iSO 29 29 ------ll 13/13 12/13 ------11/12 PV 2322222- SC 26/26 23/24 25/26 30/31 30/31 29/30 29/30 30/31 27/27 SO 22------SVl (mm) 493 270 ------580 Tl (mm) 42 21 ------56 ul 10/9 9/9 ------8/8 V 161 161 165 167 166 163 162

surrounded by a dark brown or blackish specimen was observed was alpine and sub - edge. The blotches, numbering 24 in total, alpine grassland on calcareous bedrock at are connected on the anterior and posterior 1,718 m a.s.l. (Fig. 2). portions of the dorsum (14) and discrete The iuCN red list of threatened along its middle part (10). On both sides of species lists M. wagneri as ‘Critically En - the body, there are dark colored vertical bars, dangered’ because of more than 80 % of which are connected to the dorsal blotches population decline due to exploitation and and reach the lateral edge of the ventrals. collection for the international pet trade dur - There is one temporal stripe ex tending from ing the snake’s past three generations (18 the posterior border of the eye along the side years). Continued population declines are of the head. On the upper part of the head, predicted for the future from over-collection two dark colored oblong blotches form a and a planned dam construction in the Aras medially interrupted V. The ventral side is River Valley. The construction of the kara- dirty white with dense dark spots. kurt dam complex would lead to a loss of in its morphology and colorpattern, over 80 % of the potential habitat for this the new specimen corresponds well with the species ( kASkA et al. 2009). Montivipera other known individuals as described by wagneri is listed in Appendix ii of both NilSON & A NDRéN (1984), JOGER et al. (1988) bern Convention < http://conventions.coe. and bARAN et al. (2004) (comp. Table 1). int/Treaty/EN/Treaties/Html/104.htm > and Habitat.– in general, this species CiTES (Convention on international Trade prefers densely vegetated rock areas, stream in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and valleys and other moist, vegetated places Flora, also known as the Washington (mAllOW et al. 2003) at altitudes between Convention < http://cites.org/ >). 1,200 and 2,000 m a.s.l. ( bARAN & ATATüR REFERENCES: bARAN , İ. & ATATüR , m. k. 1998). The locality in which the present (1998): Türkiye herpetofaunası (kurbağa ve sürüngen - AutorenPDF-Vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:25 Seite 13

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ler) [Turkish herpetofauna (amphibians & reptiles)]. update to volume 1. latina (Edizioni belvedere), pp. Ankara (Republic of Turkey, ministry of Environ- 543. STümPEl , N. & J OGER , u. (2009): Recent advan - ment), pp. Xiii, 214. bARAN , İ. & i lGAZ , Ç. & A VCi , A. ces in phylogeny and taxonomy of Near and middle & k umluTAş , Y. & O lGuN , k. (2012): Türkiye amfibi Eastern Vipers – an update.- Zookeys, Sofia; 31: 179- ve sürüngenleri. (Amphibians and reptiles of Turkey). 191. TEYNié , A. ( 1987): Observations herpetologiques Ankara (TübİTAk Popüler bilim kitapları) pp. 204. en Turquie, l ère partie.- bulletin de la Société bARAN , İ. & k umluTAş , Y. & T Ok , C.V. & O lGuN , k. Herpétologique de France, Paris; 43: 9-18. & i lGAZ , Ç. & k ASkA , Y. & T üRkOZAN , O. & İ RET , F. kEY WORDS: Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: (2004): On two herpetological collections made in east Viperidae, Montivipera wagneri , new record locality, Anatolia (Turkey).- Herpetozoa, Wien; 16 (3/4): 99- distribution, Horasan, Erzurum, Anatolia, Turkey 114. DOWliNG , H. G. (1951): A proposed standard of counting ventrals in snakes.- british Journal Herpeto- SubmiTTED: November 26, 2013. logy, london; 1: 97-99. HERRmANN , H. W. & J OGER , AuTHORS: Yusuf kumluTAş , (Corresponding u. & l ENk , P. & W iNk , m. (1999): morphological and author < [email protected] >) – Dokuz Eylül molecular phylogenies of viperines: Conflicting evi - university, Faculty of Science, Department of biology, dence? kaupia, Darmstadt; 8: 21-30. JOGER , u. (2005): buca-İzmir, Turkey; Çetin ilGAZ – Dokuz Eylül Montivipera NilSON , T uNiYEV , A NDREN , O RlOV , J OGER , university, Faculty of Science , Department of biology, HERRmAN , 1999; pp. 61-62. in: böHmE , W. (Ed.): buca-İzmir, Turkey < [email protected] >; kamil Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibian Europas. CANDAN , Ege university, Faculty of Science, Depart- Wiesbaden (AulA Verlag). JOGER , u. & T EYNié , A. & ment of biology, bornova-İzmir, Turkey < kamilcandan FuCHS , D. (1988): morphological characterization of @yahoo.com >. Vipera wagneri NilSON & A NDRéN , 1984 (Reptilia: Viperidae), with first description of the males.- bonner Zoologische beiträge, bonn; 39 (2/3): 221-228. kASkA , Y. & k umluTAş , Y. & A VCi , A. & N ilSON , G. (2009): Montivipera wagneri . in: iuCN 2012. iuCN Size of caimans killed by humans Red list of Threatened Species. WWW document at a hydroelectric dam in the available at < http://www.iucnredlist.org > (last ac- cessed: June 17, 2014). lENk , P. & k AlYAbiNA -H AuF , madeira River, brazilian Amazon S. & WiNk , m. & J OGER , u. (2001): Evolution ary rela - tionships among the true vipers (Reptilia: Viperidae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA se quences.- Crocodilians face conflicts with hu- molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, San Diego; mans where they use aquatic environments 19: 94-104. mAllOW , D. & l uDWiG , D. & N ilSON , G. to seek food, leisure and housing. The Nile (2003): True vipers. Natural history and toxicology of Crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus lAuRENTi , old world vipers. malabar, Florida, (krieger Publishing Company), pp. 359. NilSON , G. & A NDR éN, C. ( 1984): 1768 , and the Saltwater Crocodile, Croco - Systematics of the Vipera xanthina complex (Reptilia: dylus porosus SCHNEiDER , 1801, are among Viperidae). 2. An overlooked viper within the xanthina the species that most frequently attack species-group in iran.- bonner Zoologische beiträge, humans ( bOYlE et al. 2009; WEbb et al. bonn; 35 (1/3): 175-184 . NilSON , G. & A NDRéN , C. (1986): The mountain vipers of the middle East - the 2010), but also other species are killed by Vipera xanthina complex (Reptilia: Viperidae).- local people, who believe that the crocodil - bonner Zoologische monographien, bonn; 20: 1-90. ians compete with them for food, principal - NilSON , G. & A NDRéN , C. (1992): The species concept ly fish. killing of crocodilians has intensi - in the Vipera xanthina complex: reflecting evolution - ary history or hiding biological diversity?- Amphibia- fied with habitat loss caused by fishing, Reptilia, leiden; 13: 421-424. NilSON , G. & A NDR éN, sand mining, hydropower, tourism and C. & F läRDH , b. (1988): Die Vipern der Türkei. housing in areas close to rivers and other Salaman dra, Rheinbach; 24 (4): 215-247. NilSON , G. aquatic environments ( FERGuSSON 2010). & TuNiYEV , b. & A NDRéN , C. & O RlOV , N. & J OGER , u. & H ERRmANN , H. (1999): Taxonomic position of the This has caused an increase in the likelihood Vipera xanthina complex.- Darmstädter beiträge zur of attacks on humans ( WAllACE et al. Naturgeschichte, Darmstadt, 8: 99-102. SCHäTTi , b. & 2012). bARAN , İ. & S iGG , H. (1991): Rediscovery of the Four species of crocodilians occur in bolkar viper: morphological variation and systematic implications on the ‘ Vipera xanthina complex’.- the Amazon region, and one, the black Amphibia-Reptilia, leiden; 12: 305-327. SCHäTTi , b. Caiman, Melanosuchus niger (S PiX , 1825) , & b ARAN , İ. & S iGG , H. (1992): The ‘ Vipera xanthina can reach 6.0 m in length ( mEDEm 1983). complex’ – a reply to NilSON and ANDRéN .- Amphibia- There are many reports of attacks on Reptilia, leiden; 13: 425. SiNDACO , R. & V ENCHi , A. & C ARPANETO , G. m. & b OlOGNO , m. (2000): The rep - humans during activities, such as fishing, on tiles of Anatolia: A checklist and zoogeographical the shores and rivers ( DA SilVEiRA & analysis.- biogeographia, bologna; 21: 441- 554. THORbJARNARSON 2010; HADDAD & F ON- SiNDACO , R. & V ENCHi , A. & G RiECO , C. (2013): The reptiles of the Western Palearctic. 2. Annotated check - SECA 2011). Fishing with fixed hooks is not list and distributional atlas of the snakes of Europe, prohibited under brazilian law and fisher - North Africa, middle East and Central Asia, with an men make use of this practice in many