DOCSLIB.ORG

Pelobates Syriacus Boettger, 1889) Rodrigues, M.T

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Pelobates Syriacus Boettger, 1889) Rodrigues, M.T Correspondence –Notes 175 Recoder, R., Nogueira, C. (2007): Composição e diversidade de First record of the eastern spadefoot répteis na região sul do Parque Nacional Grande Sertão Veredas, Brasil Central. Biota Neotropica 7(3): 267-278. toad (Pelobates syriacus Boettger, 1889) Rodrigues, M.T. (1984a): Uma nova espécie brasileira de Tropidurus com crista dorsal (Sauria, Iguanidae). Papéis Avulsos de in Albania Zoologia 35(16): 169-175. Rodrigues, M.T. (1984b): Notobachia ablephara: novo gênero e espécie Albania has a rich herpetofauna with 58 species, do nordeste do Brasil (Sauria, Teiidae). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 35(28): 361-366. 16 known amphibians and 42 known reptiles Rodrigues, M.T. (1991a): Herpetofauna das dunas interiores do Rio (Bruno 1989, Haxhiu 1994, 1998, Jablonski 2011). São Francisco: Bahia: Brasil: I. Introdução à área e descrição de Despite the diversity of the country, intensive re- um novo gênero de microteiídeos (Calyptommatus) com notas sobre sua ecologia, distribuição e especiação (Sauria, Teiidae). search and mapping of the distribution of its spe- Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 37(19): 285-320. cies are lacking (Sillero et al. 2014). To fill this gap, Rodrigues, M.T. (1991b): Herpetofauna das dunas interiores do Rio we started to assemble the published and unpub- São Francisco: Bahia: Brasil: II. Psilophthalmus: um novo gênero de microteiídeos sem pálpebras (Sauria, Teiidae). Papéis lished records of the herpetofauna of Albania in a Avulsos de Zoologia 37(20): 321-327. geodatabase, which allows us to understand the Rodrigues, M.T. (1991c): Herpetofauna das dunas interiores do Rio geographic pattern of species distributions and São Francisco: Bahia: Brasil: III. Procellosaurinus: um novo gênero de microteiídeos sem pálpebras, com a redefinição do gênero diversity (Mizsei et al. 2017). Gymnophthalmus (Sauria, Teiidae). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia Populations of P. syriacus are known from the 37(21): 329-342. central and south-eastern Balkan Peninsula, Tran- Rodrigues, M.T. (1996): Lizards, snakes and amphisbaenians from the Quaternary sand dunes of the middle rio São Francisco: scaucasia, northern Iran, Turkey and the Middle Bahia: Brazil. Journal of Herpetology 30(4): 513-523. East (Džukić et al. 2008, Budak & Göçmen 2008). Rodrigues, M.T., Zaher, H., Curcio, F. (2001): A new species of Although P. syriacus is included in a national lizard, gênus Calyptommatus, from the caatingas of the state of piaui, northeastern Brazil (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae). register on the fauna of Albania (Dhora 2010), we Papeis Avulsos de Zoologia 41(28): 529-546. were unable to find any location data by review- Silveira, F.A.O., Negreiros, D., Barbosa, N.P.U., Buisson, E., Carmo, ing the literature. One reason for this is that the F.F., Carstensen, D. W., Conceição, A.A., Cornelissen, T.G., Echternacht, L., Fernandes, G.W., Garcia, Q.S., Guerra, T.J., register also includes species which live around Jacobi, C.M.,Lemos-Filho, J.P., Le Stradic, S., Morellato, L.P.C., transboundary lakes or rivers shared with Neves, F.S., Oliveira, R.S., Schaefer, C.E., Viana, P.L., Lambers, neighbouring countries. Bruno (1989) mentioned H. (2015): Ecology and evolution of plant diversity in the endangered campo rupestre: a neglected conservation priority. sightings of the species close to the Albanian bor- Plant Soil 403: 129-152. der in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Mace- donia on the shores of transboundary lakes Ohrid Key words: Psammophilous, Caatinga, Cerrado, Espin- and Prespa, but not in Albania. However, he pos- haço Range, biogeography. tulated that P. syriacus is present in Albania, and Article No.: e162504 we decided to search for the species based on his Received: 09. November 2015 / Accepted: 08. March 2016 suggestion. Available online: 30. March 2016 / Printed: June 2017 On 05 May 2015, we confirmed the presence of P. syriacus within the borders of Albania near the Hans THOMASSEN1,*, village of Kallamas on the shore of Lake Prespa Samuel Campos GOMIDES1, (N40.89°, E20.93°, 841 m above sea level) (Fig. 1.). Emanuel Teixeira da SILVA1, We found the animal during visual surveys with Hugo B. A. PINTO2, Felipe S. F. LEITE3 torches at night at c. 22:00 pm, as it was moving in and Paulo C. A. GARCIA1 shallow water (~2 cm) in a grazed meadow with short grassy vegetation (~10 cm) flooded by the 1. Laboratório de Herpetologia, Universidade Federal de Minas lake. In a subsequent visit on 20 July 2015, we Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. found two additional individuals close to our first 2. Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, observation. We heard the breeding calls of three Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Répteis e An- other amphibian species in May in the same habi- fíbios-RAN, 74605090, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. 3. Universidade Federal de Viçosa, campus Florestal, Florestal, Ro- tat, the green toad (Bufotes viridis), the green tree- dovia LMG 818, km 06, 35690-000, MG, Brazil. frog (Hyla arborea) and the marsh frog (Pelophylax * Corresponding author, H. Thomassen, Email: ridibundus). However, we did not hear the calling [email protected] of P. syriacus. Nevertheless, we assume that the lake itself serves as a breeding site due to the scar- city of other wetlands suitable for reproduction in the vicinity of the new locality. 176 North-Western Journal of Zoology 13(1) / 2017 Key words: amphibia, faunistics, herpetofauna, Prespa, Balkan. Article No.: e167501 Received: 19. November 2015 / Accepted: 27. February 2016 Available online: 30. March 2016 / Printed: June 2017 Márton SZABOLCS1,2,* and Edvárd MIZSEI3 1. Department of Tisza River Research, Danube Research Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Bem tér 18/C, 4026 Debrecen, Hungary. 2. Pál Juhász-Nagy Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary. 3. Department of Evolutionary Zoology & Human Biology, Univer- sity of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary. *Corresponding author, N. Szabolcs, E-mail: [email protected] Figure 1. The location of Albania in Europe (A), a topog- raphical map of Albania, with main waterbodies, where the star indicates the new locality of Pelobates syriacus (B), and a photograph of the first P. syriacus found in Albania (C). Underground occurrences of three species of amphibians and reptiles Acknowledgments. We thank the volunteers of the with special emphasis Greek Meadow Viper Working Group, especially Ádám on Rana latastei (Amphibia: Anura) Lovas-Kiss, for the help in the field trips. Traveling costs were provided by Balassi Institute, Hungary, Campus The Italian agile frog, Rana latastei Boulenger, 1879 Hungary Programme (B2/1CS/19196). Our efforts to map is an endemic species of the Padano-Venetian the herpetofauna of Albania was supported by the Societas Europea Herpetologica’s SEH Grant in plain, the Po plain hills, Canton Ticino and Istria Herpetology 2015 – Mapping and Distributions. (Barbieri & Bernini 2004). As a whole, the general distribution limits of this species are well known References (Bruno 1977, Grossenbacher 1982, Burlin & Dolce Bruno, S. (1989): Introduction to a study of the herpetofauna of Albania. British Herpetological Society Bulletin 29: 16-41. 1986, Gasc et al. 1997, Glasnović 2012), but the Budak, A., Göçmen, B. (2008): Herpetoloji (Herpetology), Ege borders of the distribution areas are not clear yet. Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Distribution of R. latastei in Croatia is restricted to Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226p. Dhora, D. (2010): Register of species of the fauna of Albania. the central and northern part of Istria (Schmidtler Shkodër, Albania, Botimet Camaj-Pipa, 208p. 1977, Burlin & Dolce 1986, Gasc et al. 1997, Kul- Džukić, G., Beškov, V., Sidorocska, V., Cogălniceanu, D., Kalezić, jerić 2011). The Pazinčica river represents the M.L. (2008): Contemporary chorology of the spadefoot toads (Pelobates spp.) in the Balkan Peninsula. Zeitschrift für southernmost record of R. latastei (Kuljerić 2009, Feldherpetologie 15: 1-18. 2011). Haxhiu, I. (1994): The herpetofauna of Albania, Amphibia: species According to the known habitat requirements composition, distribution, habitats. Zoologische Jahrbuecher Systematik 17: 199-202. of R. latastei, it is restricted to lowlands and occu- Haxhiu, I. (1998): The reptilia of Albania: species composition, pies humid oak-hornbeam forest, hygrophilous distribution, habitats. Bonner Zoologische Beitrage 48(1): 35-57. woods of the Cladio-Fraxinetum angustifoliae asso- Jablonski, D. (2011): Reptiles and amphibians of Albania with new records and notes on occurence and distribution. Acta Societatis ciation and riparian woods (Barbieri & Mazzotti Zoologicae Bohemicae 75: 223-238. 2006). Sometimes it may be found in more open Mizsei, E., Jablonski, D., Végvári, Z., Lengyel, S., Szabolcs, M. areas such as peat bogs, sedge banks and swamps (2017): Distribution and diversity of reptiles in Albania: a novel database from a Mediterranean hotspot. Amphibia-Reptilia 38: (Jelić et al. 2012). During the biospeleological and 157-173. cave diving exploration into the Pazinska jama, Sillero, N., Campos, J., Bonardi, A., Corti, C., Creemers, R., Crochet, three different amphibian and reptile species were P-A., Crnobrnja Isailović, J., Denoël, M., Ficetola, G.F., Gonçalves, J., Kuzmin, S., Lymberakis, P., de Pous, P., observed in the cave system, including the first re- Rodríguez, A., Sindaco, R., Speybroek, J., Toxopeus, B., Vieites, cord of R. latastei inside a Croatian cave. The only D.R., Vences, M., (2014): Updated distribution and other record of this species from inside a cave is biogeography of amphibians and reptiles of Europe. Amphibia- Reptilia 35: 1-31. from Italy (Bressi & Dolce 1999). The species is .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Genetic Variation Among Various Populations of Spadefoot Toads (Pelobates Syriacus, Boettger, 1869) at Breeding Sites in Northern Israel
    Advances in Biological Chemistry, 2013, 3, 440-447 ABC http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/abc.2013.35047 Published Online October 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/abc/) Genetic Variation among various populations of spadefoot toads (Pelobates syriacus, Boettger, 1869) at breeding sites in northern Israel Gad Degani School of Science and Technology, Tel Hai Academic College, Upper Galilee, Israel Email: [email protected] Received 1 August 2013; revised 9 September 2013; accepted 21 September 2013 Copyright © 2013 Gad Degani. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ABSTRACT 1. INTRODUCTION A genetic study was carried out on spadefoot toads Spadefoot toads (Pelobates syriacus) are distributed in: (Pelobates syriacus) from habitats of various locations Azerbaijan (syriacus), Bulgaria (balcanicus), Greece and altitudes in northern Israel. Cytochrome b and (balcanicus), Iran (syriacus), Iraq (syriacus), Israel 12S were amplified by PCR for the analysis of genetic (syriacus), Lebanon (syriacus), Romania (balcanicus), variation based on five DNA polymorphisms and for Russia (syriacus), Syria (syriacus) and Turkey (syriacus). RAPD PCR. The nucleotide sequences of the mito- They belong to Pelobatidae, with only one genus, Pelo- chondrial DNA fragments were determined from a bates, which contains four species [1-3]. Dzukic et al. [3] 460 bp clone of cytochrome b and a 380 bp clone of reported that the distribution range of P. syriacus in the 12S (GenBank accession numbers, FJ595199-FJ59- Balkans is much larger than the previously known, rather 5203). No genetic variation was found among the compact but disjunctive.
    [Show full text]
  • Pandion Wild Tours
    PANDION Wild Tours & Pelican Birding Lodge WILDLIFE HOLIDAYS IN BULGARIA, GREECE AND ROMANIA 2017 TOUR CALENDAR CONTENT Dear wildlife lovers, PANDION Wild Tours we will be really happy to take you on BIRDING TOURS a virtual journey to Bulgaria using as st th a vehicle this catalogue of ours. 21 – 29 Jan. 2017 Winter tour in Bulgaria..................2 Our tour agency, “Pandion Wild Tours”, 21 st April – 2nd May 2017 Spring birding tour has endeavoured for already 23 years to welcome Bulgaria and Greece.......................5 nature lovers from almost all European countries, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, Canada 26th May – 4th June 2017 Spring Birding in Bulgaria............8 and Japan. We are the oldest and most experienced 27th May – 3th June 2017 Wallcreeper & company for wildlife touring in Bulgaria. Vultures – Bulgaria.......................11 Bulgaria is a little country but there is no other like it in Europe: with such a great biodiversity within its small area! More than 250 en- 2nd – 9th Sept. 2017 Autumn Birding in Bulgaria........13 demic species of plants exist in Bulgaria along with many more rare and beautiful European ones. A very rich bird fauna, with some of the BUTTERFLY TOURS rarest representatives of European birds. In autumn, during migration, 10th – 18th June 2017 June Butterfly tour – Bulgaria.....15 you may enjoy really unforgettable sights watching scores of thousands th th of migrating large birds of prey, storks and pelicans, hundreds of thou- 8 – 15 July 2017 July Butterfly tour – Bulgaria......18 sands of smaller migratory birds. And all of them following for millennia BOTANICAL TOURS one and the same route called from ancient times Via Pontica flyway.
    [Show full text]
  • Species Summary
    Pelobates syriacus Region: 10 Taxonomic Authority: Boettger, 1889 Synonyms: Common Names: Pelobates transcaucasicus Delwig, 1928 Eastern Spadefoot English Siriiskaya Chesnochnitsa Russian Syrian Spadefoot English Order: Anura Family: Pelobatidae Notes on taxonomy: Further investigations into differences between populations of the species in Turkish Thrace (Pelobates syriacus balcanicus) and those of Seydişhir vilayet are needed (İ.H. Ugurtas pers. comm.). General Information Biome Terrestrial Freshwater Marine Geographic Range of species: Habitat and Ecology Information: This species occurs in the south-east Balkans, east to south-eastern It is a largely fossorial species. Terrestrial habitats occupied are Transcaucasia and northern Iran, and south to the Levant. In the generally open uncultivated lands such as light forests, steppe (and Balkans it occurs in Greece, Macedomia, eastern Serbia, southern steppe-like habitats), semi-desert and rocky areas. It is generally less Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. It occurs widely, but in scattered selective than Pelobates fuscus in terms of soil preference, inhabiting populations in Turkey. In Caucasian region it is found in southeastern not only soft soils suitable for a fossorial life (although they are Armenia, Georgia north to Tbilisi and Azerbaijan, north to southern preferred), but also solid, rocky soils, particularly friable clay with Daghestan in Russia, and east to the Caspian coastal area of Iran. In pebbles. Spawning sites include stagnant temporary waterbodies; river the Levant it occurs in northern Syria and in the southern Coastal Plain or lakeside temporary waterbodies and large permanent pools. It can [Ashdod] of Israel (the southernmost limit of its range), but it is probably occur in slightly modified areas, including intensively grazed areas.
    [Show full text]
  • Helminth Parasites of the Eastern Spadefoot Toad, Pelobates Syriacus (Pelobatidae), from Turkey
    Turk J Zool 34 (2010) 311-319 © TÜBİTAK Research Article doi:10.3906/zoo-0810-2 Helminth parasites of the eastern spadefoot toad, Pelobates syriacus (Pelobatidae), from Turkey Hikmet S. YILDIRIMHAN1,*, Charles R. BURSEY2 1Uludağ University, Science and Literature Faculty, Department of Biology, 16059, Bursa - TURKEY 2Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, Shenango Campus, Sharon, Pennsylvania 16146 - USA Received: 07.10.2008 Abstract: Ninety-one eastern spadefoot toads, Pelobates syriacus, were collected from 3 localities in Turkey between 1993 and 2003 and examined for helminths. One species of Monogenea (Polystoma sp.) and 3 species of Nematoda (Aplectana brumpti, Oxysomatium brevicaudatum, Skrjabinelazia taurica) were found. Pelobates syriacus represents a new host record for Polystoma sp. and S. taurica. Key words: Monogenea, Nematoda, eastern spadefoot toads, Pelobates syriacus, Turkey Türkiye’den toplanan toprak kurbağası (Pelobates syriacus)’nın (Pelobatidae) helmint parazitleri Özet: 1993-2003 yılları arasında Türkiye’den 3 değişik yerden 91 toprak kurbağası helmintleri belirlenmek üzere toplanmıştır. İnceleme sonucunda 4 helmint türüne rastlanmıştır. Bunlardan biri Monogenea (Polystoma sp), 3’ü (Aplectana brumpti, Oxsyomatium brevicaudatum, Skrjabinelazia taurica) Nematoda’ya aittir. Pelobates syriacus, Polystoma sp. ve S. taurica için yeni konak kaydıdır. Anahtar sözcükler: Monogen, Nematoda, toprak kurbağası, Pelobates syriacus, Türkiye Introduction reported an occurrence of Aplectana brumpti and The eastern spadefoot toad, Pelobates syriacus Yıldırımhan et al. (1997a) found Oxysomatium brevicaudatum. The purpose of this paper is to present Boettger, 1889, a fossorial species from Israel, Syria, a formal list of helminth species harbored by P. and Turkey to Transcaucasica, lives in self- syriacus. constructed burrows in loose and soft soil at elevations up to 1600 m, except during the breeding periods.
    [Show full text]
  • Directory of Azov-Black Sea Coastal Wetlands
    Directory of Azov-Black Sea Coastal Wetlands Kyiv–2003 Directory of Azov-Black Sea Coastal Wetlands: Revised and updated. — Kyiv: Wetlands International, 2003. — 235 pp., 81 maps. — ISBN 90 5882 9618 Published by the Black Sea Program of Wetlands International PO Box 82, Kiev-32, 01032, Ukraine E-mail: [email protected] Editor: Gennadiy Marushevsky Editing of English text: Rosie Ounsted Lay-out: Victor Melnychuk Photos on cover: Valeriy Siokhin, Vasiliy Kostyushin The presentation of material in this report and the geographical designations employed do not imply the expres- sion of any opinion whatsoever on the part of Wetlands International concerning the legal status of any coun- try, area or territory, or concerning the delimitation of its boundaries or frontiers. The publication is supported by Wetlands International through a grant from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries of the Netherlands and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (MATRA Fund/Programme International Nature Management) ISBN 90 5882 9618 Copyright © 2003 Wetlands International, Kyiv, Ukraine All rights reserved CONTENTS CONTENTS3 6 7 13 14 15 16 22 22 24 26 28 30 32 35 37 40 43 45 46 54 54 56 58 58 59 61 62 64 64 66 67 68 70 71 76 80 80 82 84 85 86 86 86 89 90 90 91 91 93 Contents 3 94 99 99 100 101 103 104 106 107 109 111 113 114 119 119 126 130 132 135 139 142 148 149 152 153 155 157 157 158 160 162 164 164 165 170 170 172 173 175 177 179 180 182 184 186 188 191 193 196 198 199 201 202 4 Directory of Azov-Black Sea Coastal Wetlands 203 204 207 208 209 210 212 214 214 216 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 230 232 233 Contents 5 EDITORIAL AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Directory is based on the national reports prepared for the Wetlands International project ‘The Importance of Black Sea Coastal Wetlands in Particular for Migratory Waterbirds’, sponsored by the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries.
    [Show full text]
  • Biodiversity Assessment for Georgia
    Biodiversity Assessment for Georgia Task Order under the Biodiversity & Sustainable Forestry IQC (BIOFOR) USAID C ONTRACT NUMBER: LAG-I-00-99-00014-00 SUBMITTED TO: USAID WASHINGTON E&E BUREAU, ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION SUBMITTED BY: CHEMONICS INTERNATIONAL INC. WASHINGTON, D.C. FEBRUARY 2000 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION I INTRODUCTION I-1 SECTION II STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY II-1 A. Overview II-1 B. Main Landscape Zones II-2 C. Species Diversity II-4 SECTION III STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION III-1 A. Protected Areas III-1 B. Conservation Outside Protected Areas III-2 SECTION IV STRATEGIC AND POLICY FRAMEWORK IV-1 A. Policy Framework IV-1 B. Legislative Framework IV-1 C. Institutional Framework IV-4 D. Internationally Supported Projects IV-7 SECTION V SUMMARY OF FINDINGS V-1 SECTION VI RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVED BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION VI-1 SECTION VII USAID/GEORGIA VII-1 A. Impact of the Program VII-1 B. Recommendations for USAID/Georgia VII-2 ANNEX A SECTIONS 117 AND 119 OF THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT A-1 ANNEX B SCOPE OF WORK B-1 ANNEX C LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED C-1 ANNEX D LISTS OF RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES OF GEORGIA D-1 ANNEX E MAP OF LANDSCAPE ZONES (BIOMES) OF GEORGIA E-1 ANNEX F MAP OF PROTECTED AREAS OF GEORGIA F-1 ANNEX G PROTECTED AREAS IN GEORGIA G-1 ANNEX H GEORGIA PROTECTED AREAS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT DESIGN SUMMARY H-1 ANNEX I AGROBIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN GEORGIA (FROM GEF PDF GRANT PROPOSAL) I-1 SECTION I Introduction This biodiversity assessment for the Republic of Georgia has three interlinked objectives: · Summarizes the status of biodiversity and its conservation in Georgia; analyzes threats, identifies opportunities, and makes recommendations for the improved conservation of biodiversity.
    [Show full text]
  • Lutra Lutra) in Southeast Georgia
    ECOSYSTEMS AND SPECIES CONSERVATION; IN GEORGIA Status of the Otter (Lutra lutra) in Southeast Georgia Final report Submitted by: George Gorgadze (NACRES) Submitted to: International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF) Submission date: January 30, 2005 1 Table of Contents 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................3 2. Approach and research methods ..........................................................................................................3 2.1 General approach ........................................................................................................................................3 2.2 Survey Method .............................................................................................................................................4 2.3 Footprint identification ..............................................................................................................................4 2.4 Evaluation of current threats .....................................................................................................................4 2.5 GIS analysis and mapping ..........................................................................................................................4 2.6 Interview with key informants ...................................................................................................................4 3. The First Study Area ...............................................................................................................................5
    [Show full text]
  • National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of Georgia
    Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan - Georgia – Tbilisi, 2005 Foreword Georgia signed the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1994, thus accepting responsibility to safeguard the nation’s rich diversity of plant, animal, and microbial life, to begin using biological resources in sustainable way, and to ensure equitable sharing of benefits from biodiversity. Later the country joined other conventions including the Convention on Climate Change, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, CITES and the Bonn Convention. As a signatory to these important international environmental treaties, Georgia enters the world scene with the potential for joining the most advanced nations in the field of environmental protection. At the present moment of transition, Georgia has a unique opportunity to use the early experiences of other countries, and avoid irreversible changes in the quality of its environment. The national legislation on environmental protection adopted over the past few years provides an adequate legal basis for this, although further elaboration and reinforcement of the existing legislation is needed. With the Ministry of Environment being currently reorganised and assuming broader responsibilities, Georgia’s institutional arrangements for environmental protection already has the necessary structure for improving the quality of the environment throughout the country. The role of non-governmental groups has been very important in resolving problems related to nature conservation. Georgia has shown an excellent example of co-operation between governmental and non-governmental organizations in the field of environment, and particularly in the field of biodiversity conservation. After signing the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Georgian Government immediately acted to develop a Biodiversity Country Study, in partnership with UNEP, and implemented by NACRES, a local conservation organisation.
    [Show full text]
  • Pelobates Syriacus Boettger , 1889, from the Ghorigol Wetland, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran (Anura: Pelobatidae)
    Fathinia_etal_Diet_of_Pelobates_syriacus:HERPETOZOA.qxd 12.02.2019 14:59 Seite 1 herPetoZoA 31 (3/4): 201 - 209 201 Wien, 28. Februar 2019 the diet of Pelobates syriacus boettGer , 1889, from the Ghorigol wetland, east Azerbaijan province, iran (Anura: Pelobatidae) Die nahrung von Pelobates syriacus boettGer , 1889 im Ghorigol Feuchtgebiet der iranischen Provinz ost-Aserbaidschan (Anura: Pelobatidae) behZD FAthiniA & b ehnAm GhorbAni & A ryA shAFAei -P our & F Atemeh bAmZAr & s AeiD ebrAhimZADeh KurZFAssunG von 138 exemplaren des syrischen schaufelfußes Pelobates syriacus boettGer , 1889 aus dem Ghorigol Feuchtgebiet in der nordwestiranischen Provinz ost-Aserbaidschan wurden die im Frühjahr und sommer 2016 durch spülung gewonnen mageninhalte untersucht. in der Kopf-rumpf-länge unterschieden sich die Geschlech - ter signifikant (P < 0.05). Dabei fanden sich inhalte in 73.19 % der mägen, 37 waren leer. Die Gesamtzahl fest - gestellter mageninhalts objekte betrug 480, von denen 392 tierische und 88 keine tierischen objekte darstellten. Die beutetierkategorien, die 16 ordnungen aus zwei stämmen (Annelida und Arthropoda) umfaßten, waren ungleichmäßig über die fünf Klassen Arachnida, Chilopoda, insecta, malacostraca und oligochaeta verteilt, wobei insecta am häufigsten vertreten waren. in allen mägen lag die relative häufigkeit der vorkommenden beutetier- kategorien (% Fo i) unter 50 %, ein hinweis auf eine artlich vielfältige nahrungszusammensetzung bei P. syriacus . schaufelfüße bevorzugten Coleoptera, Diptera und hymenoptera als nahrung.
    [Show full text]
  • Coexisting Fossorial Species Differ in Their Emergence and Movement Patterns
    Zoology 121 (2017): 49-55 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2016.12.003 Out of the ground: Coexisting fossorial species differ in their emergence and movement patterns Diana Székelya,b, Dan Cogălniceanua,*, Paul Székelya, Mathieu Denoëlb a Ovidius University Constanța, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Aleea Universității 1, corp B, Constanța, 900470, Romania b Laboratory of Fish and Amphibian Ethology, Behavioural Biology Unit, Freshwater and Oceanic Science Unit of Research (FOCUS), University of Liège, 22 Quai van Beneden, Liège, 4020, Belgium Abstract Understanding the way species with similar niches can coexist is a challenge in ecology. The niche partitioning hypothesis has received much support, positing that species can exploit available resources in different ways. In the case of secretive species, behavioural mechanisms of partitioning are still poorly understood. This is especially true for fossorial frogs because individuals hide underground by day and are active only during the night. We investigated the nocturnal activity and tested the niche partitioning hypothesis in two syntopic fossorial spadefoot toads (Pelobates fuscus and P. syriacus) by examining interspecific variation in emergence from the soil. We employed a night vision recording system combined with video-tracking analyses in a replicated laboratory setting to quantify individual movement patterns, a procedure that has not been used until now to observe terrestrial amphibians. Most individuals appeared on the surface every night and returned to their original burrow (about 60% of the times), or dug a new one around morning. There was a large temporal overlap between the two species. However, P. syriacus was significantly more active than P.
    [Show full text]
  • Morphometrics, Distribution and Ecology of the Amphibians in Jordan
    Vertebrate Zoology 60 (2) 2010 147 147 – 162 © Museum für Tierkunde Dresden, ISSN 1864-5755, 15.09.2010 Morphometrics, distribution and ecology of the amphibians in Jordan AHMAD M. DISI 1 & ZUHAIR S. AMR 2 1 Department of Biological Sciences, the University of Jordan. Amman, 11942, Jordan ahmadmdisi(at)yahoo.com 2 Department of Biology, Jordan University of Science & Technology, P. O. Box 3030, Irbid, 11112, Jordan amrz(at)just.edu.jo Received on July 13, 2010, accepted on July 30, 2010. Published online at www.vertebrate-zoology.de on September 02, 2010. > Abstract One urodele amphibian species (Ommatotriton vittatus) and four anuran species (Pseudepidalea viridis, Pelophylax bedriagae, Hyla savignyi and Pelobates syriacus) were recorded from Jordan. Alcohol-preserved specimens (n = 340) were examined. Seventeen measurements were taken and are compared between the sexes. The distribution and habitat for each species are discussed. The current status of the amphibians of Jordan is discussed. > Kurzfassung Eine Schwanzlurch-Art (Ommatotriton vittatus) und vier Froschlurch-Arten (Pseudepidalea viridis, Pelophylax bedriagae, Hyla savignyi und Pelobates syriacus) wurden nachgewiesen für Jordanien. Alkoholfi xierte Exemplare (n = 340) wurden untersucht. Siebzehn morphometrische Maße wurden erhoben und geschlechtsabhängig verglichen. Die Verbreitung und das Habitat für jede Art werden diskutiert. Der gegenwärtige Status der Amphibien in Jordanien wird diskutiert. > Key words Amphibians, Jordan, ecology, morphometrics. Introduction The earliest reports on the amphibians of Jordan were are limited and mainly found along the Jordan Valley, made by Tristram (1884) and Hart (1891). Other re- Wadi Araba, Amman-Zarqa Basin, the Mediterranean ports were made by Barbour (1914) and Balletto et biotope and the Azraq Desert Oasis.
    [Show full text]
  • The Phylogeography of the Common Spadefoot Toad (Pelobates Fuscus), and the Role of the Po Valley As a Major Source of Genetic Variability
    Molecular Ecology (2007) 16, 2734–2754 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03274.x FossorialBlackwell Publishing Ltd but widespread: the phylogeography of the common spadefoot toad (Pelobates fuscus), and the role of the Po Valley as a major source of genetic variability ANGELICA CROTTINI,*† FRANCO ANDREONE,† JOACHIM KOSUCH,‡§ LEO J. BORKIN,¶ SPARTAK N. LITVINCHUK,** CHRISTOPHE EGGERT†† and MICHAEL VEITH‡,‡‡ *Universitá degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Biologia, Sezione di Zoologia e Citologia, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy, †Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Sezione di Zoologia, Via G. Giolitti, 36, 10123 Torino, Italy, ‡Universität Mainz, Institut für Zoologie, Abteilung Ökologie, Saarstraße 21, 55099 Mainz, Germany, §Universität Trier, Fachbereich VI Biogeographie, 54286 Trier, Germany, ¶Department of Herpetology, Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia, **Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretsky pr. 4, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia, ††Laboratoire d’Ecologie Alpine, CNRS UMR 5553, Université de Savoie, CISM, 73376 Le Bourget du Lac cedex, France, ‡‡Present address: Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 318, 1098 SM Amsterdam, The Netherlands Abstract Pelobates fuscus is a fossorial amphibian that inhabits much of the European plain areas. To unveil traces of expansion and contraction events of the species’ range, we sequenced 702 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. To infer the population history we applied phylo- geographical methods, such as nested clade phylogeographical analysis (NCPA), and used summary statistics to analyse population structure under a neutral model of evolution. Popula- tions were assigned to different drainage systems and we tested hypotheses of explicit refugial models using information from analysis of molecular variance, nucleotide diversity, effective population size estimation, NCPA, mismatch distribution and Bayesian dating.
    [Show full text]