Preliminary Data Regarding the Distribution and Status of the Herpetofauna in Iaşi County (Romania)
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North-Western Journal of Zoology Vol. 4, Suppl.1, 2008, pp.S1-S23 [Online: Vol.4, 2008: S01] Preliminary data regarding the distribution and status of the herpetofauna in Iaşi County (Romania) Alexandru STRUGARIU¹*, Ştefan R. ZAMFIRESCU¹, Andreea NICOARĂ¹, Iulian GHERGHEL², Istvan SAS³, Cristina M. PUŞCAŞU4 and Teodor BUGEAC¹, 1. “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Faculty of Biology, Blvd. Carol I No. 20 A, 700506 - Iaşi, Romania. 2. Piatra Neamţ Technical College, Str.Stefan cel Mare No. 67, 610101 - Piatra Neamţ, Romania 3. University of Oradea, Faculty of Scienses, Biology Department. Str. Universităţii No. 1 - 410087, Oradea, Romania 4. “Gr. T. Popa” University, Faculty of General Medicine, Str. Universităţii No. 16, 700115 - Iaşi, Romania * Correspondig author: Al. Strugariu; E-mail: [email protected], Phone No: (+004) 0740 161 182 Abstract. This paper presents the results of a study conducted in Iaşi County, Romania, an area for which data regarding the distribution of the herpetofauna has previously remained incomplete. Thirteen species of amphibians (Salamandra salamandra, Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus cristatus, Pelobates fuscus, Hyla arborea, Bombina bombina, Bombina variegata, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Pelophylax ridibundus, Pelophylax lessonae, Rana dalmatina and Rana temporaria), nine reptile species (Emys orbicularis, Anguis fragilis, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Natrix natrix, Coronella austriaca, Zamenis longissimus, Vipera berus and Vipera ursinii)and hybrids between B. bombina and B. variegata and between P. ridibundus and P. lessonae (Pelophylax kl. esculentus) were recorded in the 62 investigated localities in Iaşi County. Salamandra salamandra is recorded for the first time in the area, east of the Siret river, being situated at its eastern distribution limit for Europe. Among the most important results of our study is the identification of a new locality for one of the rarest European reptiles, Vipera ursinii. One amphibian (Lissotriton montandoni) and one reptile (Elaphe sauromates) have previously been recorded in our study area but we were unable to reconfirm their presence. Key words: amphibians, reptiles, geographical distribution, Vipera ursinii, Salamandra salamandra Introduction updated dataset on the occurrence of these species in the country. Contri- Knowledge of the distribution of butions for the entire country were amphibians and reptiles in most published by Cogălniceanu (1991) and regions of Romania is only provided by Cogălniceanu et al. (2000) who pre- data published a half of century ago. sented updated distribution maps for Fuhn (1960) and Fuhn & Vancea (1961) the amphibian species, while Ghira et synthesized the majority of data al. (2002) updated the distribution collected up to the 1960s, in the two maps for both amphibians and reptiles monographs on the amphibians and from Transylvania. reptiles of Romania and compiled an North-West J Zool, 4, Supplement 1, 2008 Oradea, Romania S2 Strugariu, A. et al. The distribution of the herpeto- must first be known in order to fauna, especially the reptiles, from establish appropriate conservation eastern Romania has remained re- measures (Ghira et al. 2002). Our aim latively unstudied. Comprehensive was therefore, to significantly herpetofaunal studies were conducted contribute to the knowledge regarding only recently in some areas from this the distribution of the herpetofauna in region of Romania (e.g. Covaciu- Iaşi County. The present paper pre- Marcov et al. 2003, 2006a, Ghiurcă et al. sents the preliminary results of our 2005, Gherghel & Ile 2006, Strugariu et research upon the previously men- al. 2006 a, b). tioned topic. Iaşi County is one of the most studied areas of eastern Romania from a herpetological point of view. Fuhn Materials and Methods (1960) and Fuhn & Vancea (1961), in Study area their monographs also present a Iaşi County (Fig. 1) is situated in North- significant amount of herpetofaunal Eastern Romania and occupies an area of 5,476 data for Iaşi County. Subsequently, km2. It is situated on a plane between the Siret Şova (1972), Cogălniceanu (1991), and Prut rivers. The Jijia river also crosses the Zamfirescu (1999), Cogălniceanu et al. area, and the county’s capital city, Iaşi, is (2000) and Nicoară & Szekely (2004) situated on the Bahlui river which is a tributary of the Jijia river. The southern part of contributed to our knowledge of the the county is situated on the Central distribution of the amphibians in the Moldavian Plateau where the altitude may area. Data concerning the composition exceed 400 m a.s.l. The northern part of the of the reptilian fauna in some areas county is situated in the Moldavian Plain. In were published by Krecsak et al. (2003) the west, the area is crossed by the Siret river corridor, the last fragments of the Fălticenilor and Ion et al. (2006 a, b). Covaciu- Plateau and also the “Big Hill”, with altitudes Marcov et al. (2006a) discussed the exceeding 500 m a.s.l. The most important distribution of the herpetofauna found forested area is represented by the Repedea- between the Prut and Siret rivers, Bârnova massif, situated on the Central whilst also covering some areas from Moldavian Plateau, in the south. Most of the Iaşi county. county is covered by typical steppe habitat, agricultural fields and numerous ponds and In spite of the significant number of lakes. publications, most of the areas of the county remained unstudied. Due to the Study methods fact that most of the amphibian and The data were collected during field surveys reptile species which have previously carried out between 2003 and 2007. Field work been identified the area are considered was conducted throughout the year, even in winter time on warm days. The transects vulnerable (e.g. Coronella austriaca), method was used (Cogălniceanu 1997) with endangered (e.g. Vipera berus), or cri- each transect being investigated at least twice. tically endangered (e.g. Vipera ursinii) Distribution maps were drawn for each at a national level (Iftime, 2001, 2005), species observed. The distribution maps only their precise geographical distribution reflect the results of this study and do not contain records published by previous authors North-West J Zool, 4, Suppl. 1, 2008 Herpetofauna of Iaşi County (Romania) S3 which were not reconfirmed by us. A list of ris, Anguis fragilis, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta the populated localities nearest to where each viridis, Natrix natrix, Coronella austriaca, species was recorded was also made (Tables 1 Zamenis longissimus, Vipera berus and and 2). Vipera ursinii) and two hybrids (Bom- bina bombina X Bombina variegata and Pelophylax lessonae X Pelophylax ridibun- dus (Pelophylax kl. esculentus)) were identified in the 62 investigated lo- calities from Iaşi County. A total of 326 observations were recorded for the amphibian species and hybrids and 218 for the reptile species in the 62 investigated geographical localities. 232 amphibian records and 178 reptile records represent new Figure 1. The location of the research area, Iaşi localities for the Romanian herpeto- County, in Romania fauna. Salamandra salamandra and Bombina Specimens killed by cars or local people bombina X Bombina variegata were played a crucial role in establishing the recorded for the first time in Iaşi Coun- composition of the herpetofauna in some ty. The fire-salamander was recorded, localities. Live specimens were primarily for the first time, east of the Siret river. directly observed, but some specimens were These localities in Iaşi County, are the captured by hand and subsequently released. easternmost localities for the species in Venomous snakes were captured using a herpetological hook. Hybrids were deter- Europe. mined by their morphological and chromatic From a distribution point of view, characteristics, by comparing their main the rarest amphibian species in the area features and measurements with those are Salamandra salamandra and Pelo- indicated in the literature (Berger 1966, 1973, phylax lessonae, while the rarest reptiles Cogălniceanu et al. 2000, Csata 1998, Fuhn 1960, Ghira & Mara 2000, Stugren 1980, are Zamenis longissimus and Vipera Szymura 1993). ursinii. The most widely distributed species are Pelophylax ridibundus, Hyla arborea, Lacerta agilis and Natrix natrix. Results One amphibian (Lissotriton montan- doni) and one reptile (Elaphe sauromates) 13 species of amphibians (Sala- species, previously recorded in the mandra salamandra, Lissotriton vulgaris, area, were not recorded during these Triturus cristatus, Pelobates fuscus, Hyla surveys. In the case of the former arborea, Bombina bombina, Bombina species, it is probable that it was a case variegata, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Pelo- of misidentification, while in the latter phylax ridibundus, Pelophylax lessonae, case we consider that it is still possible Rana dalmatina and Rana temporaria), for this species to occur in Iaşi County. nine species of reptiles (Emys orbicula- North-West J Zool, 4, Suppl. 1, 2008 S4 Strugariu, A. et al. Table 1: Locality records for the amphibian species in Iaşi County. (S.s. = Salamandra salamandra; L.v = Lissotriton vulgaris; T.c = Triturus cristatus; P.f. = Pelobates fuscus ; Bf.v. = Bufo viridis ; Bf.b. = Bufo bufo; B.b. = Bombina bombina; B.v. = Bombina variegata; B.x. = Bombina bombina X Bombina variegata; H.a. = Hyla arborea; P.r. = Pelophylax ridibundus; P.l. = Pelophylax lessonae; P.e. = Pelophylax kl. esculentus; R.d. = Rana dalmatina; R.t. = Rana temporaria) (X = Localities in which we identified the species