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tions as alternative survival strategies, with toriya; Sofia. DÜŞEN, S. & ÖZ, M. (2004): Helminth pa- normal, modified, and abbreviated cycles rasites of the Tree , Hyla arborea (Anura: Hylidae) from Southwest .- Comparative Parasitology, simultaneously present in the parasite popu- Lawrence; 71 (2): 258-261. GRABDA KAZUBSKA, B. lations. The evolutionary force behind this (1976): Abbreviation of the life-cycles in plagiorchid oddity is the infrequency of the transmission trematodes: general remarks.- Acta Parasitologica Polo- act between intermediate and definitive host. nica, Warsaw; 24: 125-141. GROSCHAFT, J. & MORA- VEC, F. (1983): Some trematodes and cestodes from The metacercaria of Pleurogenoides infect and in Egypt.- Vestnik Ceskoslo- an intermediate host, perennial water , venské Spolecnosti Zoologické, Praha; 47: 241–249. that outlive the parasite (LAGRUE & POULIN LAGRUE, C. & POULIN, R. (2009): Life-cycle abbrevia- 2009). A fortuitous transmission of the pre- tion in trematode parasites and the developmental time hypothesis: is the clock ticking?- Journal of Evolution- cocious parasite larva to the genuine defini- ary Biology, Penryn; 22 (8): 1727-1738. LEFEBVRE, F. tive host puts the life-cycle simply back on & POULIN, R. (2005): Progenesis in digenean trema- track – as observed in the case presented. todes: a taxonomic and synthetic overview of Especially stenoecious and thus fre- reproducing in their second intermediate hosts.- Para- sitology, Cambridge; 130 (6): 587-605. MACY, R. W. quently endangered exotic species (1964): Life-cycle of the digenetic trematode Pleuro- seem to be favored victims of grotesque genoides tener (LOOSS, 1898) (Lecithodendriidae).- parasitism caused by bizarre, opportunistic Journal of Parasitology, Lawrence; 50: 564-568. and/or facultative pathogenic microorgan- ODENING, K. (1955): Die Zooparasiten der Frösche Deutschlands.- Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift der Fried- isms in captivity. Even well meant actions rich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena; 3 (3/4): 179-215. of the reptile keeper can produce counter- RICHTER, B. & HASSL, A. & KÜBBER-HEISS, A. (2008): productive effects, if an infective organism Akzidentelle Infestation von Rauschuppen-Busch- with an unknown ecology establishes itself vipern ( hispida) mit einer heimischen Tremato- denart?- Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift, Han- in the artificial ecosystem of captive reptile nover; 115 (9): 349-350. RYZHIKOV, K. M.& SHARPILO, care. In the case described, the only signifi- V. P. & S HEVECHENKO, N. N. (1980): Helminths of am- cant noxious effect detected during trans- phibians of the fauna of the USSR; Moskva port and acclimatisation of the was (Izdatel’stvo Nauka), 278 pp. SCHNELLER, P. & PANT- CHEV, N. (2008): Parasitologie bei Schlangen, Echsen the feeding with local frogs, apparently und Schildkröten. Ein Handbuch für die Reptilienhal- housing autochthonous parasites, which tung; Frankfurt/Main (Edition Chimaira) [Frankfurter could not be killed by short-time freezing in Beiträge zur Naturkunde, vol. 40], 205 pp. a domestic refrigerator. Establishing breed- AUTHORS: Andreas R. HASSL, Micro-Biology ing in captivity of rare and endangered rep- Consult Dr. Andreas Hassl, Ameisgasse 63-4-12, 1140 Vienna, ; Barbara RICHTER & Anna KÜBBER- tiles simultaneously broadens the life basis HEISS, Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary of some odd parasitic organisms – undesir- Medicine; Department of Pathobiology; University of able, but unavoidable effects, which confer Veterinary Medicine Vienna; Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 species conservation efforts an extensive, Vienna; Austria extraordinary, and maybe even innovative subject matter. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The authors grate- fully acknowledge the supportive cooperation of Record of Coronella austriaca Walter HIRSCHMANN (Vienna). KEY WORDS: Reptilia: : Serpentes, LAURENTI, 1768 from the Island of Atheris hispida, Bristly Bush Viper; Trematoda, Di- Mljet, southern genea, Pleurogenoides medians, Pleurogenoides com- pactus, trematode infection, fluke, anura, Rana, proge- nesis, definitive host, parasitology, exotic pet keeping The , Coronella austri- SUBMITTED: June 18, 2009 aca LAURENTI, 1768, is continuously dis- REFERENCES: ANDREAS, K. (2006): Helmin- tributed across great parts of , but then einheimischer Froschlurche. Inaugural–Dissertati- becomes rare towards the Mediterranean on, Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin; 123 pp. BESPROZ- zone in the south (ENGELMANN 1993; KREI- VANNYKH, V. V. (2000): The biology of the trematodes Nenimandijea kashmirensis and Pleurogenoides medi- NER 2007). It was found to be very abun- ans (Pleurogenidae) - parasites of frogs in the Maritime dant in the continental part of Croatia, but in Territory.- Parazitologiia, Sankt-Peterburg; 34 (4): 349- the coastal regions of the country, it is 354. BOZHKOV, D. (without year): Experimental inves- restricted to the more humid habitats in the tigation into the passage of mature helminths from the body of ingested frogs into the body of a water snake.- Istra Peninsula and the Dinaric and Velebit Izvestiya na Tsentralnata Khelmintologichna Labora- Mountains (ENGELMANN 1993; VÖLKL & All_Short_Notes.qxd 06.08.2010 15:15 Seite 8

86 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 23 (1/2) Wien, 30. Juli 2010 SHORT NOTE

Fig. 1: Coronella austriaca LAURENTI, 1768 from the island of Mljet, Croatia.

Fig. 2: Montokuc Hill near Soline; habitat of Coronella austriaca LAURENTI, 1768 on the island of Mljet, Croatia. All_Short_Notes.qxd 06.08.2010 15:15 Seite 9

SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 23 (1/2) Wien, 30. Juli 2010 SHORT NOTE 87

Fig. 3: Mljet Island in Croatia.

KÄSEWIETER 2003; HILL 2008). Distrib- austriaca here, their abundance constitutes utional data from Adriatic islands are very a rich food source to the snake. rare, and only refer to the three largest REFERENCES: BRUNO, S. (1980): L’erpeto- islands in the Adriatic Sea: Cres (JANEV- fauna delle isole di Cres, Trstenik, Plavnik e Krk (Kvar- HUTINEC et al. 2005; HILL 2008), Krk and ner, Jugoslavia).- Atti del Museo Civico di Storia Na- turale, Trieste; 31 (3): 249-282. ENGELMANN, W. E. Brač (WERNER 1891; BRUNO 1980; ENGEL- (1993): Coronella austriaca LAURENTI, 1768 - Schling- MANN 1993; JANEV-HUTINEC et al. 2005). natter, Glattnatter oder Haselnatter; pp. 200-245. In: During the author’s herpetological BÖHME, W. (Ed.): Handbuch der Reptilien und Am- research of the Mljet National Park (west phibien Europas. Vol. 3/I, Schlangen (Serpentes) I. Wiesbaden (Aula), 480 pp. HILL, J. (2008): Coronella part of Mljet island; Fig. 3) in May 2007, an austriaca (LAURENTI, 1768) from the Croatian Island adult individual of C. austriaca (Fig. 1) was of Cres.- Herpetozoa, Wien; 20 (3/4): 192. JANEV- observed on the northern slopes of Monto- HUTINEC, B. & LUPRET-OBRADOVIĆ, S. (2005): Zmije kuc Hill (42°46’20,6”N, 17°23’20,4” E; 253 Hrvatske - Priručnik za određivanje vrsta. Zagreb (Hrvatsko herpetološko društvo - Hyla), 33 pp. m a.s.l., not far from the village of Soline; KREINER, G. (2007): of Europe, all species from Fig. 2). The snake was a middle-sized male west of the Caucasus Mountains. Frankfurt am Main (total length: 49 cm), found hiding under- (Edition Chimaira), 317 pp. RATHBAUER, F. (2002): neath a large stone amidst light Quercus ilex Feldherpetologische Exkursion nach Cres.- ÖGH- Aktuell, Wien; 10: 6-10. VÖLKL, W. & KÄSEWIETER, D. forest. The vegetation of the surounding (2003): Die Schlingnatter ein heimlicher Jäger. area was classified as Querco ilicis – Bielefeld (Laurenti) [Beiheft der Zeitschrift für Pinetum halepensis LOISEL, 1971 (forest of Feldherpetologie 6], 151 pp. WERNER, F. (1891): Bei- holm oak and Aleppo pine). The weather träge zur Kenntnis der Reptilien und Amphibien von Istrien und Dalmatien.- Verhandlungen der zoologisch- was very sunny, calm and the air tempera- botanischen Gesellschaft, Wien; 41: 751-768. ture was 31 °C. KEY WORDS: Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: At the above site, two reptile species : Coronella austriaca, Mljet Island, Croatia, were observed in great numbers: Dalmato- new island record lacerta oxycephala (DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, SUBMITTED: November 4, 2009 1839) and Podarcis melisellensis (BRAUN, AUTHOR: Dušan JELIĆ, State Institute for 1877). As these two species certainly Nature Protection, Trg Mažuranica 5, 10 000 Zagreb, rank high in the list of prey species for C. Croatia, < [email protected] >