A New Subspecies of Lyciasalamandra Flavimembris (Urodela: Salamandridae) from Muğla, Southwestern Turkey
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Turkish Journal of Zoology Turk J Zool (2015) 39: 328-334 http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/ © TÜBİTAK Research Article doi:10.3906/zoo-1403-60 A new subspecies of Lyciasalamandra flavimembris (Urodela: Salamandridae) from Muğla, southwestern Turkey Nazan ÜZÜM*, Aziz AVCI, Emin BOZKURT, Kurtuluş OLGUN Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey Received: 28.03.2014 Accepted: 04.08.2014 Published Online: 27.02.2015 Printed: 27.03.2015 Abstract: A new Lycian salamander subspecies, Lyciasalamandra flavimembris ilgazi subsp. nov., is described from southwestern Anatolia, Turkey. It differs from nominate subspecies by its characteristic color pattern, especially the ground color of the dorsum, tail, upper eyelids, and limbs. Its distribution is limited to the type locality (Kötekli, Muğla Province, Turkey). Key words: Lyciasalamandra flavimembris ilgazi subsp. nov., Urodela, Turkey, new subspecies 1. Introduction across these species (Sever et al., 1997). Therefore, Lycian salamanders of the genus Lyciasalamandra were tubercular structures are accepted to have originated first described by Steindachner (1891) from Dodurga independently in the 2 species of Mertensiella (Weisrock (Muğla, Turkey) as Molge luschani. Wolterstorff (1925) et al., 2001). Through recent molecular studies (Weisrock then classified the Lycian salamanders together with the et al., 2001; Veith and Steinfartz, 2004), the taxonomy of Caucasian salamanders in the genus Mertensiella. Nine Lycian salamanders has been reorganized and the genus subspecies of M. luschani have been described, accepting Lyciasalamandra has been established. According to the Dodurga specimens as the nominate race (Pieper, 1963; detailed morphological (Öz et al., 2004) and molecular Başoğlu, 1967; Başoğlu and Atatür, 1974, 1975; Başoğlu studies (Veith and Steinfartz, 2004; Weisrock et al., 2006; and Baran, 1976; Baran and Atatür, 1980; Franzen and Veith et al., 2008), this genus has been accepted to be Klewen, 1987; Başoğlu et al., 1994; Mutz and Steinfartz, represented by 7 allopatric species [L. antalyana (Başoğlu 1995). and Baran, 1967), L. atifi (Başoğlu, 1967), L. billae (Franzen After a comparative morphological study with 2 and Klewen, 1987), L. fazilae (Başoğlu and Atatür, 1974), species of Mertensiella, Mertens (1942) concluded that L. flavimembris (Mutz and Steinfartz, 1995), L. helverseni M. luschani should be considered more primitive than M. (Pieper, 1963), and L. luschani (Steindachner, 1891)] in the caucasica. However, Özeti (1967) investigated the external Mediterranean basin, and their phylogenetic relationships anatomy and osteology of M. luschani, M. caucasica, and have been examined in detail. According to Weisrock et al. Salamandra salamandra, and concluded that the hedonic (2001) and Veith et al. (2008), Lyciasalamandra subspecies gland, which is not present in Salamandra, was the shared originated from vicariant speciation as a result of almost character between M. luschani and M. caucasica. For this simultaneous divergence from each other during the Late reason, she indicated that M. luschani and M. caucasica Miocene, approximately 6 to 8 million years ago, when were assigned to the subgenus Mertensiella within the the uplifting of Anatolia occurred in response to the genus Salamandra. However, phylogenetic and molecular northward movement of the Arabian plate. Six of these studies (Titus and Larson, 1995; Weisrock et al., 2001; Veith 7 species were endemic to Anatolia and distributed from et al., 2008) did not support the monophyly of the genus an area between Marmaris (Muğla) and Alanya (Antalya) Mertensiella, requiring independent origins of the dorsal along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey and on some tail tubercle (hedonic gland) observed in males of the 2 adjacent islands (Veith et al., 2001; Öz et al., 2004; Veith species. In addition, histological studies in morphologies and Steinfartz, 2004; Franzen et al., 2008; Baran et al., of the tubercle glands in the 2 species of Mertensiella 2012). Finally, in addition to the previously reported taxa, suggested that these tubercles were not homologous 3 new species (L. irfani, L. arikani, and L. yehudahi) were * Correspondence: [email protected] 328 ÜZÜM et al. / Turk J Zool described from Muğla and Antalya through morphological Material compared and serological studies (Göçmen et al., 2011; Göçmen and L. flavimembris (N = 7). 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 2 juv., Çiçekli village Akman, 2012). With these studies, the number of species - Ula/Muğla, 27.02.2010, leg. Kurtuluş Olgun, Aziz Avcı; 1 belonging to the genus Lyciasalamandra has been raised ♂, 1 ♀, 1 juv., Çiçekli village - Ula/Muğla, 27.02.2010, leg. to 9 in Anatolia. In all Lyciasalamandra species, only L. Kurtuluş Olgun, Aziz Avcı, Emin Bozkurt. luschani is represented by 3 subspecies. The following morphometric measurements and During several field trips carried out between February ratios of our samples were determined according to the 2010 and January 2014 in the vicinity of Muğla, we found published literature (Baran and Atatür, 1986; Mutz and 8 specimens of Lycian salamanders in Kötekli/Muğla, Steinfartz, 1995; Öz et al., 2004; Göçmen et al., 2011; which were easily recognized by distinct morphological Göçmen and Akman, 2012): total body length (TBL), tip characters from the known species near this area. New of snout to tip of tail; rostrum–anus length (RA), tip of specimens differ from L. flavimembris, which has a snout to posterior end of the cloaca opening; length of more southern distribution range, in terms of coloration trunk (LT), length from gular fold to the anterior edge of and pattern characteristics and some morphometric cloaca opening; tail length (TL), length from the posterior measurements. end of the cloaca opening to the tip of tail; head and body In the present paper, we describe the Kötekli/Muğla length (HBL), length from snout to the anterior end of population as a new subspecies of L. flavimembris, the cloaca opening; nostril–eye distance (NED); distance between nostrils (DBN); eye diameter (ED); head length accepting that the populations living in the area between (HL), distance from the snout to the gular fold; head width Çiçekli and Marmaris represent the nominate subspecies (HW); parotid length (PL); parotid width (PW); fore limb (L. f. flavimembris). length (FLL); hind limb length (HLL); distance between fore and hind limbs length (DFHL). We also used ratios of 2. Materials and methods HW/HL, TL/TBL, PW/PL, and NED/HL in our study. All The specimens used in this study were obtained from morphometric measurements were taken using a digital Kötekli/Muğla and the village of Çiçekli in Ula/Muğla. caliper (Mitutoyo) with accuracy of 0.01 mm. They were collected under stones, especially during the Statistics of the morphometric values and ratios of day, on different dates in 2010 and 2014. We took photos of the new subspecies and other specimens were conducted the specimens at the places of capture. Color and pattern with STATISTICA 7.0. We used a t-test for comparing the characteristics were recorded while specimens were metric characters and took the index values of PERCRA still alive. We injected specimens with 96% ethanol after (percent of rostrum–anus length; [each metric character / they were etherized and put them in glass jars with 70% RA] × 100) according to Werner (1971). We evaluated all ethanol. They were deposited in the Zoology Laboratory statistical analyses using the statistical significance level of of the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science and P ≤ 0.05. Arts, Adnan Menderes University. Material examined 3. Results Holotype: 1 ♂ Kötekli, Muğla, 23.01.2014, leg. Nazan Diagnosis. Adults of Lyciasalamandra flavimembris and Üzüm, Aziz Avcı, Emin Bozkurt, Ömer Barış Üzüm. our samples resemble each other in terms of having small Paratypes: (N = 7). 1 ♀, 2 juv., Kötekli, Muğla, yellowish spots on the dorsum. In addition, color and 07.03.2011, leg. Serdar Özcan, Yaşar Ayyıldız; 2 ♀♀, 2 pattern characteristics of juveniles are relatively similar to juv., Kötekli, Muğla, 17.01.2014, leg. Kurtuluş Olgun, Aziz each other as well. Thus, we concluded that our samples Avcı, Emin Bozkurt. belonged to L. flavimembris (Figure 1). Figure 1. General view of juvenile: (a) L. f. flavimembris (Çiçekli - Ula/Muğla) and (b) L. f. ilgazi subsp. nov. (Kötekli/Muğla). 329 ÜZÜM et al. / Turk J Zool Although there are some similarities between our lighter than the dorsum (Figure 3). Subdigitals are purple. samples and L. flavimembris, our new population is easily The upper side of tail is lighter brownish. The ventral side distinguished from all known populations of this species is flesh-colored without any yellow spots. in terms of coloration and pattern characteristics (Figure L. f. ilgazi subsp. nov. has a significantly higher PW/ 2). The ground color of the dorsum in both sexes and PL ratio and PW in the PERCRA index than the nominate juveniles is purplish dark brown, with small yellowish subspecies (P ≤ 0.05). spots. These spots are disordered and few in number. The Description of the holotype. There are no differences flanks are also purplish dark brown with yellowish flecks. in body form between L. f. ilgazi subsp. nov. and other Upper eyelids are mainly the same color, but darker than Lycian salamander taxa. TBL and TL are 147.11 and 68.88 the dorsum. The ground color of the parotids is also the mm, respectively. Head length is longer than head width same color as the dorsum. The color of fore and hind (HW/HL: 0.76). The posterior of parotids is bigger than limbs of our samples is purplish dark brown, but relatively the anterior, and their lengths are longer than their widths Figure 2. General view of adult: (a) L. f. flavimembris (Çiçekli - Ula/Muğla) and (b) L. f. ilgazi subsp. nov. (Kötekli/Muğla). Figure 3. Differential coloration of L. f. flavimembris and L. f. ilgazi subsp. nov.: (a) head coloration of L. f. flavimembris; (b) Head coloration of L. f. ilgazi subsp. nov.; (c) hind limb coloration of L.