Nature Conservation Research. Заповедная наука 2016. 1 (3): 11–25 RARE SPECIES OF SHIELD-HEAD VIPERS IN THE CAUCASUS Boris S. Tuniyev Sochi National Park, Russia e-mail: [email protected] Received: 03.10.2016 An overview is presented on shield-head vipers of the genus Pelias distributed in the post-Soviet countries of the Caucasian Ecoregion. The assessment presents the current conservation status and recommendations to vipers’ ter- ritorial protection. Key words: Caucasian Ecoregion, shield-head vipers, current status, protection. Introduction The Caucasian Ecoregion (the territory south- to-landscape descriptions (Tunieyv B.S. et al., 2009; ward from the Kuma-Manych depression to north- Tuniyev S.B. et al., 2012, 2014). The stationary works eastern Turkey and northwestern Iran) is the centre (mostly on the territory of the Caucasian State Nature of taxonomic diversity of shield-head vipers within Biosphere reserve and Sochi National Park) conducted the genus Pelias Merrem, 1820, of which 13–18 a study of the microclimatic features of vipers’ habitats species are found here. Without exception, all spe- including temperature and humidity modes of air and cies have a status of the different categories of rare- the upper soil horizon. The results were compared with ness, they are included on the IUCN Red list, or in thermobiological characteristics of the animals (Tuni- the current and upcoming publication of National yev B.S. & Unanian, 1986; Tuniyev B.S. & Volčik, and Regional Red Data Books. Besides the shield- 1995). In a number of cases difficult to determine the head vipers the Caucasian Ecoregion inhabit three taxonomic affiliation, in addition to the classical meth- representatives of mountain vipers of the genus ods of animal morphology and statistics, biochemistry Montivipera Nilson, Tuniyev, Andren, Orlov, Joger and molecular-genetic analysis methods have been ap- & Herrman, 1999 (M. raddei (Boettger, 1890), M. plied (Nilson et al., 1994, 1995, 1999; Zinenko et al., wagneri (Nilson & Andren, 1984) and M. albicor- 2011, 2015). The status of a species population, glob- nuta (Nilson & Andren, 1985)), one representative ally as well as on regional level assessed, is based on of the genus Vipera Laurenti, 1768 (V. transcauca- the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: version 3.1 siana (Boulenger, 1913)), one representative of the and the Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List giant vipers genus Macrovipera Reus, 1927 – M. Criteria at Regional Levels (Tuniyev B.S., 2007; Tuni- lebetina obtusa (Dwigubsky, 1832) and one species yev B.S. & Tuniyev S.B., 2007a, 2009, 2013a,b,c,d; of the genus Gloydius Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981 Ananjeva et al., 2009). (G. halys caucasicus (Nikolsky, 1916). In this report, an overview is presented on Results shield-head vipers of the genus Pelias distributed Shield-head vipers of the Caucasus within Russia in the post-Soviet countries of the Caucasian Ecore- and the Transcaucasian countries are represented by gion. The assessment presents the current conserva- nine species. The following is an overview of these tion status and recommendations to vipers’ territo- nine representatives of the genus Pelias and their cur- rial protection. rent conservation status on the Caucasian Isthmus. Darevsky’s viper – Pelias darevskii (Ved- Material and Methods mederja, Orlov & Tuniyev, 1986) (Fig. 1). From We started the study of Caucasian viperidae the moment of the description of Darevsky’s viper snakes in 1979. Material was collected during numer- this species was considered as a local endemic of ous expeditions, semi-stationary and stationary works northwestern Armenia, although already a descrip- throughout the Caucasian Isthmus within the borders tion possibility of its finding was assumed in the of the Russian Federation, Transcaucasian countries contiguous districts of Georgia (Orlov & Tuniyev (Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia and South B.S., 1986). The new finds of the species in Armenia Ossetia), as well as in north-eastern Turkey (Tuni- (Agasian & Agasian, 2008) were located in the di- yev B.S., 1990a, 1996, 2002, 2008a,b; Tuniyev B.S. rect neighbourhood (12 km) of the type locality and & Tuniyev S.B., 2006a,b; Tuniyev B.S. et al., 2009, actually did not extend the known distributional area 2014). On the routes we made geobotanical and phy- of the species. In July 2014 the species was found 11 Nature Conservation Research. Заповедная наука 2016. 1 (3): 11–25 by us in Ninotsminda, Akhalkalaki, Aspidindza, on the species’ presence in the republics of North Akhaltsihe districts of Somkheto-Javakheti Region Ossetia-Alania, Kabardino-Balkaria and Ingushetia, of Georgia at Javakheti Highland (Mt. Madatapa) but finding of the species is quite possible there. and Erusheti Mountains (Mt. Gumbati, Mt. Airilan- The density of the vipers’ populations varies in bashi) (Tuniyev S.B. et al., 2014). The established the various parts of the range, except in the territory guidance on finding the Darevsky’s viper in Turkey of the Caucasian reserve, where there is a decrease (Geniez & Teynie, 2005; Avcı et al., 2010; Tuniyev in the number of specimens. In the most favourable B.S. et al., 2009; Göçmen et al., 2014) at a consider- habitats there can be found up to 30 animals per 1 able distance from the known sites were of great in- hectare. In Chechnya and Dagestan the species is terest. Our research in Turkey showed that the vicin- extremely rare, sporadically distributed on most me- ity of Posof inhabits another species – Pelias olguni sophylls parts of the subalpine belt. (Tuniyev S.B. et al., 2012), the taxonomic status of The main threats for the western populations other finds is in preparation. are the recreational development, construction of The density of the populations of the species in ski facilities on the territory of Sochi National Park, Armenia is extremely low, as is the number of vi- the planned mastering of the Caucasian reserve, pers in the identified locality in Georgia. The main development of Resorts in the North Caucasus on threats are the killing of animals, overgrazing, trap- existing protected territories; for the eastern popula- ping for the illegal zoo trade. So, the expansion of tions overgrazing and absence of high rank protect- Darevsky’s viper’s distribution range cannot sub- ed areas (reserves and national parks) are the main stantially be influenced by its conservation status. threats. The category rarities on the global popula- The Darevsky’s viper still remains a narrowly dis- tion is estimated as VU B1ab (iii,v), in a forthcom- tributed and sporadically spread species, not form- ing new edition of the Red Data Book of the Russian ing high-dense populations. The category rarities on Federation the category VU C1+2a. the global population are estimated as CR B2ab (ii, Dinnik’s viper is listed on the IUCN Red list, in the iii). The species is listed on the IUCN Red list and in Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2001), Kras- the Red Data Book of Armenia (2010). nodarsky Krai (2007), the republics of Adygea (2012), Pelias darevskii is effectively protected exclu- Karachay-Cherkessia (2013), Chechnya (2007), Dages- sively in Arpilich National Park (Armenia). It is nec- tan (2009) and in the first planned edition of the Red essary to create a Protected Area on the Jahavakheti Data Book of the Republic of South Ossetia. Highland and Erusheti Mountains in Georgia, as well The species is protected on the territory of the as to work on the optimisation of borders for a plot of Caucasian and Teberdinsky reserves, a part of the Mt. Madatapa in Georgia which borders with the Ar- population is protected on the territory of Sochi and pilich National Park, so that biotopes of Darevsky’s Ritza relic national parks. To save the polymorphic viper can be included into this new Protected Area. populations of the species, it is necessary to abandon Dinnik’s viper – Pelias dinniki (Nikolsky, ambitious plans for transformation of natural land- 1913) (Fig. 2). It is endemic to the Highlands of the scapes in the Highlands of the Sochi National Park Great Caucasus, sporadically distributed within the (Aibga Ridge) (Tuniyev B.S. & Timukhin, 2015) and Russian Federation, republics of Abkhazia, Geor- in the Caucasian Reserve (basins of the upper flow- gia and South Ossetia (Tuniyev B.S. et al., 2009). ing of the river Mzymta and Malaya Laba); also it is In the Russian Federation, it is known from the re- necessary to create a new federal Protected Area in publics of Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Chechnya the Itum-Kalinskaya depression of the river Chanty- and Dagestan (Tuniyev B.S. & Tuniyev S.B., 2009). Argun (on base of the former Soviet Sanctuary) in During the last decade the understanding of the range Chechnya and cluster plots of the Dagestan Reserve of the species has significantly expanded. We have on the river Tokhor and slopes of Mt. Guton and the found isolated populations on Mt. Zhitnaya of Lag- neighborhood of the Genukh mountain pass. onaksky Ridge, Adygea (north-western limit), the Erevan mountain-steppe viper – Pelias eri- tops of Hakudzh, Lysaya of Chernomorsky Chain, wanensis (Reuss, 1933) (Fig. 3). This endemic Krasnodarsky Krai (western limit) (Tuniyev B.S. & relict species has a disjunctive distribution on the Tuniyev S.B., 2007a, 2013a); in the vicinity of pass southern slopes of the Lesser Caucasus and the Ar- Genukh and the upper basin of the river Dzhurmut, menian Highland. The species range includes Ar- Dagestan (eastern limit). In addition, new localities menia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Northwestern Iran have been discovered on Aibga Ridge (Krasnodar- (Rajabizadeh et al., 2011). Recently, the species sky Krai), Kutakheku Ridge (Abkhazia), the upper has been found on the shores of Lake Kartsakhi in basin of the river Bolshaya Liakhvi (South Ossetia), South Georgia (Tuniyev S.B. et al., 2014) and on and in other locations.