Herpetology Notes, volume 9: 237-248 (2016) (published online on 25 October 2016) Terrestrial herpetofauna of Limnos and Agios Efstratios (Northern Aegean, Greece), including new species records for Malpolon insignitus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827) and Pelobates syriacus Boettger, 1889 Ilias Strachinis1,* and Stephanos A. Roussos2 Abstract. We present herpetofaunal observations from Limnos and Agios Efstratios, two Asia Minor continental shelf islands in the Aegean Sea. Comprehensive surveys over 88 days in total on Limnos, over a period of nine years, consisted mainly of visual encounter surveys and road cruised observations, revealed the presence of three species of amphibians and twelve species of reptiles, including two new species records for the island (Malpolon insignitus and Pelobates syriacus). Thorough transect type surveys over four consecutive days on Agios Efstratios revealed the presence of six species of reptiles, yet no amphibians. Terrapin (Emys orbicularis) populations on Limnos seem to have either gone extinct or declined in numbers over the last few years due to wetland habitat alteration by heavy machinery, which is the likely cause of mortality and displacement. This is a serious conservation concern and an indicator of declining wetland habitat health. The results of these surveys provide a clearer understanding of the extant herpetofauna on Limnos and Agios Efstratios and offer discussion on natural history, possible erroneous historical records and preliminary ecological understanding of the herpetofaunal assemblages residing on these islands. Keywords: Herpetological survey, reptiles, amphibians, new record, Greek islands, Aegean, Limnos, species list, Prefecture of Lesvos Introduction than now, the two islands, together with Goekceada (Imbros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos), were connected Limnos and Agios Efstratios are two Greek islands to Asia Minor (Perissoratis and Conispoliatis, 2003). located in the northern Aegean Sea (Fig. 1). Politically, According to estimated rates of sea-level rise since the two isolated islands form the Limnos Regional Unit the LGM, according to Fairbanks (1989), Bard et al. and belong to the Prefecture of Lesvos. Geographically, (1990), Lambeck (1996), and Rohling et al. (2014), and both islands are land-bridge islands located south of considering current depths surrounding the two islands, the Anatolian Trough (Gulf of Saros), which reaches Agios Efstratios most likely became separated from depths of 1000 m. Limnos lies within the 100 m isobath, Limnos about 14,000–15,000 YBP when the sea level and Agios Efstratios within the 120 m isobath, of the was approximately 100 m lower than today. Limnos Asia Minor continental shelf. During the Last Glacial separated from Asia Minor and became insular, while Maximum (LGM), about 21,500 years before present still connected to Goekceada, about 12,000–13,500 (YBP), when the sea level was some 120 m lower YBP, when the sea level was about 75 m lower than present. Limnos and Agios Efstratios are characterized by a herpetofauna of Anatolian origin, just as reported for other Eastern Aegean islands (Lymberakis and Poulakakis, 2010), but few herpetological observations 1 School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece have been reported for these islands during the 20th 2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Century. Denton, Texas 76203, USA Here we present our survey data collected over a * Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] period of nine years on the herpetofauna of Limnos. 238 Ilias Strachinis & Stephanos A. Roussos Figure 1. Position of Limnos (red square; top) and Agios Efstratios (bottom) in the Aegean Sea, Greece. We also discuss trends of wetland habitat alteration and seasonal lake (Chortarolimni) and two brackish lakes destruction on Limnos, which pose a serious threat to (Alyki and Asprolimni), both on the eastern part of the populations of freshwater turtles, Mauremys rivulata island (Fig. 2). These wetland habitats are of significant (Valenciennes, 1833) and especially Emys orbicularis ecological interest and included in the NATURA 2000 (Linnaeus, 1758). Additionally, we report natural network (European Environment Agency, 2011). history observations for the extant herpetofauna, which The island is volcanic in origin with about 80% of its are particularly interesting for Agios Efstratios, an island surface consisting of trachytes, phonolites, and volcanic that has rarely been visited by herpetologists. tuffs (Biel, 2002). The climate of Limnos is considered sub-humid or almost semi-arid, with a mean annual Limnos.—Limnos is the 8th largest island in Greece precipitation of 500 mm (Panitsa et al., 2003). Limnos with an area of 476 km2. It is located 57 km ESE of the is located west of the Dardanelles Straits, which funnels Athos Peninsula of Chalkidiki, 72 km NW of Lesvos, the Etesian Winds (Meltemi) by acting as a narrow wind and 62 km W of the Turkish coast near the Dardanelles. tunnel (Rauh, 1949; Biel, 2002). These frequent and It has a year-round human population of about 17,000 extremely strong winds, blowing mainly from N and based on the 2011 census (Hellenic Statistical Authority, NE, in combination with limited annual precipitation, 2011). The topography of the island is mostly flat with help create the arid mesoclimate of the island rolling hills in the western part. The highest elevation (Economidou, 1981; Browicz, 1991; Biel, 2002; Panitsa (Vigla, 430 m) occurs in the NW part of the island. There et al., 2003). The main vegetation type and habitat of the are several coastal marshes on the island, including one island is phryganna (mostly Sarcopoterium spinosum Terrestrial herpetofauna of Limnos and Agios Efstratios, Greece 239 maximum elevation of 298 m (Lemoni Rachi). Schists, shale, volcanic trachyte, and some limestone patches make up the main geological formations of the island (Natura 2000 - Standard Data Form, 2009). The flora of the island consists mainly of low-lying vegetation and Valonia Oak trees (Quercus macrolepis), a common species on the island that forms scattered thickets. Agriculture is not a dominant force across the landscape at the current time, with the exception of overgrazing by sheep, goats, and cattle over a significant extent of the land. The climate is semi-arid with a limited annual precipitation, similar to Limnos. There are a few reports on the herpetofauna of Agios Efstratios (Werner, 1938; Chondropoulos, 1986; Schneider, 1994), and according to the literature Figure 2. Map of Limnos with a grid (5x5 km) that represents five reptile and one amphibian species are known to areas surveyed. The highest elevation (Vigla), the two major occur on the island (Table 1). Hemidactylus turcicus wetlands (Alyki and Chortarolimni), and two major towns (Linnaeus, 1758) was mentioned by Schneider (1994) (Myrina and Moudros) are labeled. regarding a single individual observed by Professor Efstratios Valakos (Department of Biology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece), who personally contacted Schneider in 1990. In his report, Schneider (1994) underscored the need for additional and Coridothymus capitatus), but also includes small records of the species on the island. The only amphibian shrub-land patches of Kermes Oak (Quercus coccifera) previously mentioned is Bufotes viridis (Laurenti, in areas that have not been cultivated or overgrazed. 1768), represented by a single observation by zoologist Only one relict forest of Valonia Oak trees (Quercus Peter F. Keymar (Vienna, Austria) who also contacted macrolepis) occurs between the villages of Repanidi Schneider in 1990; we consider this species as absent and Kontopouli (Panitsa et al., 2003). About 30–40% of from the island and remove it from the extant species the island’s surface area is cultivated, mainly by cereal list (see Results and Discussion). fields, vineyards, and cattle pastures, while the rest of the island is thoroughly grazed by sheep and goats, Materials and Methods making phryganna the dominant type of habitat from sea level to the highest elevations (Biel, 2002). The first author has made informal observations of Earlier surveys and reviews (Chondropoulos, the wildlife on Limnos (Fig. 2) almost every spring 1986; 1989; Schneider, 1986; Kasapidis et al., 1996; and summer covering the last 20 years, whereas more Cattaneo, 2001) have led to the listing of two species systematic surveys of the island’s herpetofauna have of amphibians and 14 species of terrestrial reptiles been made since 2007 (a period of 9 yrs). Extensive for Limnos (Table 1). Kasapidis et al. (1996) reported herpetofaunal surveys to supplement the regular annual Lacerta trilineata Bedriaga, 1886 and Xerotyphlops ones took place during April 2007 (8 d), July–August vermicularis (Merrem, 1820) from Limnos, which we 2007 (31 d), May 2008 (1 d), June 2008 (2 d), June consider incorrect entries (see Results and Discussion). 2009 (6 d), August 2009 (9 d), May 2010 (4 d), August The only marine reptile recorded in the area is Caretta 2011 (4 d), August 2012 (3 d), August 2013 (6 d), caretta (Linnaeus, 1758). August 2014 (8 d), and April 2015 (6 d). Specific dates and participants are listed in Table 2. We conducted Agios Efstratios.—Agios Efstratios is a small, one survey on Agios Efstratios (4 d). Observations isolated island with an area of 49.6 km2, located 30 km were made by visual encounter surveys at different SW of Limnos and 75 km NW of Lesvos. Today the hours of the day and