LETZTVERSION_Kumlutas_etal_Trachylepis_aurata_in_south_Anatolia_HERPETOZOA.qxd 01.08.2011 11:40 Seite 1 herPeTozoA 24 (1/2): 61 - 71 61 Wien, 30. Juli 2011 Morphology, taxonomic status and distribution of Trachylepis aurata (lınneAuS , 1758) in southeast Anatolia (Squamata: Sauria: Scincidae) Morphologie, taxonomischer Status und Verbreitung von Trachylepis aurata (lınneAuS , 1758) in Südostanatolien (Squamata: Sauria: Scincidae) SAlıh hAKAn durMuş & y uSuf KuMluTAş & A deM ÖzdeMır & A zız AVCı & Ç eTın ılGAz KurzfASSunG die vorliegende untersuchung präsentiert Angaben über Pholidosezählwerte, morphometrische Messungen und längenverhältnisse sowie färbungs- und zeichnungsmerkmale südostanatolischer ındividuen von Trachylepis aurata (l ınnAeuS , 1758). die Befunde werden mit literaturdaten von exemplaren aus anderen Teilen der Türkei ver - glichen. das aus der Türkei berichtete Vorkommen von Trachylepis septemtaeniata (reuSS , 1834) wird diskutiert. ABSTrACT The present morphological study details meristic (pholidosis), morphometric (measurements, ratios) and color-pattern features of Trachylepis aurata (l ınnAeuS , 1758) collected from southeast Anatolia, Turkey. The results are compared with literature data obtained from specimens of other Anatolian regions. The occurrence of Trachylepis septemtaeniata (reuSS , 1834) reported from Turkey, is discussed. Key WordS reptilia: Squamata: Sauria: Scincidae Trachylepis aurata , Trachylepis septemtaeniata , pholidosis, mor - phology, color-pattern; southeast Anatolia, Turkey ınTroduCTıon The lizard family Scincidae (skinks), as, the South American species retained the one of the largest families of squamate rep - name Mabuya . According to MAuSfeld & tiles, is thought to have originated in Africa SChMıTz (2003), the Turkish species and all and then diversified and spread through near east species of the former collective Asia and Australia to its current worldwide genus Mabuya belong to the Afro-Malagasy distribution ( Greer 1970 ; W hıTınG et al . clade [viz. Trachylepis ]. 2006). The family Scincidae currently con - Three species of the genus Trachylepis tains more than 1,300 species grouped in are found in the south and east of Turkey, over 85 genera. About 100 species of these Trachylepis aurata (l ınneAuS , 1758), T. were assigned to the genus Mabuya (sensu septemtaeniata (reuSS , 1834) and T. vittata Greer 1970 ) ( BAuer 1992; MAuSfeld et al. (olıVıer , 1804) . Trachylepis aurata , the 2002; rASTeGAr -P ouyAnı 2006). MAuSfeld Golden Grass Skink, was first described et al. (2002) partitioned the collective genus from “Jersea Anglorum, Cypro” [British Mabuya fıTzınGer , 1826, into four genera: ısland of Jersey and Cyprus] ( lınneAuS Asian species were placed in Eutropis fıT- 1758). later, the type locality of T. aurata zınGer , 1843 , African and Malagasy species was emended to Asia Minor ( MorAVeC et al. in Euprepis WAGler , 1830 [and subsequent - 2006). Western, central, southern and south - ly Trachylepis fıTzınGer , 1843 (BAuer eastern Anatolia, and adjacent Greek islands 2003)], species from the Cape Verde ıslands (Kastellorizo, Kos, rhodos, Samos, Simi) , became Chioninia GrAy , 1845, again, where - constitute the northwestern range area of this LETZTVERSION_Kumlutas_etal_Trachylepis_aurata_in_south_Anatolia_HERPETOZOA.qxd 01.08.2011 11:40 Seite 2 62 S. h. d urMuş & y. K uMluTAş & A. Ö zdeMır & A. A VCı & Ç. ı lGAz skink ( MerTenS 1924; Bırd 1936; MerTenS that no other subspecies than the nominate 1952; ClArK & C lArK 1973; BArAn 1977; form inhabited Turkey, and BArAn (1977), yılMAz 1977; B Aşoğlu & B ArAn 1977; yılMAz (1977), ToK (1999) and KuMluTAş ChondroPouloS 1986; B ArAn & A TATür et al. (2004) agreed on this opinion. recent - 1998; T oK 1999; S ındACo et al. 2000; K uM- ly, the subspecies septemtaeniata was ele - luTAş et al. 2004; M orAVeC et al. 2006). vated to species level, which, along with the however, various researchers ( Wer- changing of its generic assignment, resulted ner 1902; Bırd 1936; MerTenS 1924, 1952; in the name Euprepis septemtaeniata Bo denheıMer 1944; BArAn 1977; yılMAz (MAuSfeld & S ChMıTz 2003). ın the same 1977; MorAVeC et al. 2006) expressed dif - year, BAuer (2003) found the name Eupre - ferent opinions about the taxomic status of pis to be invalid and replaced it by Trachy - the Turkish specimens. MerTenS (1924) lepis . finally MorAVeC et al. (2006) ob - assigned a specimen from Mardin to the served that T. aurata and T. septemtaeniata nominate form. Bırd (1936) examined shared the same biotope (sympatric occur - specimens captured from İzmir, Alaşehir, rence) in the surroundings of Birecik, the Bulgar Mountains and Mardin şanlıurfa, southeastern Anatolia. (MerTenS ’s specimen). According to his The present paper presents and dis - opinion, western Anatolian specimens rep - cusses meristic (pholidosis), and metric (body resented what he named T. septemtaeniata proportions) characters and color-pattern fea - fellowsi , and the Mardin specimen T. aurata tures of T. aurata from southeastern Anatolia. aurata . MerTenS (1952) however, declared MATerıAlS And MeThodS This study is based on a total of 53 nostrils (dn); hindlimb length (hll), specimens of T. aurata (18 males, 22 fe - outstretched limb from hip joint to tip of males and 13 juveniles, for details see Ap - toe; forelimb length (fll), outstretched pendix), collected from different localities limb from shoulder joint to tip of toe; dis - in southeast Anatolia (fig. 1) in the period tance between the insertions of fore and 2001-2006. Color and pattern characteris - hindlimb (dfh). from these measurements, tics were recorded and color slides were the following ratios were calculated: Tl/ taken while the animals were alive . Pattern SVl; SVl/fll; SVl/hll; SVl/hl_a; terminology is in accordance to SChreıBer SVl/hl_b; SVl/hW; hl/hW. (1912: 334). The specimens were anaes - Meristic and dichotomous data.- thetized with ether, fixed with a 1:1 mixture Pholidosis characteristics considered here 5% formalin and 70% ethanol, and later kept comprised the following counts: nuchal in 70% ethanol according to the method plates, upper labials (left-right), supraciliar described by BAşoğlu & B ArAn (1977). plates (left-right), number of longitudinal The specimens were incorporated into the dorsal scale rows around midbody (ventral collection of zdeu (zoology department of side included) (dS), gular scales plus ven - ege university, Buca- İzmir, Turkey) and tral scales along ventromedian line (GS), stored in the zoology lab of the department subdigital lamellae (Sdl_a, Sdl_b) under - of Biology at Buca education faculty. neath fourth toe of hind leg (left-right), con - Metric data.- The following mor - tact between third supraocular plate and phometric measurements were taken using frontal plate absent or present. dial calipers with an accuracy of 0.02 mm: ın order to compare similarities and Snout-vent length (SVl), tip of snout to differences between sexes, an independent anal cleft; Tail length (Tl), anal cleft to the t-test was applied to the counts and meas - tip of tail; head length_a (hl_a), from ros - urements of the examined specimens ( α = trum to end of interparietal shield; head 0.05 significance). Statistical analyses were length_b (hl_b), from rostrum to anterior carried out using the program SPSS 11.0. margin of ear opening; head Width (hW), (SPSS ınc., 1989-2001). at widest point of head; distance between LETZTVERSION_Kumlutas_etal_Trachylepis_aurata_in_south_Anatolia_HERPETOZOA.qxd 01.08.2011 11:40 Seite 3 Morphology, taxonomy and distribution of Trachylepis aurata (lınneAuS , 1758) in southeast Anatolia 63 reSulTS Morphometric measurements.- 1.9%); third supraocular in contact with the The descriptive statistics of the morphome - frontal shield in 14 (26.4%) specimens tric measurements are summarized in Table (both on left and right side) and in 10 1. Maximum SVl and Tl of a specimen (18.9%) specimens (only one side). Third with intact tail were 102.8 and 244.5 mm, supraocular separated from the frontal in 29 respectively (a male). According to inde - (54.7%) specimens (fig. 2). The contact sit - pendent t-tests, no significant differences uation between third supraocular and frontal between male and female specimens were of the specimens is presented in Table 2. found in metric measurements except dfh. The number of lamellae underneath the The means of dfh were 44.0 and 47.6 mm fourth hind leg toe (Sdl_a and Sdl_b) var - for male and female specimens, respective - ied between 16 and 21 with a mean value of ly (Table 1). 18.6 in both sides ( n: 53, 1st quartile: 18, Meristics (pholidosis counts).- Two median: 19, mode: 19 and 3rd quartile: 19). nuchals (100%); four upper labials anterior The number of gular plus ventral scales and two posterior to subocular (100%); fifth along the ventromedian line from mental and sixth lower labials under the subocular shield to vent (GS) ranged from 57 to 71 (in 52 out of 53 specimens; 98.2%); supra - with a mean of 64.4 ( n: 53, 1st quartile: ciliaria (left/rigth side): 5/5 (32 of 53; 62.5, median: 64, mode: 63 and 3rd quartile: 60.4%), 4/4 (10 of 53; 18.9%), 4/5 (6 of 53; 67). The number of longitudinal scale rows 11.3%), 5/4 (2 of 53; 3.8%), 5/3 (1 of 53; around mid-body (ventral side included) 1.9%), 5/6 (1 of 53; 1.9%) and 6/5(1 of 53; (dS) was from 34 to 38 with a mean value Table 1: descriptive statistics of meristic pholidosis characters, morphometric measurements and ratios of Trachylepis aurata (l ınnAeuS , 1758) specimens. for abbreviations,