Search articles

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0).

On the history of the study of land turtles (Testudinidae, Testudo) of the Caucasus

Authors: Gichikhanova U. A., Mazanaeva L. F.

An analysis of the literature on long-term studies of the land turtle (Testudinidae, Testudo graeca) in the Caucasus was carried out. Particular attention is paid to the results obtained over the past decades. Starting from the 19th century, the main stages in the history of study have been identified. The main focus of the researchers was on the ecology, biology and taxonomy of the species. Despite a long history of study, the species in the Caucasus still remains insufficiently studied.

Description of cases of axial bifurcation of the Mediterranean Spur-thighed tortoise – Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758 (Testudinidae, Reptilia) based on field research and herpetological collection of ZIN RAS

Authors: Gordeev D. A., Mazanaeva L. F., Gichikhanova U. A.

Axial duplications are the most complex variant of anomalies characteristic of animals, including turtles. For turtles, the following variants of duplications are described: anakatamesodimus, derodimus, dicephaly, Siamese twins. We present a description of two specimens of the Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758): with dicephaly and ischio-omphalopagia, a variant of Siamese twins, in which lateral fusion occurs in the region of the sacrum.

On the morphology of the blind snake (Xerotyphlops vermicularis (Merrem, 1820)) (Typhlopidae, Reptilia) in Dagestan

Authors: Ismailova Z. S., Rabadanova Z. G.

The worm-like blind snake – Xerotyphlops vermicularis (Merrem, 1820) has a wide range. The Dagestan population is located at the northern limit of the species' range. This paper provides information on the morphology of the Dagestan population and a comparison of its morphological data with the Turkish and Cypriot populations. A total of 67 sexually mature individuals (14 males and 53 females) were studied. 23 signs were analyzed, of which 19 were linear and 4 were signs of folidosis.

Reproductive characteristics of Darevskia daghestanica (Reptilia, Lacertidae) in Intra-Mountain Dagestan

Authors: Kidov A. A., Erashkin V. O., Ivanov A. A., Mazanaeva L. F., Askenderov A. D., Kondratova T. E.

The paper presents the results of studying the reproductive biology of Darevskia daghestanica in the valleys of Khzanor and Kitlyarta rivers (Tsunta district, Republic of Dagestan, Republic of Dagestan). Adult females were caught in the II–III decades of May 2021. In the following, the animals were kept singly in a laboratory. Lizards laid eggs from the third decade of May to the second decade of June. The body length of breeding females was 43.95–56.20 mm.

Caucasian toad, Bufo verrucosissimus (Pallas, 1814), (Anura: Bufonidae) in the Caspian Sea basin (Russian Caucasus)

Authors: Lotiev K. Y., Telpov V. A., Doronin I. V., Yufereva V. V., Klenina A. A., Popova A. L.

The Caucasian toad, Bufo verrucosissimus (Pallas, 1814), is a typical representative of the West Caucasian forest mesophilic batrachofauna, requiring special protection measures. The known habitat of the species in the Russian part of the Caucasus was limited to the Black Sea basin. In the course of the studies undertaken, the Caucasian toad was found in many localities of the Predgorny district of the Stavropol territory (Caspian Sea basin), where at present relatively favorable natural conditions have developed for it.

Variation of age composition and postmetamorphic growth rates in Pelophylax ridibundus (Ranidae, Anura): Comparison populations from Moscow region and Kamchatka

Authors: Lyapkov S. M., Bryakova M. A.

Using skeletochronology, the age composition and growth rates of Pelophylax ridibundus population from the Eastern European part of the native range (Zvenigorod Biological station (ZBS) of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow region) were compared with introduced populations of Kamchatka, differing in the duration of the activity season (T). Both females and males of the ZBS population (T = 5.5 months) reach maturity after the 3rd wintering.

Snake diversity of the Aralo-Caspian basin

Authors: Milto K. D.

Snake diversity of the Aralo-Caspian basin includes 61 species in 8 families and is composed by local faunas of the Northern Caspian depression, Greater Caucasus and Ciscaucasia, Lesser Caucasus and Transcaucasia, Alborz and Turkmeno-Khorasanian mountains, Aralo-Caspian isthmus, deserts and mountains of the Middle Asia and plains of the Aral Sea region. Regions with richest snake diversity are Alborz, Turkmeno-Khorasanian mountains and Transcaucasia.

Comparative assessment of the impact of pesticide pollution on the cytomorphology of erythrocytes Bufotes viridis (Laurenti, 1768) and Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771) (Anura, Amphibia)

Authors: Rabadanova A. I., Gamidova D. M.

A comparative assessment of morphological features of erythrocytes Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771) and Bufotes viridis (Laurenti, 1768) living near the territory sprayed with pesticides was carried out. Multidirectional changes in the parameters of erythrocytes in the compared species were revealed, expressed in an increase in the width, area and volume of cells in P. ridibundus and a decrease in the values of these parameters in B. viridis.

State of populations of anuran amphibians (Anura, Amphibia) in the north of the Caspian lowland

Authors: Tabachishin V. V., Tabachishin V. G., Yermokhin M. V.

The distribution of three species of anuran amphibians (Pelobates vespertinus, Bombina bombina and Pelophylax ridibundus) in the north of the Caspian lowland within the south-east of the Saratov region is considered. The biotopic habitat of local populations of these species is revealed and trends in their abundance under the influence of climatic and anthropogenic factors are discussed. Reduction of their numbers is shown and the continuation of this trend is predicted if the direction of climate change in the region remains unchanged.

Materials for the helminthofauna of the green toad Bufotes viridis (Anura, Amphibian) in the Republic of Dagestan

Authors: Chikhlyaev I. V., Askenderov A. D., Faizulin A. I.

The helminth community of the Green toad Bufotes viridis (Laurenti, 1768) from the population inhabiting the Caspian basin on the territory of the Republic of Dagestan is characterized. The study was carried out according to the method of full helminthological autopsy. Six species of helminths belonging to two types have been registered: Nematoda (4) and Acanthocephala (2).

Distribution of reptiles in Northwestern Turkmenistan

Authors: Shestopal A. A., Shcherbina A. A.

The article analyzes the modern distribution of reptiles in Northwestern Turkmenistan. According to literary data and observations of the authors, 36 species of reptiles have been recorded in the region, including one new species Alsophylax sp. Two species (Eryx elegans and Trachylepis septemtaeniata transcaucasica) are excluded from the list of herpetofauna of the region.

New data on some Russian herpetologists. Communication 5

Authors: Doronin I. V.

Previously unknown biographical data about A. M. Nikolsky (1858–1942), R. D. Dzhafarov (1883–1971) and M. K. Ozol (1902–1973) are given. The main information was obtained from the Central State Historical Archive of St. Petersburg, the Russian State Historical Archive and the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense.

Morphological characteristics of Elaphe dione (Pallas, 1773) (Reptilia: Colubridae) on the North of the range in the Samara region

Authors: Klenina A. A., Kuznetsova E. V.

A detailed morphological description of the Elaphe dione (Pallas, 1773) in the Samara region is given. In wild-caught adult specimens that were not in a state of molting (n = 119), three variants of belly coloration were identified: beige (47.0%), ginger (26.9%), and gray (26.1%). Among individuals with beige and ginger bellies predominated males (67.9% and 59.4%, respectively), and females with gray bellies predominated (54.8%). The first case of partial melanism in the region was registered. The maximum L.corp.

Size and age changes in color in the Rapid racerunner, Eremias velox (Pallas, 1771) (Reptilia, Lacertilia) population on the Sarycum sandy massif

Authors: Polynova G. V., Polynova O. E., Leonova A. A.

The article is based on materials on age-related changes in the color of the lower surface of the tail and back of the thighs in the population of the Rapid racerunner (Eremias velox velox Pallas, 1771), living on the Sarykum sandy massif. The material was collected in the first ten days of May 2023. A total of 110 individuals were caught and described: 44 males, 36 females and 30 immature individuals. The size characteristics of sex and age groups are given.

New findings of the marsh frog, Pelophylax ridibundus (Anura, Ranidae) in the eastern part of the South Urals

Authors: Yartsev V. V., Shkuropatskiy V. O., Simonova M. A., Lisova L. O., Shapovalov A. A., Mit Y. K., Ivanova Y. V., Kiseleva N. V.

In the eastern part of the South Urals, the marsh frog, Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771) is distributed in the rivers of Volga and Ob’ basins, floodplain and off-floodplain reservoirs. We found 17 new locations for the species. For the first time we noted the species in Ilmenskoe Lake, on the territory of the National Park “Taganaj”, and in the Miass River basin in the Uchalinskij Region of the Republic of Bashkortostan and in the surroundings of the selo Ustinovo in Chelyabinsk region.

Pages