Short Communications

New findings of rare amphibians and reptiles in South Ossetia

Authors: Kidov A. A., Ivolga R. A.

The paper presents new data on the distribution of Pelodytes caucasicus, Bufo verrucosissimus and Pelias tuniyevi in South Ossetia. The research was carried out on the Dzau district territory in the first decade of July 2023 and in the third decade of April 2024. In the Patsa River gorge (a right tributary of Bolshaya Liakhva River), P. caucasicus, B. verrucosissimus, and P. tuniyevi were discovered for the first time, and P. caucasicus and B. verrucosissimus were discovered in the Ertso Depression.

Age structure, growth and reproduction of Anguis colchica (Reptilia, Anguidae) in the east of the Lesser Caucasus

Authors: Ivanov A. A., Nikonova V. R., Balashova A. O., Erashkin V. O., Kidov A. A.

The results of our study of age and growth of the Eastern slowworm (Anguis colchica) in two localities in the east of the Lesser Caucasus are presented. 33 individuals (18 males and 15 females) from the vicinity of Stepanavan town (Lori Marz, Armenia) were studied. A sample from the vicinity of Zanavi village (Borjomi municipality, Samtskhe-Javakheti region, Georgia) contained 19 specimens (6 males and 13 females). The body length of captured animals was measured and the tip of the tail was clipped.

Comparative characteristics of growth in juvenile lizards from the genus Darevskia (Reptilia, Squamata, Lacertidae) under artificial conditions

Authors: Erashkin V. O., Guridova D. V., Strakhova E. D., Andreeva K. I., Kidov A. A.

The paper presents a comparative analysis of the growth rates and characteristics of 10 lizard species from the genus Darevskia (D. armeniaca, D. arribasi, D. brauneri, D. caucasica, D. daghestanica, D. derjugini, D. mixta, D. pontica, D. raddei, and D. valentini) in laboratory conditions. It has been shown that lizards from different species complexes, but originating from close localities, are characterized by similar growth features.

Laboratory hybridization of Darevskia chlorogaster and D. capsica (Reptilia, Lacertidae)

Authors: Erashkin V. O., Kidov A. A.

The results of our laboratory hybridization of green-bellied (Darevskia chlorogaster) and Caspian (Darevskia capsica) lizards are presented. When crossing D. chlorogaster females and D. caspica males, 7 hybrid individuals were obtained. The newborn lizards had body lengths of 24.59–27.11 mm and masses of 0.32–0.37 g. Incubation lasted 57–61 days. After the first period of hibernation (286–357 days after leaving the eggs) the hybrids had their first attempts at mating and laying eggs.

Storage of grass frog Rana temporaria (Ranidae, Amphibia) oocytes in a carbon monoxide and oxygen mixture under pressure

Authors: Gagarinskiy E. L., Uteshev V. K., Fesenko E. E.

The development of a technology for hypothermic preservation of amphibian oocytes is one of the urgent tasks for cryobiology. The previously proposed method of “dry” hypothermic preservation in small sealed containers allowed us to increase the duration of refrigerated storage of unfertilized oocytes of the grass frog Rana temporaria up to 7 days (fertilization 40%; hatching 20%).

Demographic features of amphibians in a megacity (case study of Moscow City)

Authors: Afrina I. V., Afrin K. A., Kidov A. A.

The study focuses on demographic characteristics of amphibians in a megacity environment, using Moscow City as a case study. The relevance of our research is driven by the impact of the urban environment on ecosystems. In Moscow City, home to over 13 million people, the urban infrastructure affects the natural habitats of amphibians. The study primarily examines the common toad (Bufo bufo) and common frog (Rana temporaria).

Distribution and ecology of Coronella austriaca austriaca Laurenti, 1768 (Colubridae, Reptilia) in the North-East of the Caucasus (Dagestan, Russia)

Authors: Mazanaeva L. F., Gichikhanova U. A., Akhmedov G. E.

Data on the distribution of the common smooth snake in Dagestan are presented. The map with the locations of the smooth snake includes 103 locations of the species. The issues of biotopic confinement and ecology of the species in the region are discussed.

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.

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.

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.

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