Short Communications

On the northern border of the range of Darevskia pontica (Lantz et Cyrén, 1918) (Sauria: Lacertidae)

Authors: Doronin I. V., Smirnova N. G.

New findings of Darevskia pontica at the northern border of its habitat, in the Kuban-Azov lowland within the administrative boundaries of the Krasnodar and Rostov regions, are presented and discussed. The species was found in the Rostov region for the first time. It is proposed to include D. pontica into the regional Red Data Book of the Rostov region.

New data on some Russian herpetologists. Communication 4

Authors: Doronin I. V.

Previously unknown biographic and bibliographic data about Peter V. Nesterov are provided. The main part of information was found in the Central State Historical Archive of Saint Petersburg.

Amphibians of the Orenburg State Nature Reserve (Russia)

Authors: Gorelov R. A., Bakiev A. G.

Literary information about the batrachofauna of the Orenburg nature reserve is incomplete and contradictory. Data on the specific composition and abundance of amphibians in the Orenburg Nature State Reserve at its five cluster territories by the results of our 2015–2020 inventory are presented. The previously published materials about amphibians on the cluster territories “Talovskaya Steppe”, “Burtinskaya Steppe” and “Aytuarskaya Steppe” have been supplemented.

A new record of the Bogdanov's thin-toed gecko, Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Sauria, Gekkonidae), in South Kazakhstan

Authors: Chirikova M. A., Amirekul K. A.

In the Shymkent city (South Kazakhstan) in 2019 and 2021 several specimens of Bogdanov's thin-toed gecko (Tenuidactylus bogdanovi) were found. The find was located 129 km north of the nearest known location in the Tashkent city in Uzbekistan. The repeated finding of Bogdanov's gecko in Shymkent confirms the eligibility of including this species in the list of herpetofauna of Kazakhstan.

Specific composition, numbers and biotopical distribution of snakes (Serpentes) on the southern slope of the Navagir mountain ridge (Abrau Peninsula) and some problems of its preservation

Authors: Tsellarius A. Y.

Seven species of snakes were revealed in 1997–1998, six of which (Natrix tessellata, N. natrix, Zamenis longissimus, Hierophis caspius, Platyceps najadum, and Elaphe sauromatus) were in the lower part of the slope, in the area of mediterranean vegetation. In 2001–2003, the first three species were revealed only, and their numbers significantly decreased, reaching a maximum in the middle part of the slope, in the zone of transition from mediterranean vegetation to broad-leaved forests.

New data on the distribution of Pallas's spadefoot toad (Pelobates vespertinus (Pallas, 1771)) and fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina L., 1761) (Anura, Amphibia) on the territory of the Saratov region and adjacent territories

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

New data on the geographical distribution of Pelobates vespertinus and Bombina bombina in the Saratov region and adjacent districts of the Volgograd, Voronezh, Penza and Ulyanovsk regions are presented. The habitation of B. bombina and P. vespertinus populations in 25 and 22 localities, respectively, was established. Most modern populations of these species of anuran amphibians have been recorded near water bodies in river valleys.

Rediscovery of Karelin’s newt (Triturus karelinii, Amphibia, Caudata, Salamandridae) in the Stavropol region and Karachay-Cherkessia (North Caucasus, Russia)

Authors: Kidov A. A., Ivanov A. A., Kidova E. A.

Karelin's newt (Triturus karelinii) in Russia is known for sure in Republic of Crimea, Krasnodar region, Republic of Adygea, and Republic of Dagestan. No reports of this species distribution in other regions of the North Caucasus have yet been confirmed by collection materials. The paper presents data on few Karelin's newt findings in the Stavropol region and Karachay-Cherkessia Republic. In May 2018, five adult T. karelinii (two males and three females) were captured in the vicinity of the Novoekaterinovskaya village (Kochubeyevskiy district, Stavropol region).

New data on some Russian herpetologists. Communication 3

Authors: Doronin I. V.

Unknown biographic data about I. S. Darevsky, D. B. Krasovsky, and S. A. Chernov are presented. This information was obtained during work with the museum collection of the Gorsky State Agrarian University (Vladikavkaz), that of E. N. Pavlovsky’s Chair of Biology at S. M. Kirov Military Medical Academy, and the archive of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Present distribution of the common frog, Rana temporaria and the moor frog, R. arvalis (Amphibia, Anura) in the “old” Moscow

Authors: Petrovskiy A. B., Shpagina A. A., Kidov A. A.

The common frog (Rana temporaria) and the moor frog (R. arvalis) lived in all green areas of Moscow until the end of the 20th century. The reduction in the area of woody vegetation, the destruction of breeding sites and introduction of the invasive fish Perccottus glenii contributed to the extinction of these amphibians in most of the city. The paper provides information on the distribution of brown frogs in Moscow based on the results of monitoring in 2020. R.

Ice walking common frog (Rana temporaria) (Ranidae, Amphibia)

Authors: Milto K. D.

A record of Rana temporaria on the ice cover of the Gulf of Finland is described. Frog slowly moved on the ice surface with speed around 0.03 m/s. Air temperature near ice surface was +3.5°C, and the frog body temperature was +4°C. In the Saint Petersburg region, common frogs can hibernate in the coastal waters of Baltic Sea with salinity of  0 – 5.8‰.

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