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The use of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) as a measure of developmental instability, and its relationship to stress and fitness, is highly controversial. Here, we present results from a preliminary study comparing levels of asymmetry in various characteristics between two island populations of the Italian Wall Lizard (Podarcis sicula), one of which was recently founded. We relate individual asymmetry to several measures of physiological performance. Levels of FA varied clearly among the traits studied. Repeatability of FA estimates was high for meristic traits but low for metric traits. Levels of FA were on average higher in the newly founded population. We found a significant decrease in exertion (time until exhaustion by continuously chasing) with increasing levels of fluctuating asymmetry (i.e., more symmetric individuals had a higher exertion). Speed of locomotion showed a positive trend with increasing FA. No relationship was found between individual levels of FA and bite force. These results suggest that FA estimates, based on the accurate measurement of several traits, may be useful in explaining differences in developmental stability and physiological performance at the individual and population level.

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Whether and how differences in environmental predictability affect life-history traits is controversial and may depend on mean environmental conditions. Solid evidence for effects of environmental predictability are lacking and thus, the consequences of the currently observed and forecasted climatechange induced reduction of precipitation predictability are largely unknown. Here we experimentally tested whether and how changes in the predictability of precipitation affect growth, reproduction, and survival of common lizard Zootoca vivipara. Precipitation predictability affected all three age classes. While adults were able to compensate the treatment effects, yearlings and juvenile females were not able to compensate negative effects of less predictable precipitation on growth and body condition, respectively. Differences among the age-classes’ response reflect differences (among age-classes) in the sensitivity to environmental predictability. Moreover, effects of environmental predictability depended on mean environmental conditions. This indicates that integrating differences in environmental sensitivity, and changes in averages and the predictability of climatic variables will be key to understand whether species are able to cope with the current climatic change.

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In drei Ersatzhabitaten für Zauneidechsen (Lacerta agilis), die im Rahmen von Umsiedlungsmaßnahmen in Berlin angelegt wurden, wurden Strukturelemente eingebracht, die hinsichtlich der verwendeten Materialien, ihrer Größe und ihres Aufbaus große Unterschiede aufwiesen. Im Zuge von Monitoring-Untersuchungen konnte beobachtet werden, dass nicht alle Strukturelemente von den Eidechsen besiedelt wurden. Je nach Ausstattung wurden einige völlig gemieden, während andere deutlich bevorzugt wurden. Nach den bisherigen Beobachtungen wurden strukturreiche Altholzhaufen von den Zauneidechsen am häufigsten besiedelt, während an den steindominierten Strukturen gar nicht oder nur vereinzelt Eidechsen beobachtet werden konnten. Von entscheidender Bedeutung scheint zu sein, ob die angelegten Sonderstrukturen den Eidechsen genügend Deckung bieten. Somit zeigen sich Qualitätsunterschiede bei den Anlagen, die in der Praxis unbedingt mehr Beachtung finden sollten.

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The ecological theory of island biogeography suggests that mainland populations should be more genetically divergent from those on large and distant islands rather than from those on small and close islets. Some island populations do not evolve in a linear way, but the process of divergence occurs more rapidly because they undergo a series of phenotypic changes, jointly known as the Island Syndrome. A special case is Reversed Island Syndrome (RIS), in which populations show drastic phenotypic changes both in body shape, skin colouration, age of sexual maturity, aggressiveness, and food intake rates. The populations showing the RIS were observed on islets nearby mainland and recently raised, and for this they are useful models to study the occurrence of rapid evolutionary change. We investigated the timing and mode of evolution of lizard populations adapted through selection on small islets. For our analyses, we used an ad hoc model system of three populations: wildtype lizards from the mainland and insular lizards from a big island (Capri, Italy), both Podarcis siculus siculus not affected by the syndrome, and a lizard population from islet (Scopolo) undergoing the RIS (called P. s. coerulea because of their melanism). The split time of the big (Capri) and small (Scopolo) islands was determined using geological events, like sealevel rises. To infer molecular evolution, we compared five complete mitochondrial genomes for each population to reconstruct the phylogeography and estimate the divergence time between island and mainland lizards. We found a lower mitochondrial mutation rate in Scopolo lizards despite the phenotypic changes achieved in approximately 8,000 years. Furthermore, transcriptome analyses showed significant differential gene expression between islet and mainland lizard populations, suggesting the key role of plasticity in these unpredictable environments.

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Lifespan is one of the main components of life history. Shorter lifespans can be expected in marginal habitats. However, in the case of ectotherms, lifespan typically increases with altitude, even though temperature –one of the main factors to determine ectotherms’ life history– declines with elevation. This pattern can be explained by the fact that a shorter activity time favours survival. In the present study, we analysed how lifespan and other life-history traits of the lizard Psammodromus algirus vary along a 2,200 m elevational gradient in Sierra Nevada (SE Spain). Populations at intermediate altitudes (1,200–1,700 m), corresponding to the optimal habitat for this species, had the shortest lifespans, while populations inhabiting marginal habitats (at both low and at high altitudes) lived longest. Therefore, this lizard did not follow the typical pattern of ectotherms, as it also lived longer at the lower limit of its distribution, nor did it show a longer lifespan in areas with optimal habitats. These results might be explained by a complex combination of different gradients along the mountain, namely that activity time decreases with altitude whereas food availability increases. This could explain why lifespan was maximum at both high (limited activity time) and low (limited food availability) altitudes, resulting in similar lifespans in areas with contrasting environmental conditions. Our findings also indicated that reproductive investment and body condition increase with elevation, suggesting that alpine populations are locally adapted.

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During a visit to Osor on the island Cres, Croatia, in mid August 2016 I photographed one adult Dalmatolacerta oxycephala eating a stink bug of the (family Pentatomidae). Judging from the pertinent literature it is concluded that D. oxycephala eats a wide variety of invertebrates, including scorpions, beetles and possibly even centipedes. Ripe fruit is also eaten. D. oxycephala is comfortable with humans at Osor and in other habitats visited frequently by people, whereas it proves very shy in other habitats. At Osor one Hierophis gemonensis was apparently hunting D. oxycephala in a wall.

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The present work constitutes an historical atlas of all known bibliographic records of amphib- ians and reptiles of Angola. It is the first attempt to compile in a single document all the records scattered through hundreds of publications, published from the first half of the nineteenth century to the present day, and provide a critical taxonomic revision of the herpetofauna of the country. An introductory text discusses the Angolan socio-political and physiographic landscape, the history of herpetological research in the country, and the diversity, distribution and endemism of Angolan her- petofauna. It also provides a summary of the conservation concerns surrounding the herpetological fauna. For each taxon noted in the literature we provide a detailed taxonomic account, including data on the original description, its IUCN assessment status, global distribution, georeferenced records for each known occurrence in Angola (accompanied by a point locality map), and taxo- nomic and distributional notes. A synoptic list of all documented Angolan amphibian and reptile species is provided as are lists of taxa previously erroneously assigned to the Angolan fauna. We recognize 117 species of frogs and 278 species of reptiles as occurring in Angola, although many of these represent species complexes or are currently recognized under names of convenience pending taxonomic evaluation. In one instance we provide a replacement name, Trachylepis monardi nom. nov., to deal with an instance of secondary homonymy. The Atlas is intended to be a working reference for both current research and conservation planning, as well as a catalyst for future work.The interest shown by specialists in the study of Angolan specimens dates back more than one hundred years. Since the nineteenth century, books and papers have been published on the topic as the result of these investigations. The first major bibliographic reference about the Angolan herpetofauna, Herpétologie d’Angola et du Congo by José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage, dates from 1895. Many researchers and publications followed, greatly enriching the scientific bibliography on the topic. However, the scattered nature of the published works, as well as the dearth of available specimens from earlier times, has made it difficult for researchers, scholars or curious amateurs to access to this information. Because of these difficulties, and to facilitate the access to available data on the Angolan herpetofauna, the Ministry of Environment, through its National Institute of Biodiversity and Conservation Areas, decided to present, in a single volume, all the available scientific records published so far on the diversity of amphibians and reptiles. Such a task, which has its basis in the National Strategy and Action Plan for Biodiversity and Conservation Areas of Angola, was dependent upon the helpful collaboration of important international partners. The present Atlas will be of inestimable assistance to the study of the Natural History of Ango- la, not only because of its standardized taxonomic and geographical accounts with distribution maps for all of the amphibians and reptiles known in Angola, but also because of its competent approach to the physiography, climate, biomes, historical herpetological research in Angola, conservation, and other topics. The thoughtful way the book is arranged, with straightforward text, clear tables and interesting figures, makes it easy for even laymen to read and understand. At 501 pages long, profusely documented and richly illustrated, this Atlas provides a grand guided tour through the diversity of the Angolan herpetofauna, from the most remote and spectac- ular places of the country. Through mountains and escarpments, plains and valleys, savannas and dense forests, rivers and streams, lakes and lagoons, this work encompasses the entire country, aking us on an enlightening tour of knowledge. The methodical labor and persistence of the specialists who produced the present work, ensure that it not only contributes to scientific history, through its compilation of research already completed, but also suggests future directions for researchers and scholars devoted to the topic. Further, this substantial volume will also inform the national authorities with respect to environ- ment protection and conservation policies. Given all this, one can see that the present work, reflecting the contributions of the men and women who created it, is destined to become a standard reference to the scientific literature of the country, especially in regard to this part of its fauna. The quality of the scientific information poured into the following pages certainly qualifies the authors of this accurate work as leading herpetologists and places them among the important researchers to have served Angola in the course of its scientific history.

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A list of 60 species of amphibians and reptiles found during a six-week survey in western Zambia is presented. Two species of amphibians are newly reported for Zambia: Amietia chapini and an undescribed species of Tomopterna, previously known to occur in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Namibia, respectively. Some of the material collected could not be confidently identified to species level because of the taxonomic complexity and uncertainty of some groups (e.g., Phrynobatrachus, Ptychadena), even with the use of DNA barcoding. This list is a small contribution to the growing knowledge of Zambian and African herpetology.

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Presented is a compilation of new locality records with natural history data for 49 reptile species in Haut-Ogooué Province, southeastern Gabon, Equatorial Africa. One new snake species record is added to Gabon (Colubridae: Philothamnus hughesi), 14 new reptile species records to Haut-Ogooué Province, three new reptile records for Léconi Park, and 28 new reptile records for Lékédi Park. A predation case is reported of Naja melanoleuca preying on Dasypeltis fasciata and of Boaedon perisilvestris on a micromammal.

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Across the globe, reptile species are threatened by anthropogenic activities, including habitat destruction, habitat degradation, expanding human settlements and climate change. Those with restricted ranges are often the most vulnerable due to their limited dispersal capabilities, narrow thermal tolerances and specific habitat requirements. Many of these restricted species are also poorly understood, with a lack of knowledge concerning their ecological and physiological requirements. In order to design effective conservation strategies for these restricted species, these knowledge gaps need to be filled. The aim of this thesis was to gain a deeper understanding on the biology of some of the endemic and restricted reptiles in the Soutpansberg Mountains. This mountain range is located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa and is a unique study area due to its sub-tropical location, habitat heterogeneity and the fact that it is located in the replacement transition zones of three biogeographic subregions. This has led to the mountains supporting extremely high faunal and floral biodiversity and endemism, reptiles being no exception. However, to date there have been few ecological studies into the reptile fauna of the area and the ecological requirements of many of these species are unknown. There are several threats that species from the mountains currently face including habitat destruction, agriculture, silviculture, mining and climate change. This thesis is made up of four main parts: firstly, I investigated the broad scale distribution patterns, climatic requirements and potential interspecific interactions of five of the rupicolous, endemics using ecological niche modelling (Afroedura pienaari; Lygodactylus incognitus: L. soutpansbergensis; Platysaurus relictus and Vhembelacerta rupicola). Results indicated that most species were limited by climatic factors, with the average temperature of the coolest three months having the most influence on the majority of the species, suggesting that they may be negatively affected by climate change in the future. Interspecific interactions between these species are not likely to affect broad-scale distribution patterns. Secondly, I examined the microhabitat requirements and potential niche separation of two, endemic Lygodactylus geckos: L. incognitus and L. soutpansbergensis by recording fine- and broad-scale habitat variables. Results indicated that the two species showed differences in their microhabitat selection, but that interspecific aggression was unlikely to be the factor causing these differences. Instead, their morphology and physiology were likely driving microhabitat selection. This study revealed microhabitat requirements of the two species, knowledge of which is important for future conservation efforts in the area. Next, I investigated the daily activity patterns of the two Lygodactylus geckos by conducting scan surveys along transects in the mountains. Results showed that L. incognitus was more active in cooler temperatures whilst L. soutpansbergensis was more active in warmer conditions. These results suggest that L. incognitus may be more vulnerable than L. soutpansbergensis to the effects of climate change and that physiological studies are required to investigate adaptive capability. Finally, I explored the potential effects climate change will have on the distribution of eleven rupicolous reptiles using ecological niche modelling. These species are likely to have limited dispersal abilities and thus are unlikely to be able to track suitable conditions in the face of climate change; therefore, I also identified potential climatic refugia. Results indicated that four species in particular are likely to be extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change with large reductions in suitable habitat between current and future projections. The western Soutpansberg may act as a climatic refugia in the future. I recommended that detailed investigations into the physiological requirements of these vulnerable species be performed in order to develop models that are more accurate. Long-term monitoring projects in the mountain should also be executed in order to track these potential range reductions. Ultimately, this thesis resulted in the gain of valuable ecological information on several restricted reptiles of South Africa for which there was previously few data. This information is vital for ongoing conservation assessments and planning in the region. One of the main findings of this thesis is that ongoing anthropogenic pressures will likely have negative effects for the majority of the species studied here.

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Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) are regulatory neuropeptides of the hypothalamus-hypophyseal-adrenal axis, acting via the common receptors VPAC(1) and VPAC(2) and the selective PACAP receptor PAC(1). In the adrenal glands of the Italian wall lizard, Podarcis sicula, the presence of VIP in chromaffin cells, and the VIP-stimulated release of catecholamine and aldosterone in vivo, was previously shown. To examine the localization of both peptides and receptors and their mRNAs in the adrenal gland of P. sicula, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were performed: PACAP and its mRNA were detected in chromaffin cells, VPAC(1) was found associated with steroidogenic tissue, VPAC(2) and PAC(1) with chromaffin tissue. Using `far western blot` technique, we showed the presence of specific binding sites for VIP/PACAP in the adrenal glands of the lizard. The effects of both VIP and PACAP on the adrenal cells of the lizard were examined in vitro in adrenal cell co-cultures: both VIP and PACAP enhanced catecholamine, corticosterone and aldosterone release from adrenal cell co-culture in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The catecholamine release was inhibited by PAC(1) antagonist and in VPAC(2) immunoneutralized adrenal cells. The effects of VIP and PACAP on aldosterone secretion were counteracted by VPAC(1) antagonist administration in vitro. Corticosterone secretion elicited by VIP was not blocked by VPAC(1) antagonist, while the PACAP-induced release of corticosterone was blocked by the antagonist. Overall, our investigations indicate that these neuropeptides of the secretin superfamily can act not only as neurotransmitters but also as autocrine and paracrine regulators on chromaffin and cortical cells, being important mediators of the non-cholinergic system in the lizard adrenal gland.

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Die Pityuseneidecvhse Podarcis pityusensis ist das einzige endemische Landwirbeltier der Pityusen und bewohnt neben den beiden Hauptinseln Ibiza und Formentera die allermeisten der vorgelagerten kleinen Felseninseln. Als der Mensch die Inseln besiedelte, brachte er auch fremde Beutegreifer in seinem Gefolge mit, wie zum Beispiel Ginsterkatzen, Steinmarder, Igel, Ratten und Wildkatzen. Podarcis pityusensis ist durch nationale und internationale Gesetze geschützt und im Anhang II des Washingtoner Artenschutzübereinkommens (CITES: Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna und Flora) gelistet. Auf der Roten Liste der IUCN wird die Art derzeit als potentiell gefährdet („Near Threatened“) eingestuft. Einige der Populationen sind jedoch stark rückgängig, gefährdet oder vom Aussterben bedroht. Ursächlich hierfür sind unter anderem Störungen und Nachstellungen durch den Menschen, Einschleppung von Katzen und Ratten sowie auch versehentliche Vergiftung durch Köder zur Bekämpfung von Möwen. Anfang dieses Jahrtausends wurden drei Schlangenarten mit importierten Olivenbäumen auf die Inseln verschleppt: die Hufeisennatter (Hemorrhois hippocrepis), die Treppennatter (Rhinechis scalaris) und die Westliche Eidechsennatter (Malpolon monspessulanus). Während letzgenannte Art seit 2010 nicht mehr nachgewiesen wurde, verbreiten sich die beiden anderen Schlangenarten besorniserregend. Podarcis pityusensis macht in der Nahrung von Hemorrhois hippocrepis auf Ibiza 55,4 % der beobachteten Beute aus, und die Nahrung von Rhinachis scalaris auf Formentera besteht ersten Untersuchungen nach zu mehr als der Hälfte aus Eidechsen (HINCKLEY et al. 2017). Dies stellt für die Eidechsen auf den beiden Hauptinseln eine ernsthafte Bedrohung dar. Sollten die Schlangen auch die umliegenden Inseln erreichen, würde dies katastrophale und unwiederbringliche Folgen für die dort lebenden Eidechsenpopulationen haben, da sie die einzige verfügbare Beute wären.

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Eine kurze Notiz über eine allochthone Population von Podarcis siculus campestris, die auf dem Gelände des Bahnhofs Rapperswil im Schweizer Kanton St. Gallen lebt.

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The feeding of a sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) captured by a buzzard (Buteo buteo) to its chicks is described and documented by a photo.

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Zwei Bilder mit allochthonen jungen Mauereidechsen Podarcis muralis maculiventris der Südalpenlinie werden kommentiert. Schlüpflinge separieren sich von den Mauern, die von Adulttieren besetzt werden, in ein Wiesengelände. Sie nutzen die spärlichen Sonnenplätze dort gemeinsam, gelegentlich sogar mit Körperkontakt. Tiere aller Altersklassen teilen sich Hibernacula in Hohlräumen hinter Stützmauern. Diese Überwinterungsgemeinschaften bleiben nach der Winterruhe noch eine Zeitlang zusammen. Ein adultes Paar mit acht Jungtieren unterschiedlichen Alters vor einem Hibernaculum wird sentimental als “Familie” interpretiert.

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We provide new and supplementary data on the distribution and natural history of reptiles on the island of Cres: Dalmatolacerta oxycephala (range extension of an alien introduced population); Emys orbicularis hellenica (status of the population in the southwestern parts of Cres); Hemidactylus turcicus (first record after 38 years); Trachemys scripta elegans (first record on Cres).

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Attention is given to the reptiles and amphibians of the island Lesbos in Greece. The observations were made during a holiday in July 1987.

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Composition and density of vegetation are important habitat quality indicators for reptiles. The goal of this note was to determine dominant plant species, optimal size and density in habitats of syntopic lizards in the Goravan Sands Sanctuary. The role of vegetation variables was considered in relation to differences in thermoregulation of syntopic Phrynocephalus persicus, Eremias pleskei, and Eremias strauchi.Microhabitats of P. persicus differed from that of E. pleskei and of E. strauchi by a relatively frequent encounter of the plant Achillea tenuifolia, which is considered as potential habitat quality indicator. Phrynocephalus persicus generally used microhabitats with sparser vegetation. It is supposed that the excessive growth of shading vegetation can have a more negative impact on P. persicus than on E. pleskei.

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The role of large-scale factors in influencing reptile abundances in temperate-zone lowland Europe is relatively obscure. Data on relative abundances of reptiles were collected in various regions of Latvia. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between reptile abundance and climate and habitat predictors. For lizards, habitat was a more important regional-scale factor than climate, although warmth of summer was important in Lacerta agilis. For snakes, however, climate was a highly significant factor. Natrix natrix in Latvia is common only in areas with mild winter climate at elevations below 50 m a.s.l., while Vipera berus is frequent in upland areas with relatively harsh winters. Potentially, the latter species could be negatively affected by global warming.

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An inventory of the herpetofauna of the Gauja National Park, located in the north-cen- tral part of Latvia, was carried out in 1999-2000. Its objectives were to determine species composition, status, and habitat preferences. The main attention was focussed on reptiles. Data were collected along transects located throughout the territory of the Park. The total length of transects was 166.2 km, and numerous separate observations of various species were also recorded. Common and widespread species were Lacerta vivipara, Bufo bufo, Rana temporaria, and Rana synklepton esculenta. Anguis fragilis was found mostly in a dry pine, pine-spruce forest on the terrace of the ancient valley of Gauja River. A large population of Natrix natrix was found in the southern part of the Park in deciduous and coniferous forests. A few populations of Lacerta agilis were found in dry pine forests, and on the banks of the Gauja River. Rana arvalia was a rare species, more frequently found in high moors. There were also several records of Triturus crista- tus and T. vulgaris in the Gauja National Park. The required conservation activities are discussed.

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In 1998, Holman published the first Pleistocene herpetofauna list for The Netherlands.This article is an expan- sion of that list and contains both the Pleistocene and Holocene herpetofaunae that have been described from The Netherlands. Such a complete list of the herpetofauna has never been published before in The Nether- lands.This inventory is based on fossils that have been found in quarries, archaeological excavations and along the Dutch coast.The beach fossils originate from dredged sediments that have been used to supplement the beaches. Sand source areas are the North Sea, the Eurogeul area and off the shores of the province of Zeeland. By looking at all the different recovery sites, the age of the fossils differs from the Early Pleistocene to the Holo- cene era.

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Fifty-three species of reptiles occur in Turkmenistan, of which 25 inhabit lowlands and 28 occur in plains and mountains. The species composition of reptiles in seven natural regions of Turkmenistan is discussed; the fauna of the sandy and clay desert is the richest. Seven species of reptiles`-occur in high density (from 10 to 71 per hectare), 30 species are frequent (1 to 10 per ha.) and 16 species are rare (0.2 to 1 per ha.). The fauna i3 subjected to a zoogeographical analysis.

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Elements of the herpetofauna are in the author`s opinion of great importance for the zoogeographical division of the Palaearctic region. It is suggested that this region be divided into the following four subregions: 1/ arctic, 2/ boreal Euro-Siberian, 3/ bo- real Himalayan-Manchurian and 4/ Mediterranean-Central-Asiatic.

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Identification of extremely high levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence divergence within reptiles from North Africa is commonplace. This high divergence often compares with interspecific levels among widely accepted species, leading to the hypothesis of the occurrence of species complexes. Indeed, in many examples, data from nuclear markers support such taxonomic recognition. Such is the case of two recently recognized ocellated lizard species of the genus Timon, T. nevadensis, from Spain, and T. kurdistanicus, from the Middle East, which both showed notable genetic differentiation from their sister taxa. In North Africa, highly divergent mtDNA lineages of Timon tangitanus were previously identified but not corroborated with nuclear markers. Here we expand geographic sampling across the range of Timon tangitanus and complement mtDNA sequences with data from nuclear markers (MC1R and ACM4). We identify four divergent mtDNA lineages, at a level similar to some reptile species. However, the nuclear markers show limited differentiation and lack of lineage sorting. This and some other recent assessments within reptiles discourage the use of mtDNA data alone as a proxy for taxonomic units, demonstrating once more the need for integrative taxonomic approaches.

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The sclerotic ring consists of several bones that form in the sclera of many reptiles. This element has not been well studied in squamates, a diverse order of reptiles with a rich fossil record but debated phylogeny. Squamates inhabit many environments, display a range of behaviours, and have evolved several different body plans. Most importantly, many species have secondarily lost their sclerotic rings. This research investigates the presence of sclerotic rings in squamates and traces the lineage of these bones across evolutionary time. We compiled a database on the presence/absence of the sclerotic ring in extinct and extant squamates and investigated the evolutionary history of the sclerotic ring and how its presence/absence and morphology is correlated with environment and behaviour within this clade. Of the 400 extant species examined (59 families, 214 genera), 69% have a sclerotic ring. Those species that do not are within Serpentes, Amphisbaenia, and Dibamidae. We find that three independent losses of the sclerotic ring in squamates are supported when considering both evolutionary and developmental evidence. We also show that squamate species that lack, or have a reduced, sclerotic ring, are fossorial and headfirst burrowers. Our dataset is the largest squamate dataset with measurements of sclerotic rings, and supports previous findings that size of the ring is related to both environment occupied and behaviour. Specifically, scotopic species tend to have both larger inner and outer sclerotic ring apertures, resulting in a narrower ring of bone than those found in photopic species. Non-fossorial species also have a larger sclerotic ring than fossorial species. This research expands our knowledge of these fascinating bones; with further phylogenetic analyses scleral ossicles could become an extremely useful character trait for inferring the behaviour of fossil squamates.

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Background and Purpose: Competitive exclusion is thought to be involved in the distribution of the lizards Podarcis sicula and P. melisellensis (Lacertidae) along the Adriatic coastal region of Croatia. It is hypothesized that robust and aggressive P. sicula colonized the East Adriatic coast and numerous islands, where it replaced P. melisellensis by direct behavioral interference. Material and Methods: Here we report on a study of habitat selection of sympatric populations of P. sicula and P. melisellensis on the small Adriatic island of Vrgada. We examine differences in habitat usage by the two species during summer and fall, and evaluate lizard sighting frequency in different habitat categories in relation to their availability. Results: The two species differed significantly in habitat use; P. sicula used more frequently houses and walls in village, fields and rocks near sea, whereas P. melisellensis preferred all types of stonewalls. P. sicula showed the highest niche breadth, and was also the most abundant species. The observed sighting frequency of both species in different habitat categories differed significantly from their availability. Although variation in habitat use between summer and fall was detected in both species, the between-species difference in habitat occupation was consistent in both seasons. Conclusion: The observed differences in habitat preferences between the sympatric populations of two species are qualitatively similar to those exhibited on islands inhabited by only one of both species. This suggests that differences in habitat use are species-specific and may delay or even prevent complete exclusion.

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In this paper, we present data about the herpetofauna of the Kornati islands, with special refer- ence to Kornat and @ut, collected during several field trips in 2009. Together with the personal comments from our colleagues and literature data, 1 amphibian and 11 reptile species were re- corded on the islands. There is a possibility that Emys orbicularis is now extinct from the island of Kornat, as well as that Testudo hermanii has been introduced on the island of @ut.

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Hypothesis: One of the basic tenets of evolutionary physiology is that physical performances and fitness are tightly linked. Question: Are phenotypes with exceptional locomotor capacity strongly favoured by natural and sexual selection? Organism: A ground-dwelling, actively foraging and non-territorial lizard species, Lacerta vivipara. Methods: We analysed the relationship between morphology (body size and condition) and maximal endurance capacity in three age classes (juveniles, yearlings, and adult males). We then tested whether morphology and endurance capacity predicted variation in annual body growth, annual survival, and reproductive success. Results: The large variation in maximal endurance capacity observed at hatching has a genetic basis. Endurance capacity increased with body size in juveniles and with body condition in juveniles and yearlings. Endurance capacity was not correlated with annual body growth at any age class. Positive, directional viability selection on endurance capacity was detected for juveniles and yearlings, but not for adult males. Endurance capacity was weakly, positively correlated with male reproductive success. Natural selection in juveniles and sexual selection in adult males was non-linear and the strength of selection decelerated with endurance capacity. Conclusion: In the common lizard, selection on maximal performances is non-linear and varies between age classes. This pattern of weak and inconsistent selection could explain the maintenance of considerable genetic variation of locomotor performance within populations.

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Microhabitat selection and seasonal activity of the snake-eyed skink, Ablephaus kitaibelii fitzingeri, are compared to the two lacertid lizards (Lacerta viridis and Podarcis muralis) that co-occur in many of its habitats. The food composition of A. k. fitzingeri is also described. Significant differences in microhabitat selection and seasonal activity among the three species were found. The snake-eyed skink was associated with open grasslands, and with a low level of scrub, bare soil and rock cover. The microhabitat preference of L. viridis was quite similar to that of the skink, but with a higher preference for scrub. P. muralis occurred in places with greater rock and bare soil cover, and more scrub than A. k. fitzingeri. Activity of the snake-eyed skink decreased dramatically in summer, probably because of the reduced thermal inertia originating from the extremely small size of this species, but its seasonal activity overlapped with those of the lacertids. Stomach content analysis of the snake-eyed skink suggests that it is a generalist predator of small, mainly flightless arthropod prey. Competition with juvenile lacertids and predation by adult L. viridis are conceivable for the snake-eyed skink.

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It is currently unclear whether retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon regeneration depends on down‐regulation of axon growth‐inhibitory proteins, and to what extent outgrowth‐promoting substrates contribute to RGC axon regeneration in reptiles. We performed an immunohistochemical study of the regulation of the axon growth‐inhibiting extracellular matrix molecules tenascin‐R and chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan (CSPG), the axon outgrowth‐promoting extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin and laminin, and the axonal tenascin‐R receptor protein F3/contactin during RGC axon regeneration in the lizard, Gallotia galloti. Tenascin‐R and CSPG were expressed in an extracellular matrix‐, oligodendrocyte/myelin‐ and neuron‐associated pattern and up‐regulated in the regenerating optic pathway. The expression pattern of tenascin‐R was not indicative of a role in channeling or restriction of re‐growing RGC axons. Up‐regulation of fibronectin, laminin, and F3/contactin occurred in spatiotemporal patterns corresponding to tenascin‐R expression. Moreover, we analyzed the influence of substrates containing tenascin‐R, fibronectin, and laminin on outgrowth of regenerating lizard RGC axons. In vitro regeneration of RGC axons was not inhibited by tenascin‐R, and further improved on mixed substrates containing tenascin‐R together with fibronectin or laminin. These results indicate that RGC axon regeneration in Gallotia galloti does not require down‐regulation of tenascin‐R or CSPG. Presence of tenascin‐R is insufficient to prevent RGC axon growth, and concomitant up‐regulation of axon growth‐promoting molecules like fibronectin and laminin may override the effects of neurite growth inhibitors on RGC axon regeneration. Up‐regulation of contactin in RGCs suggests that tenascin‐R may have an instructive function during axon regeneration in the lizard optic pathway.

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Modern sexual selection theory indicates that reproductive costs rather than the operational sex ratio predict the intensity of sexual selection. We investigated sexual selection in the polygynandrous common lizard Lacerta vivipara. This species shows male aggression, causing high mating costs for females when adult sex ratios (ASR) are male-biased. We manipulated ASR in 12 experimental populations and quantified the intensity of sexual selection based on the relationship between reproductive success and body size. In sharp contrast to classical sexual selection theory predictions, positive directional sexual selection on male size was stronger and positive directional selection on female size weaker in female-biased populations than in male-biased populations. Thus, consistent with modern theory, directional sexual selection on male size was weaker in populations with higher female mating costs. This suggests that the costs of breeding, but not the operational sex ratio, correctly predicted the strength of sexual selection.

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Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a large group of substances able to modulate endocrine-signaling pathways, altering the normal function of the endocrine system. Although the fungicide methyl thiophanate (MT) is not considering a specific reproductive and developmental toxicant, it can induce histopathological damages in rat thyroid and adrenal glands that have a pivotal role in both processes. We investigated the MT effects on adrenal glands of Podarcis sicula lizard, the endemic species of Southern Italy living in open country and in cultivated fields. Reptiles are good bioindicators because they are easily harvested; they have a wide distribution and large populations. Moreover, they have good sensitivity to contaminants, and bioaccumulate and biomagnify pollutants to levels equal to or greater than those of birds and mammals. We used 1.5% MT/water to pollute terraria, food, and water twice a week for 15 and 30 days, and we evaluated adrenal toxicity through biochemical (adrenal and pituitary hormone plasma levels) and histological parameters (adrenal gland histopathology). We demonstrated a time-dependent increase of corticosterone plasma levels and a decrease of ACTH plasma levels, a hypertrophy of the steroidogenic tissue, and an enlargement of blood capillaries. Moreover, we observed a time-dependent increase of adrenaline plasma levels and adrenaline-producing cells, and an opposite trend of noradrenaline plasma concentrations. We also observed lymphocyte and macrophage infiltrations, signs of cell degeneration. Our findings on the bioindicator P. sicula provide an interesting basis to further elucidate the systemic mechanisms of EDCs.

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Transportation infrastructure is a main cause of environmental change in forest landscapes worldwide. In the Canary Islands, a dense road system fragment the native Canarian pine and laurel forests causing potential changes in population densities of endemic lacertid lizards (genus Gallotia). Our aim was to assess road edge effects on relative abundance patterns of the endemic Gallotia galloti in both forests. We also explored the species–habitat relationships in this road-fragmentation context. We found that lizard relative density in relation to road edges differed between forests. Lizards were more abundant along edges and leeward interior, but virtually absent from the interior of the windward laurel forest. In the pine forest, lizards were present at three distances from edge, with a net decrease in abundance from edge to interior. These patterns may be explained partly by differences in vegetation structure regarding road proximity in each forest that potentially affect the helio- and thigmothermic character of G. galloti, and thus its habitat use. A general suggestion of this study is that road margins create corridors that may be used by native lizards for dispersal through inhospitable forest matrix. The high road density in Tenerife may have negative implications for the conservation of the genetic variability of G. galloti. At the island scale, increased communication between lizard populations through road corridors might increase homogenization of the gene pool. Ecological processes in which this lizard plays important roles may also experience changes along road edges.

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The collection of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Museum of Natural History of Ferrara has characteristics of historical representation, taxonomic and zoogeography that may be considered as examples of medium-sized types of collections more preva- lent in Italian museums. It consists of a historic part of the study and a donation from Guido Campadelli. The collection consists of 1739 specimens of amphibians (1734 of which held in 437 containers with ethanol and 5 taxidermized specimens) for a total of 78 amphibian species. There are 811 specimens of Reptiles (769 of which are stored in 526 containers with ethanol and 42 taxidermized specimens) representing a total of 108 species. The findings that form the collection of Amphibians come from 153 loca- lities of 15 states and 12 regions and 29 provinces of Italy. In the batrachological col- lection 62.1% of the total European species, and 94.3% of the total species in Italy, are represented. Zoogeographic regions most represented are the Palaearctic with 67% of the species of Amphibians in the collection and the Neotropical with 29%, fol- lowed by the Ethiopian (6%) and Nearctic (5%). Reptiles specimens come from 247 lo- calities of 15 states and 15 regions and 36 provinces of Italy. In the collection 46,2% of European species and 91,5% of the Italian ones are represented. The most represen- ted zoogeographic region are the Palaearctic with 89% of species in the collection, followed by the Ethiopian (14%), the Eastern (13%), Neotropical (11%) and the Nearctic (7%); australian and malagasy species do not exceed 3%. The herpetology collection was the subject of taxonomic and biogeographic analysis.

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The distribution of Eremias arguta in the North Caucasus within Kabardino-Balkaria is discussed. A new find of the species from Geduko in the Baksansky district is presented.

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Several recent papers have reviewed the life and work of French herpetologist Louis Amédée Lantz. They have detailed the composition of his collections deposited in several museums. However, since then, several other im- portant specimens from his collections have come to light. We here identify the syntypes of Eremias zarudnyi Lantz, 1928, which were located in Russia. We provide data on the type series, an English translation of the French description of E. zarudnyi and designate and describe a lectotype for the species.

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On a surface area of only 56 542 km2, making for 0, 5% of European territory, Croatia harbours a rich herpetofauna of 21 amphibian and 36 reptile species, which is 26, 9% and 34, 8% of European species richess, respectively. This relatively high biodiversity can be attributed to a high diversity of habitat types and the position of Croatia in the area of four major european biogeographical regions. Since most of the country was left outside ice-cover in the glacials, it served as one of the refuges for European herpetofauna. The specificity of Croatian herpetofauna is characterized by: - high degree of endemism: 11 regionally endemic species and 6 local endems, 9 species with restricted areals in Europe - isolation on islands has produced a number of spatially restricted forms of Podarcis sicula and P. melisellensis whose taxonomic status is still under review, but at least several of them can be considered as endemic subspecies - edges of species` distribution areals for 16 species - hybridisation zones for Pelophylax ridibundus and P.lessonae, Bombina bombina and B. variegata, Triturus carnifex and T. dobrogicus and contact zone for Lacerta bilineata and L. viridis - eight species listed in IUCN red list, categories NT to EN The existing literature on herpetofauna in Croatia is scarce and unsystematic. Published data is summarized and previously unpublished data from field workers is gathered to give an account of a current knowledge of herpetofauna distribution. Species distributions and diversity according to biogeographical regions, type of habitat and altitude are given.

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In many litter-bearing mammals and in a few viviparous reptiles the sex ratio of the entire brood or the sex of the adjacent fetuses induces sex-speciWc diVerences in the hatchling’s phenotype. This study examines whether the sex of incubation neighbours aVects hatchling characteristics in oviparous common lizards (Lacerta vivipara). Oviparous common lizards lay eggs with thin eggshells and, therefore, are an optimal model organism for studying the eVects of hormone leakage among developing embryos since the strongest evidence for prenatal sex ratio eVects on oVspring development comes from viviparous populations of the same species. Groups of three eggs were incubated together and were categorised according to the sex of the resulting hatchlings as either homosex (three hatchlings of the same sex) or heterosex (one male or one female hatchling plus two siblings of the opposite sex). Hatchlings incubated adjacent to siblings of the same sex had larger body mass and body condition. Males tended to have lower ventral scale counts when incubated with other males. Conversely, females tended to have more ventral scales when incubated with other females, indicative of a more feminised phenotype. There was also a signiWcant interaction between hatchling sex and incubation environment with respect to the length of the fourth digit of the hindlimb, likely indicative of masculinisation in heterosex females. This study suggests steroid diVusion between adjacent eggs in a minimally manipulative experiment and provides the Wrst evidence for developmental eVects of the exogenous hormonal environment in near natural conditions in an oviparous amniote. Implications of these results for the evolution of within-clutch sex ratio are discussed.

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The majority of environmental pollutants are potential peroxisomal proliferators which include a heterogeneous group of compounds known to determine massive peroxisomal proliferation and hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents. Peroxisomal proliferation is accompanied by the induction of the peroxisomal fatty acid beta-oxidation pathway mediated by a class of transcription factors named peroxisome proliferators activated receptors (PPARs). This phenomenon demonstrated also in ectotherm animals after exposition to environmental pollutants may be utilized as biomarker in environmental impact studies. In the present work we have tested the sensitivity to methyl thiophanate (TM) of the lizard Podarcis sicula in order to propose a biological model for monitoring the ecotoxicological effects of this pesticide on terrestrial sentinel species. The data obtained demonstrate that exposition to sub-lethal concentrations of TM leads to hepatocellular morphological changes and glycogen depletion, apoptosis, as well as probable peroxisomal proliferation attested by the increase of acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX). This effect seems to be mediated by the concomitant increase of PPARalpha. On the basis of these results we propose that also in Podarcis sicula, as just proposed for aquatic organisms, peroxisomal proliferation and AOX increase may be considered new biomarkers to evaluate pollution by organic compound in terrestrial environments.

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We studied impacts of the introduced small Indian mongoose Herpestes auropunctatus on the herpetofauna on six islands in the Adriatic Sea, Croatia, comparing abundances of reptiles and amphibians on three islands with the mongoose to those on three islands without the mongoose. We used four types of sampling surveys: distance-constrained surveys, visual encounter surveys, special searches and accidental trapping. The horned viper Vipera ammodytes and Balkan green lizard Lacerta trilineata were absent from two mongoose-infested islands (Korčula and Mljet) and rare on the third (Hvar); they were common only on the mongoose-free island where they had historically been present (Brač). The European green toad was absent from one mongoose-infested island, where it had historically been present and rare on the other two. It was common on two of the three mongoose-free islands. Other herpetofaunal species were either very scarce or completely absent on the three mongoose-infested islands. Most of these species also occur on the mainland but are already scarce there; some are strictly protected under Appendix II of the Berne Convention. The recent spread of the mongoose to the European mainland suggests the need for urgent control to protect vulnerable herpetofauna.

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An updated checklist is presented for the amphibian and reptile fauna of Croatia. According to historical and recent literature sources, 20 amphibian and 41 reptile species have been recorded so far. Two reptile species, Blanus strauchi and Typhlops vermicularis, are considered doubtful, although there are individual museum vouchers for the country. Presence of a total of 59 species can be considered valid, with two additional considered doubtful. This paper summarizes data from 700 scientific and popular publications, which is the first attempt to publish a complete Croatian herpetological bibliography. Full bibliography is also given for all occurring species and constitutes a basis for future publications.

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This paper deals with habits and characteristics of ecology of Takydromus sexlineatus in the Beiling Mountain in Zhaoqing.The results are as follows(in aresage):The adult body length is 245.104 mm.The tail is 3.9 times as long as the body.The regenerate speed of severed tail is strong.Hibetnation is from December to next February,and below 14℃ they fall asleep completely,while above 20℃ they awake in succession.The most active period is from March to May.Sexual mature females lay multiple clutches of pliable-shelled eggs with clutch sizes of 2~4,and weight of 0.1773 g/egg,long diameter of 8.855 mm and short diameter of 6.157 mm.The incubation needs about 40 days,and the eggs will be hatched in May.

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Eight microsatellite loci are described for the lizard Psammodromus algirus, a species widely used as a model in behavioural and ecological studies. All loci were highly polymorphic (six alleles or more per locus) in a sample of 24 individuals from a single site near Navacerrada (central Spain). Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.29 to 0.96. These markers will be used to study mating strategies and determinants of reproductive success in this species.

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Hardenberg Castle north of Göttingen, Germany harbours two introduced species of wall lizard, the Eurpean Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis brogniardii and the Catalonian Wall Lizards Podarcis liolepis. The genetic study by Schulte et al. (2012a) has found that the European Wall Lizards belong the the Western France clade and that the Catalonian Wall Lizards come from near Girona in NE Spain, thus representing the nominal subspecies, and that the import was from the Eastern central Pyrenees. A visit to the locality in October 2019 throws some doubt on this, as both species seem to be mixed up from various sources, the new populations being harder to distinguish fom each other than their natural ancestors in case of syntopy. It is suggested that there have been two sources for each species, namely that the European Wall Lizards are a mixture with animals of the Eastern France clade, and the Catalonian Wall Lizards have been mixed with specimens from the Northwestern Pyrenees belonging to the subspecies sebastiani. Observations on behaviour, habitat preference, and relative abundance of the species are also reported, and the criteria for distinction of the two species at Hardenberg castle are tested.

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The wet Atlantic heaths vs. industrialization: Chronicle of the extinction of the Common Lizard in the plain south of Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées ). The common lizard Zootoca vivipara has a very fragmented distribution in the lowlands of the Hautes-Pyrénées, where it only survives west of Tarbes, in some residual humid heaths. The species is nowadays unknown in the cultivated lowlands south of Tarbes, but the testimony of the naturalist Pierre Beck proves it used to occupy one Atlantic heath in the village of Odos during the 1940’s, that have disappeared during the 1970’s. The chronology and context of the extinction of this natural habitat and of the common lizard are developed and discussed.

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Sympatric reptiles are the ideal system for investigating temperature-driven coexistence. Understanding thermally physiological responses of sympatric lizards is necessary to reveal the physiological mechanisms that underpin the sympatric occurrence of reptiles. In this study, we used three lizard species, Eremias argus, E. multiocellata, and Phrynocephalus przewalskii, which are sympatric in the Inner Mongolia desert steppe, as a study system. By comparing their resting metabolic rates (RMR) and locomotion at different body temperatures, we aimed to better understand their physiological responses to thermal environments, which may explain the sympatric occurrence of these lizards. Our results showed that E. argus had significantly higher RMR and sprint speed than E. multiocellata, and higher RMR than P. przewalskii. In addition, the optimal temperature that maximized metabolic rates and locomotion for E. argus and E. multiocellata was 36°C, whereas for P. przewalskii it was 39°C. Our study revealed the physiological responses to temperatures that justify the sympatric occurrence of these lizards with different thermal and microhabitat preferences and active body temperatures. Eremias argus and E. multiocellata, which have lower body temperatures than P. przewalskii, depend on higher RMR and locomotion to compensate for their lower body temperatures in field conditions. Our study also highlights the importance of using an integrative approach, combining behavior and physiology, to explore the basis of sympatric occurrence in ectothermic species.

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As a result of recent field surveys in 2013 and 2018 we herein report the herpetofaunal list of Thai Nguyen Province, comprising 26 species of amphibians (19 genera, seven families, two order) and 72 species of reptiles (51 genera, 20 families, two order). Of which, 17 are threatened species, including eight species listed in the Governmental Decree No. 32/2006/ND-CP, 14 species listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book (2007), seven species listed in the IUCN Red List (2018), and one species listed in the Governmental Decree No. 160/2013/ND-CP. 11 of them, Megophrys major, Occidozyga lima, Odorrana cf. bacboensis, Polypedates mutus, Gehyra mutilata, Lygosoma quadrupes, Varanus salvator, Dendrelaphis pictus, Hebius boulengeri, Xenochrophis trianguligerus, and Sinomicrurus macclellandi are recorded for the first time from this province.

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The selection and utilization of nest sites of Eremias Argus was studied in Ganmao beach,gacha,Siziwang banner,Ulanqab city,Inner Mongolia autonomous region,which belong to a transitional zone between typical steppe and desert steppe,from May to August,2018.43 sites of egg nests were found by tracking the pregnant bird on foot and going into any possible caves.To find out the characteristic of vegetation surrounding of the nest sites cave within 1 m~2 were investigated including plant species composition, average height,coverage and other ecological factors by statistical analysis.Compared with the ecological factor in the absence of nests nearby,we found that most of the nesting habitats of the Eremias argus were sparse vegetation,relatively high topography,more ground cover but less vegetation.

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This article includes a brief outline of herpetological studies in Crimea over the past 50 years, checklists of taxa of amphibians and reptiles, and a general description of the herpetofauna of Crimea. Some formal issues for the protection of amphibians and reptiles are also considered.

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In this study, age determination was performed with the method of skeletochronology in 23 (13 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀) Ophisops elegans specimens collected from Çanakkale in the west of Turkey and 20 (10 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀) Ophisops elegans specimens collected from the vicinity of AkĢehir-Eber in the Central Anatolia Region. The mean ages of the specimens whose femur cross sections had been examined were determined to be 2.9±0.99 (1-4) in females and 2.85±0.68 (2-4) in males of the Çanakkale population and 3.9±1.19 (3-6) in females and 4.6±1.17 (3-6) in males of the AkĢehir-Eber population. The oldest age among the specimens was found to be six in two female and three male individuals of the AkĢehir-Eber population. When all specimens were evaluated altogether, the correlation between snoutvent length and age was computed as (r=0.572, p=0.008) in females and as (r=0.642, p=0.001) in males.

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The study presents data on the food composition of the snake-eyed lizard (Ophisops elegans), from Gökçeada (Imbros), Çanakkale, Turkey. A total of 94 preys were determined in the digestive systems of 20 individuals (10 males, 10 females) examined in the study. Insects (67%) constitute most of its food composition. Major prey groups in the food composition are included in Aranea (13%), Lepidoptera (13%), Coleoptera (19%), and Homoptera (20%) in numeric proportion. No significant difference was observed between sexes considering food composition.

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Currently the problem of the effects of the road network and traffic on the amphibians and reptiles in Bulgaria is poorly studied. During the period March 2002 - March 2004 in the Buffer Zone of Biosphere Reserve `Srebarna` (NE Bulgaria) were built two anti-fire roads from the eastern and western side of the lake in area of grasslands of semi-steppe type, typical for north-eastern Bulgaria. The aim of the constructed roads is to provide access for fire vehicles to areas in and around the reserve. The current study aims to provide data on the impact of road traffic and the newly constructed road network and another previously existing road on the amphibians and reptiles inhabiting the buffer zone of the biosphere reserve `Srebarna`. For the entire period of study in the three studied road sections a total of 15 dead specimens of amphibians belonging to 4 species (Bombina bombina, Hyla arborea, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis) and 70 dead specimens of reptiles belonging to 8 species (Emys orbicularis, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Lacerta viridis, Podarcis tauricus, Podarcis muralis, Natrix natrix, Coronella austriaca and Dolichophis caspius) were recorded. Several “hot spots”, where most cadavers were recorded are well described and possible conservation measures are discussed.

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The Bulgarian part of Hadzhidimovo Gorge (the Mesta River basin, south-western Bulgaria) was studied in March-October 2018 in order to collect data about the local herpetofauna. A preliminary checklist of the amphibians and reptiles is presented, based on bibliographic records and the field research. The list includes 25 species. The representatives of the class Amphibia are 8 (the half of them are new for the area), and the reptiles are 17 (5 of them are reported for the first time). The field records for all new species (except Pelophylax ridibundus complex) as well as for the most of the known species interesting from zoogeographic point of view are specified. It is of particular interest the discovery of Triturus ivanbureschi, Podarcis muralis, Ablepharus kitaibelii, and Platyceps najadum in the gorge.

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Darevskia praticola was encountered for the second time in the Jiu Gorge National Park, Romania. The species was observed in August 2018, in a compact beech forest, at 562 m altitude. This record indicates that the forests in the Jiu Gorge National Park could shelter species whose distribution is, even nowadays, insufficiently known.

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The current literature and our field observations have shown that spiny-tailed lizard may also be active in the winter season. Activity of Darevskia rudis in the February was recorded for the first time in the province of Giresun, Eastern Black Sea Region, Turkey. In conclusion, we assessed that the spiny-tailed lizard could be active throughout the year due to global climate changes.

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Observations of reptiles out of their active periods in the field are very surprising for the researchers. The current short note presents data on the exceptional activity of Darevskia derjugini for the first time in Turkey. Changing climates and global warming may affect the hibernation period of most lizards in the northern hemisphere.

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The current study determines the level of synanthropy of the amphibians and reptiles in the city of Plovdiv, based on Nuorteva’s Index of synanthropy, with slight modification, proposed here for the first time.

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The current study analyzes the structure and some features of two urban metapopulations of the Balkan Wall Lizard (Podarcis tauricus (Pallas, 1814)) from Nature Monument (NM) “Mladezhki halm” and Nature Monument “Halm na osvoboditelite” in the city of Plovdiv (South Bulgaria). In both study sites, the Balkan Wall lizard inhabits exclusively the interior of the hills and prefers mainly open areas with rare grass and shrub vegetation. The recorded dominant plant species are not autochthonous for the hills, but gradually displaced with many decorative species, used widely in the gardening and the city parks. The population abundance from both hills is relatively low, with higher values in NM “Mladezhki halm” and generally shows a decrease pattern for the two year period. In the hills of Plovdiv, the Balkan Wall lizard shows a bimodal diurnal and seasonal activity. Both metapopulations showed a sex ratio close to 1:1 with a slight superiority of the females (1:1.29), but with no statistically significant deviation. The age structure of both metapopulations is almost identical - the highest percentage takes the adults, followed by the subadults and juveniles, with no significant deviations from the normal ratio. The possible reasons for the contemporary distribution and population structure of the Balkan Wall lizard are discussed. Historic land use change and its effect on the populations are discussed as well. The main risks for this species in the city of Plovdiv are construction and forestation (destruction of open terrains). Nevertheless, the Balkan Wall lizard seems to have successfully overcome the risks of urbanization and its population seem stable and sustainable.

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The numerous fires during the past decade in the Eastern Rhodopes (southeastern Bulgaria) resulted in extensive loss of habitat for multiple species. In this study on the reptilian fauna found near Kolets village (Haskovo District, Bulgaria) we compared two adjacent territories during 2004–2006, a control and a recently burned. We found no effect on the Shannon-Wiener index of biological diversity (mean for the three years: Hburned = 0.488, Hcontrol = 0.498). However, fire led to decrease of abundance (Ab, individuals / 1000 m), best detected for the following species: Testudo hermanni (Abburned = 1.8, Abcontrol = 5.6; p = 0.003316), T. graeca (Abburned = 1.1, Abcontrol = 3.2; p = 0.071786), Lacerta viridis (Abburned = 16.8, Abcontrol = 40.6; p = 0.000263), and L. trilineata (Abburned = 6.8, Abcontrol = 19.2; p = 0.000879), where values for Ab are combined for 2004–2006.

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This research report is the result of reptile observation in the Principality of Liechtenstein over several years and represents the actual type, distribution and threat to the indigenous species. Between 1960 and 2006, 1’426 records of reptiles have been reported. Most of the records (54.8 %) are made in the years between 1991 and 2006 only 3.4 % are dated before 1981.
The following six native species of reptiles were confirmed: the slow worm (Anguis fragilis), the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), the common lizard (Lacerta (Zootaca) vivipara), the grasssnake (Natrix n. helvetica), the smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) and the adder (Vipera berus). The common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) is not a native species; its present being is the result of human introduction. Due to the todays distribution, endagerment and population sizes of the species, the following conclusions may be drawn: The slow worm and the sand lizard are the most widespread species at lower and middle altitudes (430 – 600 m above sea level); the common lizard at higher altitudes in the mountain region (1200 –2000 m). In the Lowland its distribution is limited to two marshland areas. Also the distribution of the grass snake (our most widespread, but critically endangered snake species) is concentrated to humid areas of the lowland. The largest loss of species, with respect to area and populations concerns the smooth snake (= critically endangered species). The distribution of the adder is limited to the pre-alpine and alpine zone (1200 – 2100 m).
In total, 67 % of all species are considered as endangered. Based on the presented spectrum of species, reptiles rank among the most threatened groups of animals of the country. Overall a negative balance can be seen. In the valley area the populations of all species show a constant decrease. Concern with this development tendency is the fact, that previously widespread species such as the sand lizard and grass snake are today endagered. The immediate introduction of supporting measures is necessary, otherwise we run the risk that this negative tendency will continue to worsen. Finally, in the practical part of the study protecting and helping measures are discussed and all important areas worth protecting are mentioned.

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Im vorliegenden Jahresbericht werden ausgewählte, besonders erwähnenswerte Beobachtungen und Ergebnisseaus den fortlaufenden regionalen Amphibien- und Reptilienkartierungen aufgeführt. Die folgenden Befunde lassen sich stichwortartig wie folgt zusammenfassen:
– Seefrosch und Mauereidechse weiter im Vormarsch
– Rückläufige Amphibienbestände an vielen Zugstellen
– Seit 1998 über 1000 Kinder für das Thema Amphibien sensibilisiert
– Erfreulich viele Nachweise der Ringelnatter und Kreuzotter
– Kreuzotterbiss im Malbun und Geckofund in Balzers

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This publication provides a critical review of the amphibian and reptilian type specimens presented in the collec- tion of the Museum of Nature at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (Kharkiv, Ukraine), as of May 2008. The collection contains type specimens of twenty taxa. Eleven of them are valid species or subspecies. Lecto- types of Hyla arborea schelkownikowi, Rana dentex, Eryx miliaris nogaiorum, Coluber schmidti, and Ancistro- don halys caucasicus are designated. Information about lost type materials is provided.

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Results of radionuclide analysis in common reptiles species collected on two radioactive contaminated territories in Russia are presented. It is shown that they adequately accumulate radioactive pollutants including trace ones and so could be effectively used for biomonitoring objectives.

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Assessments of radiation exposure of reptiles may be required in some countries as many species are protected. However, there are few data available for the transfer of radionuclides to them, especially in terrestrial ecosystems, and consequently, no specific peer reviewed reptile data have been used in the derivation of default transfer parameters in the ERICA Tool. Twenty samples of Lacerta agilis (sand lizard) and five of Natrix natrix (grass snake) were collected from two sites within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and analysed for Pu-isotopes, 137Cs and 90Sr. Corresponding activity concentrations for soil from the sampling sites were available. These data have been used to derive concentration ratios (CR) (i.e. reptile whole-body fresh weight activity concentration relative to the dry weight activity concentration in soil). CR values for N. natrix tended to be lower than those for L. agilis. The CR values derived in this paper will be used to improve the default values provided within the ERICA Tool. Whole-body activity concentrations determined in the reptile samples were broadly comparable with data available from the same sampling sites for small mammal species.

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Herpetological observations in Portugal and southern Spain (Cota Doñana and Sierra del Norte in Andalusia) In the first week of March 2008 a group of sixteen herpetologists visi- ted the Cota Doñana in the south of Portugal and the Sierra del Norte in Andalusia in Spain to look for reptiles and amphibians. The Cota Doñana is a wetland area close to the Mediterranean, with three types of landscapes (dunes, wetlands and shrub lands). The Sierra del Norte is a mountainous area and one of the warmest parts of southern Spain with shrub lands (maquis), low trees and Mediterranean herbs. A lot of species have been found (see table 2), though in relatively low quan- tities.

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Taxonomy dependent, four amphibian (three toads and a frog) and 57 reptile species (a tortoise, 36 lizards and 20 snakes) appear confirmed as occurring within the Republic of Uzbekistan. One of these species, Szczerbak’s even-fingered gecko Alsophylax szczerbaki, has perhaps been extirpated. The presence of a further two taxa, i.e., long-legged bent-toed gecko Tenuidactylus longipes and multi-ocellated racerunner Eremias multiocellata is unclear (but both probably absent), whilst the standing of Turkestan salamander Hynobius turkestanicus remains an enigma. Species distributions in Uzbekistan are summarised based on a literature review supplemented by recent field observations.

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TERRARIUM-GARDEN OR GARDEN-TERRARIUM The aurhor gives a descriprion of his garden, in which several lizards and amphibians are living. A garden like rhis should preferably be oriented to rhe sourh or sourheasr. His lizards are acrive from the moment the sun reaches his garden in rhe mor- ning. The garden is surrounded by a fence of con- crere and wood, 2 m high and 1 m in rhe ground. As aresult rhe garden is somewhat shelrered and a bit warmer rhan outside the garden. At rhe upper part of rhe fence a strip of wired glass of 20 cm is arrached. Al these measures are sufficienr to keep rhe animals inside rhe garden, as long as no bran- ches or climbing-planrs form a bridge to rhe outer world. If rhe garden is suired for thc lizards and there is no surplus population there is no rendency ro escape at all. The right condirions cncompass places to bask and to hide, places to hibernare (underground, well proteered from freezing), enough food (native plants and a pile of compost attract many insecrs and other animals) and a place to lay their eggs. The animals prefer to hibernate ar rhe spot where in the spring rhe sun shines first and longest. When rhe winter is severe, part of rhis spot can be covered with dry leafs and/or plastic. The eggs are deposited in a place rhat is exposed to the sun rhe whole day, thar is slighrly moisr and in which the animals can dig easily. Only occasional- ly extra food (meal-worms) is offered, for instanee after the females have laid rheir eggs and prior to hibernation. Some precamions have to be taken to proteet the animals from predators. Birds (crows, magpies) occasionally enter the garden, but the lizards are very aware of them and will hide imme- diately. A bigger problem is cats. To prevent them from entering the garden electric fence is fitred on top of the wooden fence. This is enough to scare them off. For maintenance it is sufficient to check rhe fence for overgrowing branches. For easy access a small path along the fence is recommended. All orher parts of the garden should have easy access too. Animals that are suited for this kind ofgarden should be capable of hibernating. Suitable animals are for instanee Green Lizards (Lacerta viridislbili- neata) from rhe northern part of rheir range or Poelarcis sicula. This kind of animals will disappear in the end of September or rhe beginning of October, but nor jusr in November. There are some disadvantages in keeping animals rhis way. The choice of species is limired, eggs can be less easily found, hibernation can be more risky, predators can pose a problem, you have to sray alert for opportunities to escape and counting rhe ani- mals can be difficulr. O f course the advanrages are more considerable. Direer sunlight, so no need to give vitamin D3, availability of a variery of food (in combination wirh physical exercise), no ecroparasi- tes (probably due to rhe ants in rhe garden), more outstanding colors, combination of different spe- cies of reptiles and amphibians is possible, during vacations you only have ro ask rhe neighbors ro check for overgrowing branches, and most impor- tant rhe return of namral behavior. Ir is suggesred ro exchange experiences with other inrerested people, for which rhe aurhor can be cal- led upon or mailed.

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The author spent two nights trying to take a photo of Lacerta siCilia campestris emerging from the egg. The first night he sat up till six o`clock in the morning, only to see a young emerge with lightning speed and photogra- phing it was impossible. The second night he opened an already broken shell a little bit further, whereupon the young slowly crept out of the egg. The photos speak for them- selves. One of them is to be seen on the front- page of this issue. The last photo shows the egg-tooth of the young.

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A description of the beautiful island of Corsica and of its richness of reptiles and amphibians. The lizard which is most frequently found in the island, Lacerta muralis tiliguerta, is a splendid animal he met with everywhere. In the mountains, above 1000 meters, he found the likewise very fine lizard Lacerta bedriagae bedriagae wtth the cobalt blue lateral shields. This species is very alert and hard to get. Especially in moist regions the most individuals are to be found. Amphibians were plentiful in the neighbourhood of Calvi (N. Corsica). Tadpoles were found of Hyla arborea sarda (de B e t t a), and of Discoglossus pictus sardus T s c h u d i, together with young Buto viridis viridis Laurenti. Also near Calvi Emys orbicularis L i n n e and a lot of grass snakes were found. If anyone might go to Corsica on herpetological purposes he should visit the reservoir near Argentella, for there is a real meeting place of reptiles and amphibians.

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Lizards are key amniote models for studying organ regeneration. During tail regeneration in lizards, blastemas contain sparse granulocytes, macrophages, and lymphocytes among the prevalent mesenchymal cells. Using transmission electron microscopy to examine scarring blastemas after third and fourth sequential tail amputations, the number of granulocytes, macrophages, and lymphocytes increased at 3–4 weeks in comparison to the first regeneration. An increase in granulocytes and agranulocytes also occurred within a week after blastema cauterization during the process of scarring. Blood at the third and fourth regeneration also showed a significant increase in white blood cells compared with that under normal conditions and at the first regeneration. The extracellular matrix of the scarring blastema, especially after cauterization, was denser than that in the normal blastema and numerous white blood cells and fibroblasts were surrounded by electron-pale, fine fibrinoid material mixed with variable collagen fibrils. In addition to previous studies, the present observations support the hypothesis that an increase in inflammation and immune reactions determine scarring rather than regeneration. These new findings verify that an immune reaction against mesenchymal and epidermal cells of the regenerative blastema is one of the main causes for the failure of organ regeneration in amniotes.

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We studied the embryonic use of material and energy during incubation and hatchling traits in the lacertid lizards Eremias argus, which were collected from a mountain population in Langyashan, Chuzhou, eastern China in April, 2005. We randomly selected one egg from eleven clutches, opened and separated them into shell and contents, the other eggs were incubated at naturally fluctuating temperature (varying from 14.0 to 37.0℃) using wet vermiculite as the incubation substrate, of which the moisture was kept at -12 kPa water potential. The incubation length of first clutches and second clutches averaged 37.5 d and 33.0 d, respectively. The wet mass of eggs increased for absorbing moisture while incubating, but no significant difference of the final wet mass was founded between first clutches and second clutches. Fluctuating temperature significantly affected Fat body dry mass, but it did not affect hatching success, sex ratio, snout-vent length, tail length, body wet mass, body dry mass, carcass dry mass and residual yolk dry mass of hatchlings. Fat body dry mass from higher fluctuating temperature was greater than did that from lower fluctuating temperature. Incubation temperature affected some norphological traits of hatchlings, with hatchlings from higher temperature having larger hindleg length and tympanum length than did those from lower temperature. Embryo from higher temperature used much calcium than did that from lower temperature. During incubation, approximately 57.5% of dry material, 27.8% of non-polar lipids and 47.4% of energy in the yolk of freshly laid egg was transferred to the hatchling. There was not significant clutch variation of embryonic use of material and energy and hatchling traits in Eremias argus.

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The expansion of oil palm plantations in Indonesia is often blamed for triggering the destruction of natural resources and reducing tropical biodiversity. Herpetofauna is one of biodiversity in oil palm plantations, and information about its species diversity is lim-ited. This study aims to reveal the diversity of Herpetofauna diversity in the oil palm landscape in Central Kalimantan. Field inven-tories were conducted on seven types of land cover: young palm, mature palm oil, old palm oil, High Conservation Value areas, secondary forests, shrubs and smallholder plantations. We used the Visual Encounter Method to find Herpetofauna species in all land cover types. This study revealed that the diversity of Herpetofauna species in PT BLP varies based on the type of land cover. The HCV area and Secondary Forest have the largest number of species (12 species), while secondary Forest has the highest abundance among other types of land cover, followed by old oil palm plantations. The Oil palm plantation landscapes with land cover variations, water availability, and riparian areas can be part of the habitat of several Herpetofauna species and are man-aged for sustainable palm oil management schemes.

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Climatic conditions changing over time and space shape the evolution of organisms at multiple levels, including temperate lizards in the family Lacertidae. Here we reconstruct a dated phylogenetic tree of 262 lacertid species based on a supermatrix relying on novel phylogenomic datasets and fossil calibrations. Diversification of lacertids was accompanied by an increasing disparity among occupied bioclimatic niches, especially in the last 10 Ma, during a period of progressive global cooling. Temperate species also underwent a genome- wide slowdown in molecular substitution rates compared to tropical and desert-adapted lacertids. Evaporative water loss and preferred temperature are correlated with bioclimatic parameters, indicating physiological adaptations to climate. Tropical, but also some popu- lations of cool-adapted species experience maximum temperatures close to their preferred temperatures. We hypothesize these species-specific physiological preferences may con- stitute a handicap to prevail under rapid global warming, and contribute to explaining local lizard extinctions in cool and humid climates.

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In order to study the composition of the south Kabylie’s herpétofauna (Bouira’s and Bordj Bou Arreridj’s wilaya), we have chosen six different ecological areas. 19 species (1 Amphibian and 18 Reptiles) have been inventoried. They are mainly of mediterranean origin (12 species of 19) with 3 species typically North Africans (Timon pater, Chalcides chalcides and Mesalina olivieri). But in this herpétofauna we have found two saharian species (Psammophis schokari and Mesalina olivieri). The field analysis of the species distribution showed that the landscape composition played an important role. Some species such as P. algirus frequented various areas, others such as Natrix natrix and Natrix maura preferred humid areas, Acanthodactylus erythrurus localized in biotopes with sandy substratum, also Timon. pater who frequents forests, on the six community studied none presents q high diversity. The main important specific riches were observed in the low scrub (10 species). The intermediate situation that corresponds to the average of the diversity and the regularity was observed in the rocky open ground and the low scrub.

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Scientifique, Paris, France 2Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK 3Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia 4D.I.I.V. Ltd. for Marine, Freshwater and Subterranean Ecology, Sali, Croatia 5Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA Correspondence Maxime Taverne, UMR 7179, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d`Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France. Email: maxime.taverne@mnhn.fr Funding information National Geographic Committee for Research and Exploration Abstract Access to resources is a dynamic and multicausal process that determines the suc- cess and survival of a population. It is therefore often challenging to disentangle the factors affecting ecological traits like diet. Insular habitats provide a good opportu- nity to study how variation in diet originates, in particular in populations of meso- predators such as lizards. Indeed, high levels of population density associated with low food abundance and low predation are selection pressures typically observed on islands. In the present study, the diet of eighteen insular populations of two closely related species of lacertid lizards (Podarcis sicula and Podarcis melisellensis) was as- sessed. Our results reveal that despite dietary variability among populations, diet taxonomic diversity is not impacted by island area. In contrast, however, diet dispar- ity metrics, based on the variability in the physical (hardness) and behavioral (eva- siveness) properties of ingested food items, are correlated with island size. These findings suggest that an increase in intraspecific competition for access to resources may induce shifts in functional components of the diet. Additionally, the two species differed in the relation between diet disparity and island area suggesting that differ- ent strategies exist to deal with low food abundance in these two species. Finally, sexual dimorphism in diet and head dimensions is not greater on smaller islands, in contrast to our predictions.

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Darevskia praticola was encountered for the second time in the Jiu Gorge National Park, Romania. The species was observed in August 2018, in a compact beech forest, at 562 m altitude. This record indicates that the forests in the Jiu Gorge National Park could shelter species whose distribution is, even nowadays, insufficiently known.

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Few reports on fire-induced reptile mortality in African savanna have been published. To quantify fire-induced reptile mortality surveys were conducted during a scheduled austral spring management fire in savanna habitat at Lapalala Wilderness, a private game reserve in Limpopo Province, South Africa to determine the density of fatalities and identify possible fire associated mechanisms of mortality. Several transects were conducted at sites within a single block burn. Surveys produced 15 fatalities from eight squamate species, most of which showed varying degrees of denuded respiratory cilia, suggestive of heated air inhalation, potentially proving fatal for some collected specimens.

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The thermal ecology of ectotherms has been studied for almost two centuries, but additional attention is currently being paid to the issue in order to understand how organisms deal with the environment in a climate change context. However, a consensus is still far away, due to the large number of factors involved and their complex interactions. In this context, three analyses in lacertid lizards were carried out: (1) a meta‐analysis, to test for differences between body and air temperatures from 71 populations, (2) a meta‐analysis concerning correlations between body and air temperatures from 60 populations, and (3) a multimodel inference using thermoregulation effectiveness indices from 45 populations. The importance of different factors, including body size, habitat, insuraliry, altitude, climate, and season, was evaluated in all analyses in order to model the response variables. A strong seasonality effect was observed, with a consistent pattern of less effective thermoregulation in summer compared to other seasons. Altitude was the second most important factor, with a consistent higher thermoregulation effort in populations occurring at high elevations (> 1000 m asl). Other factors, such as insularity or body size, can also be important, but did not exhibit a clear pattern. Finally, thermoregulation was less affected by climate and habitat type.

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Our work consists in the morphological study of a endemic lizard of North Africa named Psammodromus blanci, in two stations, the first, Loudha Tameqrant to the Akfadou forest massif, the second, the Chellata Pass to the massif mountainous area of Djurdjura. This study is based on the analysis of 44 morphological characters (biometric, scalameter and chromatic), taken from 49 P.blanci specimens, of which 24 are from Loudha Tameqrant and 25 from the Chellata Pass. The data obtained are analyzed by the ANOVA hypothesis test (analysis of the variance) with two factors (habitat * sex), the results are supplemented by the Newman and Keuls test and a PCA. The results do not show a difference between the two populations in terms of the characters studied, but a sexual dimorphism is marked at the level of the head, the limbs and the cloacal cleft.

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The present paper deals with the recovery growth experiment in Juvenile Grass Lizards, Takydromus septentrionalis, following short periods of fasting. Lizards were collected in April and May 2005 from a population in Chuzhou (Anhui, eastern China). The captured lizards were transported to our laboratory at Chuzhnu University, where they were maintained to in each 600 mm×450 mm×300 mm (length×width×height )glass terrarium, of which the bottom was filled with moist soil, grasses and debris. Lizards were kept starved at the nature temperature for 3d prior to feeding to insure post-absorptive conditions. 39 lizards were divided into 4 experimental groups, which were deprived of food for 0 (control), 3, 6 and 9 days, respectively. The experiment lasted for 24 days for each test group. Then each group was fed with larvae of Tenebrio molitor for the rest of the experimental period. During the recovery growth, wet mass in each test group increased with the lapsed time. Food intake in S3 and S9 were higher than in C. Apparent digestive coefficient (ADC) and assimilation efficiency (AE) in each group by starvation were similar than those in C. ADC and AE in S3 were higher than those in S6 and S9. It is suggested that: (1) T. septentrionalis starvation pretreatment for 3, 6, 9 days show significantly compensatory effect in the recovery growth; (2) the compensatory growth result from significant increase in feeding intensity in the recovery growth.

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A total of 80 specimens of three species of lacertid Podarcis muralis (39), Podarcis siculus (18) and Ophisops elegans (23) from Bursa were examined for helminths. One species of Digenea, Plagiorchis elegans, 1 species of Cestoda, Mesocestoides sp. (tetrathyridium); and 3 species of Nematoda, Skrjabinodon medinae, Spauligodon saxicolae and Skrjabinelazia hoffmanni were found. The helminths reported in this study are generalist helminths that infect a number of lizards.

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The herpetofauna of Wadi El Gemal National Park, Eastern Desert, Egypt currently includes 28 reptile species. Three large wadies, Wadi El Gemal, Wadi Abu Ghusoun and Wadi Sartout, were observed as a model of the spe- cies composition within the national park. Species assemblages, taxonomic and ecological diversity, and the biogeographical affinities of reptiles in the specific environment of the hyperarid desert are discussed.

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60 species of reptiles live in the Azerbaijan Republic. From them 17 species, or 28.3% are spread on Absheron Peninsula. These species belong to 3 orders, 13 families, 22 genera. Lizards are reptiles belonging to the order Squamata. On Absheron peninsula lizards inhabit a wide variety of biotopes, from garden habitats to sand dunes. Most species of Absheron are diurnal, but Caspian bent-toed geckos comprise a night time fauna in many habitats. Many species, can shed their tails in order to escape from predators. Lizards have many morphological adaptations that suit them to the substrates they inhabit, from specialized toe-pads in vertical rock-face dwellers to fringed-toes in loose-sand runners. Modern scientific study of lizards in Absheron began with the field natural history studies of E.P. Menetriem and E.E. Eichwald in the 19th century.

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The concept of National responsibility species (NRS) was developed to coordinate the conservation efforts of species occurring in multiple countries. Calculated as the fraction of the global species` distribution within a country, it measures the contribution of a local population to global survival of the species. However, there may be more co-occurring species in one region than another, making the conservation of a species more cost-efficient in the first than the latter. If cost-efficient resource allocation is the goal, then identifying NRS should also be based on spatial priorities. We propose that a species is considered NRS when a large part of its distribution falls within high priority areas in a country. We identify NRS from spatial conservation prioritization outputs to (1) maximize the overall cost-efficiency of allocation of conservation resources and (2) to provide information about which species the spatial priorities are based on. We analyzed data on vertebrates in the Birds and Habitats directives in the EU28 countries and compared the traditional NRS measure to three alternative strategies. While the majority of species maintained their NRS status in most countries regardless of the approach, differences occurred, with varying numbers and identities of responsibility species in a country, or responsibilities for species shifting between countries. The differences were largest in geographically marginal countries and for species that were distributed across a few countries. Other NRS approaches may also be useful, and the choice of approach should ultimately depend on the purpose and complement information on conservation status in decision-making.

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Widely distributed reptile species are characterized by reproductive plasticity, which may also appear as variations of the reproductive cycles. To understand the specificity of the male reproductive cycle of Zootoca vivipara in the Asian part of its range, males from the Tomsk population (the southeast of the Western Siberia) caught from April till July 2017 were studied (n = 27). The dynamics of gonadosomatic index (GSI), body fat index (BFI), germinal epithelium area (GEA), testosterone concentration (TC) in the serum, ratio of spermatogenic cell count, and the presence of spermatozoa in epididymis were analyzed. Also, the age of males was evaluated via skeletochronology. Many spermatocytes were found in males after their emerging from winter burrows (late April) in the testes. Since this time till early May, GSI, FBI, GEA, and TC increased. At this time, the greatest pull of spermatids occurred in the testes. During the breeding period (May – early June), GSI, FBI, GEA, and TC sharply decreased, and spermatozoa occurred in both testes and epididymis. In mid-June, a new spermatogenic cycle began (spermatogonial proliferation). Since this time till July, GSI, FBI, and GEA increased again along with the increased number of spermatocytes. The total spermatogenic cycle in the studied population was 12 months, but it was characterized by a short mating period and the related spermatogenic processes in comparison with the European populations

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This paper presents a herpetofaunal inventory of the urban city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh along with major threats existing in the study area, snake-human conflict and conservation steps taken. Herpetofaunal population in degraded while urban habitat is essential for their long term conservation measures. A total of 39 species of reptiles and amphibians representing 15 families were detected with special account of Argyrogena fasciolata, Wallophis brachyurus, Lycodon aulicus, Ptyas mucosa, Xenochrophis piscator, and Lygosoma lineatum. Snakes were the most collected reptilian species, while Amphibians comprised the little group of the sample. Reptile Conservation & Research Centre is established in the city by Sarpa Anusandhan Sangthan to minimize the snake-human conflict and to educate and familiarise people with them.

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Presented is a comprehensive overview of data on the herpetological species occurring in the Ararat region of Turkey. A total of 41 species, including their first records, published historical localities, and respective sources, are recorded in this assessment of surprisingly high regional species richness.

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In this research, it is intended to determine amphibian and reptile species distributed in Hatay province (East Mediterranean region, Turkey). For this aim, it is realized herpetological trip to al region of the province of Hatay in March, April, May, July, September and October in 2016 and in March and May in 2017. As a result of this study, it is recorded five anuran, two urodela species belong to five families, six chelonian belong to 5 families, and 17 lizard belong to seven families and 22 snake species belong to four families in the province Hatay (7 amphibians and 45 reptiles in total). As a result of this project; Trapelus lessonae (De filippi, 1865), and Eirenis barani Schmidtler, 1988 were recorded for in the province of Hatay in first. We report the most updated information regarding the herpetofauna of Hatay province.

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The Gulf of Kachchh is endowed with a variety of habitats and supports diverse groups of fauna, both invertebrates and vertebrates. The present study was carried out to study distribution of marine and coastal herpetofauna (Amphibians and Reptiles) from the Gulf of Kachchh (GoK). During the study a total of 28 species of herpetofauna were recorded from the GoK, of which, 3 were amphibians (only Anuran) and 25 were reptiles. Among the all recorded species, five species such as Green Sea Turtle, Olive Ridley, Yellow Sea Snake, Annulated Sea Snake and Gerard’s Mud Snake were obligatory marine reptiles. In addition, three other species viz., Saw-scaled Viper, Fringed-toed Lizard and Jerdon’s Snake eye were also r

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Jaffna peninsula is quite an unexplored area of Sri Lanka’s lowland dry zone. We constructed a species checklist for all herpetofauna of this area based on a short-term field survey, a comprehensive literature review, museum specimens, and observations made by field herpetologists. Based on 200 × 10 m belt transects, we surveyed herpetofauna both during day and night time, in 10 different types of habitats. The species checklist we compiled comprised 44 species of reptiles (including three nationally threatened, one globally threatened, and eight endemic species) and 15 species of amphibians (including one nationally threatened and three endemic species). Based on published literature, museum specimens, expert opinions, and current field survey, we documented 85 species of herpetofauna in this area. Of this entire list, we were unable to record the presence of 25 species through our field survey. Our field survey documented 18 species that were not previously reported from Jaffna Peninsula. Our study revealed that inland water bodies, cultivated lands, home gardens, and coastal beaches are of high impor- tance for native herpetofauna of Jaffna peninsula. Many human disturbances, such as habitat alterations, vengeful killing, consumption overexploitation, and road mortality are the key threats encountered by herpetofauna in Jaffna. Our intention of this study is to compile baseline information on diversity of amphibians and reptiles to support more detailed studies in future and assist conservation and management decisions within the region. We believe that our study will provide a basic foundation for conservation planning and future research.

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Alborz province, an area as big as almost 5833 km2, is located in the west of Tehran province. In a long term study of the lizards in this province which lasted 2 years (2015-2016), 13 species of lizards namely Paralaudakia caucasia, Trapelus agilis, Phrynocephalus persicus, Darevskia defilippi, Lacerta strigata, Eremias persica, Eremias fasciata, Eremias papenfussi, Ophisops elegans, Mesalina watsonana, Bunopus crassicaudus, Ablepharus bivittatus and Eumeces schneideri, belonging to four families, were collected, identified and reported from the area. Thirteen distribution maps for lizards of the Alborz province were also made. Two new distribution records for lizards of Iran in the area were reported. Also, an isolated population of Lacerta strigata in the north of the province was observed which extends altitudinal distribution of the species more than 900 m in Iran. An isolated population of Eremias faciata in the south of the province was observed which is the westernmost record for this species in Iran and extends the known distributional range of the species about 200 km westward.

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The vestibular system is crucial for movement control during locomotion. As the dimensions of the vestibular system determine the fluid dynamics of the endolymph and, as such, the system`s function, we investigate the interaction between vestibular system size, head size and microhabitat use in lizards. We grouped 24 lacertid species in three microhabitat types, we acquired three‐dimensional models of the bony vestibular systems using micro‐computer tomography scanning, and we performed linear and surface measurements. All vestibular measurements scale with a negative allometry with head size, suggesting that smaller heads house disproportionally large ears. As the sensitivity of the vestibular system is positively related to size, a sufficiently large vestibular system in small‐headed animals may meet the sensitivity demands during challenged locomotion. We also found that the microhabitat affects the locomotor dynamics: lizards inhabiting open microhabitats run at higher dimensionless speeds. On the other hand, no statistical relationship exists between dimensionless speed and the vestibular system dimensions. Hence, if the vestibular size would differ between microhabitats, this would be a direct effect (i.e. imposed, for instance, by requirements for manoeuvring, balance control, etc.), rather than depending on the lizards’ intrinsic running speed. However, we found no effect of the microhabitat on the allometric relationship between head and vestibular system size. The finding that microhabitat is not reflected in the vestibular system size (hence sensitivity) of the lacertids in this study is possibly due to spatial constraints of the skull.

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Herpetofaunal surveys were conducted in the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Tamil Nadu, India, over a period of two years, to assess species richness in this landscape. Sixty-four species of reptiles from 15 families and 31 species of amphibians from nine families were recorded. Eight species of reptiles and five species of amphibians are reported here for the first time, including the first record of a caecilian (Uraeotyphlus sp.) from this landscape. The rediscovery of a potentially divergent population of wood snake, bearing the now defunct nomen Xylophis indicus (presently in the synonymy of X. stenorhynchus), is reported c.140 years after its original description. A revised, collated checklist, accommodating taxonomic revisions from the recent past, is presented based on our surveys and prior literature. It constitutes 99 species of reptiles and 41 species of amphibians–a remarkable diversity that beseeches concerted conservation action in the region.

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Lizards, commonly found in the Umuttepe Campus of Kocaeli University, were caught and tissue samples were taken from their tail region for species identification through molecular analysis. After that, DNA isolation, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) by using universal primers for the mitochondrial COI and 16S rRNA, and DNA sequence analysis were performed. Electropherograms were evaluated and the results obtained were compared with the species recorded in the NCBI databases. In this study using molecular phylogenetic analysis for species identification, the lizards distributed in the Umuttepe Campus of Kocaeli University were determined to belong to Podarcis siculus (Istanbul lizard).

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In this study, herpetofauna and avifauna of the Araplar Gorge where is located in Ezine/Çanakkale, and its vicinity were examined. The Araplar Gorge is an important area because of its location as one of the secondary migration pathway of birds in Çanakkale. In the study area; all data were evaluated from the field studies and researches between 2003 and 2016; as a result five amphibian, 24 reptile and 147 bird species were identified. According to IUCN Red List; all of the observed amphibian specimens were in DD and LC. Two of the reptile specimens were listed as VU [Testudo graeca, Malpolon insignitus] and one specimen was listed as NT (Emys orbicularis). All other reptile specimens were listed as LC. In avifauna; three specimens were listed as VU (Streptopelia turtur, Clanga clanga, Aquila heliaca), one specimen was listed as NT (Vanellus vanellus) and all other bird species were listed as LC. The biodiversity importance and necessity of the protection of the area were emphasized.

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The fossil record provides evidence of a long evolutionary history of European lizards. Since fossil lizards are regularly represented by bone remains, the knowledge of the origins of extant taxa and their distribution in time and space is hindered by the fact that their comparative osteology is not yet completely and adequately known. In spite of a rising interest in this topic since the end of the 20th century, a gap in our knowledge is still evident. We here report the first broad-scale comparative osteological analysis of the skulls of extant European lizards, highlighting significant differences that can be used in identification. This comparative study, including as many European species as possible, leads to the creation of a detailed diagnostic key for each single bone. Also, our data significantly improve the recognizability of extant European non-snake squamates, with 54% of the current diversity to be recognized based on the new results contra the previously estimated 31%. This recognizability is expected to further increase in the future, with new studies focusing on species that are either missing or poorly represented here, or applying promising advanced methodologies.

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The aim of the study is to predict the gender of Darevskia bithynica by using a feed-forward back-propagation artificial neural network (ANN). Nine morphological characters were used as an input parameters of the mo-del. The gender type male or female is the output parameter. The total number of data is 115. In order to train, validate and test the ANN model 70%, 15% and 15% of the total data are randomly selected, respectively. The regression coefficient (R) values are evaluated as prediction performance. The network’s layer with tangent sigmoid activation functions predicts the lizard gender with R values as 0.98, 0.97 and 0.96 for training, tes-ting and all data, respectively. The mean square error (MSE) values for training and testing data are calculated as 0.0145 and 0.0161, respectively. The obtained results satisfactorily confirm the high ability of the ANNs in predicting the gender of Darevskia bithynica.

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Aim Isolation is a key factor in island biology. It is usually defined as the distance to the geographically nearest mainland, but many other definitions exist. We explored how testing different isolation indices affects the inference of impacts of isolation on faunal characteristics. We focused on land bridge islands and compared the relationships of many spatial and temporal (i.e., through time) isolation indices with community‐, population‐ and individual‐level characteristics (species richness, population density and body size, respectively). Location Aegean Sea islands, Greece. Time period Current. Taxon Many animal taxa. Methods We estimated 21 isolation indices for 205 islands and recorded species richness data for 15 taxa (invertebrates and vertebrates). We obtained body size data for seven lizard species and population density data for three. We explored how well indices predict each characteristic, in each taxon, by conducting a series of ordinary least squares regressions (controlling for island area when needed) and a meta‐analysis. Results Isolation was significantly (and negatively) associated with species richness in 10 of 15 taxa. It was significantly (and positively) associated with body size in only one of seven species and was not associated with population density. The effect of isolation on species richness was much weaker than that of island area, regardless of the index tested. Spatial indices generally out‐performed temporal indices, and indices directly related to the mainland out‐performed those related mainly to neighbouring islands. No index was universally superior to others, including the distance to the geographically nearest mainland. Main conclusions The choice of index can alter our perception of the impacts of isolation on biological patterns. The nearly automatic, ubiquitous use of distance to the geographically nearest mainland misrepresents the complexity of the effects of isolation. We recommend the simultaneous testing of several indices that represent different aspects of isolation, in order to produce more constructive and thorough investigations and avoid imprecise inference.

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The data available on the herpetofauna of the Archipelago della Maddalena are mainly based on investigations carried out during the 1980’s by the Sezione di Zoologia “La Specola” of the Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Firenze. Such records have not been specifically updated successively. Here field data on the composition and distribution of the herpetofauna of the Archipelago are presented, with particular attention to the micro-insular areas for which no bibliographic data were available. Between 2011 and 2012 a total of 51 islands and islets have been visited: new records have been gained for 15 islands and islets already studied in past while on 4 the herpetofauna has been recorded for the first time. The lack of herpetofauna on 9 islets and rocks seemingly never previously studied has been reported too.

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Although it was obvious to us that it would be useful to include a list of the herpetofauna found on the Italian islands, it immediately became clear that this would be no easy task: the information in the literature is often incomplete, inaccurate and difficult to check, and precise data are available only for the circum-Sardinian islands (POGGESI et al., 1996), the circum-Sicilian islands (L ANZA, 1973; CORTI et al., 1998) and the Tuscan Archipelago (HOTZ, 1973; COR- TI et al., 1991; VANNI & NISTRI, 1999, 2000). In order to form as complete a picture as possible, we also consulted numerous works on single islands or groups of islands, e.g. the Handbuch der Rep- tilien und Amphibien Europas. Finally, we had access to a large vol- ume of as yet unpublished data from the Progetto Atlante, including reports for the Ligurian and Apulian islands, gathered by the region- al chapters of the Societas Herpetologica Italica. For the sake of brevity, lacustrian and riverine populations and those of delta bars, beaches and island lakes have been omitted. Apart from the fact that few data are available, these populations are not actually separate from those of adjoining coasts. We do make an important exception to this rule in mentioning the taxon Lacerta muralis borromeica Mertens, 1932, described for the Isola Madre on Lago Maggiore and later declared invalid by the author. The subspecies status of many island populations of lacertids of the Podarcis genus remains open to debate, and is discussed in more detail in the chapter “Checklist of the Italian herpetofauna with tax- onomic remarks”. These populations can present far greater variabil- ity in patterning than continental populations [e.g. Podarcis sicula caporiaccoi (Taddei, 1949) see HOTZ (1973)] or unusual colouring (e.g. melanotic) which, although they make island and archipelago populations easier to identify, are considered by modern taxono- mists to be of doubtful systematic validity. It was decided to include the description of a species or sub- species for an island as a note, with the type locality in square brack- ets, and with the name supplied by the author without commenting on its validity.

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The present paper provides the results of the herpetological investigations carried out on thesatellite islets of Djerba and the Kneiss Archipelago, and an updated list of their herpetofauna.On the whole, the faunal assemblage of the eleven visited islets includes seven species of reptiles, whose richness seems to be related to the islet size. Stenodactylus sthenodactylus (Lichtenstein, 1823) and Malpolon insignitus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827) are new records, respectively, for the Djerba satellites and the Kneiss Archipelago, while new localities we rerecorded for the previously known species.

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The results of some investigations on the Podarcis wagleriana population of La Scuola Islet (Stagnone Lagoon Archipelago, W Sicily) are here presented. Adult mean SVL was 69.5 mm and 61.6 mm for males and females respectively. The analysis of faecal pellets showed that the most important prey types were Formicidae (32%), Coleoptera (15%), and other Hymenoptera (13%). The proportion of vegetal matter (occurring in 35% of the examined pellets) was higher than in Sicilian populations, suggesting that plant consumption in this micro-insular environment may play a more significant role in the diet of the species.

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The present paper provides the results of the herpetological investigations carried out on the Kuriat Archipelago, in the Khnis Bay, and the islet of Jbel, off the harbor of Echebba. Six reptile species on the whole have been found on the studied islets. Tarentola fascicularis (Daudin, 1802), familia Phyllodactylidae, occurring on Great Kuriat, and Trachylepis vittata (Olivier, 1804), familia Scincidae, detected on all the three islets, are recorded for the first time for the islands of Tunisia.