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As a result of our field work caried out in 2020 and 2021, we herein report the first herpetofaunal list of Duc Co dictrict, Gia Lai province, comprising 21 species of amphibians (14 genera, six families, two orders) and 40 species of reptiles (35 genera, 16 families, 2 orders). Remarkably, nine species are recored for the fist time in Gia Lai province, namely Kalophrynus interlineatus, Limnonectes dabanus, Dixonius minhlei, Lygosoma bowringii, Dendrelaphis subocularis, Lycodon subcinctus, Heosemys grandis, Siebenrockiella crassicollis, and Indotestudo elongata. In terms of conservation concern, 10 species are listed the Vietnam Red Data Book (2007) and 10 species in the IUCN Red List (2021).

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Karçal Mountains are located in Artvin province (Turkey) that contains various types of ecosystems. Based on the results of herpetological surveys conducted between August 2014 and July 2015, totally 18 species were recorded from 11 different stations around Karçal Mountains of which 7 were amphibians (2 salamanders and 5 frogs) and 11 were reptiles (5 lizards and 6 snakes). Specimens were investigated in terms of some morphological characters like color and pattern features, number of scales and plates and body measurements. In addition, a zoogeographical assessment was also carried out by the chorotype classification of Karçal Mountains.

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The private collection represented by comprehensive holdings of vertebrates (cyclostomes, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, mammals), i.e., Petromyzontida (11 specimens of two species), Actinopterygii (2897 specimens of 63 species), Amphibia (1365 specimens of 28 species), Reptilia (4430 specimens of 155 species), and Mammalia (32 specimens of eleven species) of the famous Russian zoologist Boris S. Tuniyev were donated to the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in March 2025. The collection was transported to St. Petersburg in its original containers and transferred to the Laboratories of Ichthyology, Herpetology, and Theriology. Of special value are type specimens of 5 taxa of lizards and 12 taxa of snakes.

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Study of genome size variation in cells of vertebrates using DNA flow cytometry makes it possible to determine polyploid individuals precisely, which is extremely important when studying the processes of reticulate speciation. In addition, in many groups of vertebrates, closely related species often differ in the nuclear DNA content. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to explore the variability of genome size and ploidy in populations of 29 species and subspecies of rock lizards of the genus Darevskia, as well as their hybrids. As a result of this study, the range of variability in individuals of different ploidy (91% of diploid and 9% of triploid individuals) was established not to overlap. Among diploid species, no correlation was found between the nuclear DNA content and phylogenetic relationships, geographic coordinates, altitude, average annual temperatures, and precipitation. Representatives of all studied species complexes (with the exception of D. adjarica) had approximately the same limits of variability. Two species (D. derjugini and D. saxicola) show significant intraspecific variability. Comparisons of the genome size of parthenogenetic and bisexual species generally revealed no noticeable differences between them. Studies of triploid hybrids have shown that their genome size as a whole roughly corresponds to the sum of the average size of the diploid genome of the maternal parthenogenetic species and the haploid genome of the paternal species. The variability of genome sizes within samples of triploid hybrids was, on average, slightly higher than in most parthenogenetic species, but somewhat lower than in bisexual species. This paper discusses the peculiarities of reticulate speciation in this group of animals.

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This study investigated the amphibian and reptilian fauna of the Lake District around Burdur, Turkey. A total of 21 amphibian and reptile species were identified, consisting of two anurans, two turtles, one tortoise, seven lizards, and nine snakes. A zoogeographical assessment was also carried out in which the chorotypes and the IUCN criteria of the species were added.

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Podarcis vaucheri (Boulenger 1905) and Psammodromus algirus (Linnaeus 1759) are two lacertid lizards native to the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. Regarding phylogeographic patterns, although the species have been thoroughly studied within their European ranges, knowledge of their variation South of the Strait of Gibraltar remains limited. With this thesis we intended to improve the genetic coverage for both species within their Moroccan range, and to address some issues regarding typically considered taxonomic notions for them: the existence of two main lineages within P. vaucheri — the “main type” and the “Jebel Sirwah” variant — that could warrant its split into two or more separate species; and the appropriateness of the split of P. algirus into two subspecies — P. a. algirus and P. a. nollii — based on their dorsal striped patterns. To achieve our aims, we mainly employed molecular tools, estimating the phylogenetic relationships between individuals within the area, with comprehensive samplings across most of their known ranges. Mitochondrial and a nuclear gene sequences — respectively partial ND4 and partial MC1R — were used. For the P. vaucheri study, this was complemented with species range modelling analysis, in an attempt to understand interactions with the landscape and range contractions and expansions of the species across time. Significant levels of genetic diversity were found within P. vaucheri, coupled with a clear and strong population structuring across the landscape. Data from species distribution modelling indicates that large areas have been almost continually optimal for the species across the region, although with notable breaks between them. Further evidence for the distinction of a “Jebel Sirwah” variant form — a lineage with an independent origin from the Moroccan P. vaucheri clade, estimated to have diverged from the species around 7.06 MYA — was also obtained, and a new population from that lineage was reported for Morocco, in the Mount M’Goun area. For P. algirus, no genetic diversity that could warrant the current subspecific split was identified, and although the typically considered clade divisions for the whole species were evident, no clear phylogeographic patterns were found within Morocco. Such a lack of phylogeographic structure is actually unusual in reptiles from this region, and presumably is associated with the generalist nature of P. algirus. We conclude that at least two species should be recognized within the P. vaucheri in North Africa, due to the amount of differentiation within the complex, although a full integrative taxonomic revision is still needed. P. algirus nollii should be relegated of its subspecies status, and instead be considered a colour morphotype of P. algirus.

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Four findings of sand lizards with partly extensive bark ulcers from Berlin and Brandenburg are documented. Possible causes are discussed, and a literature overview on bark ulcers in lacertids has been compiled.

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The article reports on encounters of the concolor form in the eastern Peloponnese wall lizard (Podarcis thais). It appears that concolor specimen occur more frequently in the south of the species` range. Based on these observations, the possible selective role of the concolor mutation is being discussed.

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During a herpetological research trip to northwest Africa in spring 1988, numerous lacertids were found. In this first of three publications, the lizards observed in Tunisia are briefly presented.

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76 sequences of the cytb gene region of mitochondrial DNA (1143 bp) and 27 sequences of i7 β-fib nuclear DNA (483 bp) of Lacerta strigata from 57 localities in Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, and Russia were analyzed. A large number of new samples were included in analysis with special focus to the species’ range at the Caucasus Isthmus. An identical topology and four supported clades (lineages) resulted for both mtDNA and sequences combined with nucleDNA (Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood). Four haplogroups (clusters) have been identified in the median cytb haplotype network. The lizards of clade A (haplogroup I) are widespread throughout the species range, while lizards of clade D (haplogroup IV) show the most limited distrubytion. No genetically unique populations of L. strigata were detected in the Caucasian xerophilous refugia. Also, no genetically distinct populations of the species were recorded in the Hyrcanian refugium (Southern Caspian region). An exception is the East Hyrcanian refugium, that is characterized by the most distant clade D (IV). The territory of Ciscaucasia and the Transcaucasian depression are occupied by a single clade each: A (I) and B (II), respectively. We detected several clades distributed in the four geographic areas (contact zones): in the Greater Caucasus, Alborz, Armenian Highland, and West Turkmenian Lowland. We associate the divergence of the L. strigata phylogenetic lineage with the Turkmen-Khorasan and, in particular, the Kopet Dag orogeny, as well as with the Late Miocene fluctuations in the level of the Eastern Paratethys, while the leading factor of intraspecific differentiation is the Pleistocene regressions and transgressions of the Caspian Sea. According to the current distribution pattern and species evolutionary his- tory, L. strigata should be assigned to the Hyrcano-Caucasian zoogeographic group.

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Camouflage can often be enhanced by genetic adaptation to different local environments. However, it is less clear how individual behaviour improves camouflage effectiveness. We investigated whether individual Aegean wall lizards (Podarcis erhardii) inhabiting different islands rest on backgrounds that improve camouflage against avian predators. In free-ranging lizards, we found that dorsal regions were better matched against chosen backgrounds than against other backgrounds on the same island. This suggests that P. erhardiimake background choices that heighten individual-specific concealment. In achromatic camouflage, this effect was more evident in females and was less distinct in an island population with lower predation risk. This suggests that behavioural enhancement of camouflage may be more important in females than in sexually competing males and related to predation risk. However, in an arena experiment, lizards did not choose the background that improved camouflage, most likely due to the artificial conditions. Overall, our results provide evidence that behavioural preferences for substrates can enhance individual camouflage of lizards in natural microhabitats and that such adaptations may be sexually dimorphic and dependent on local environments. This research emphasizes the importance of considering links between ecology, behaviour and appearance in studies of intraspecific colour variation and local adaptation.

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Studies of the effects of insularity on animal signals are scarce, particularly in lizards. Here, we use Lilford’s wall lizard from Dragonera (Podarcis lilfordi gigliolii) to ask how island conditions have affected its repertoire of social signals, focusing on two visual signals shared by many Podarcis species: ultraviolet (UV)–blue-reflecting ventrolateral colour patches and visual displays. We examined whether the number or spectral characteristics of the UV–blue patches are associated with traits related to individual quality. We also used visual models to assess visual conspicuousness and to measure sexual dichromatism. We did not observe foot shakes or any other visual displays usually found in continental Podarcis. We found that none of the UV–blue patch variables covaried with morphometric variables indicative of fighting ability or body condition in males, suggesting that this coloration does not signal individual quality. We also found very little sexual dichromatism. In particular, the UV–blue patches of females seem over-expressed and more similar to those of males than those of continental Podarcis. Ancestral state reconstruction reveals that the lack of sexual dimorphism in the UV–blue patches is a derived condition for P. lilfordi gigliolii and other Podarcis living on small islands. Our results thus show a pattern of reduced social signalling in P. lilfordi gigliolii relative to mainland Podarcis, with some signals being lost or under-expressed (visual displays) and others losing their signalling function (UV–blue patches). We hypothesize that these changes are attributable to the high population density of P. lilfordi gigliolii, which discourages territorial behaviour and promotes extreme social tolerance, making most social signals unnecessary. More work will be needed to determine whether this is a common pattern in lizards inhabiting small and densely populated islands.

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This research project has been conducted to determine the abundance and distribution of the Maltese wall lizard ssp. Maltensis on the island of Comino. Four subspecies of the Podarcis wall lizard are endemic to the Maltese archipelago. Hence, this research project can provide further information to aid in the conservation of this reptile in Malta. At present, Comino is one of summer’s top destination for tourists and it is constantly filled with crowds of people each summer. This island has been granted legal protection for conservation of its biodiversity. This research project is based on human interference with the survival of this subspecies and the distribution of this reptile in different areas around the island. The abundance of this subspecies is determined by the evaluation of five main disturbed areas and existing paths. The abundance in each area directly links to the distribution of this reptile throughout the island, leading to the preference and nature of the disturbance done on this species and its survival. Signs of habitat destruction and human interference have been noted from the results of this research project. The distribution of the wall lizard on Comino is highly dependent on human presence. These results show that further protection is required to completely conserve this subspecies and other fauna present on this island.

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Es Colomer Island is occupied by a melanistic population of the Lilford’s Wall lizard, Podarcis lilfordi. Adult males are larger than females, with longer tails, and higher values of body mass, pileus length, head heigh, head width, hindleg length and number of dorsal scales. Adult sex ratio is balanced or slightly skewed towards males. At the summit of the islet, body condition was found to be significantly better than in almost vertical slopes. We found a higher proportion of digit amputations in adult males, probably due to frequent male–male interactions, promoted by high lizard density. During a 2024 survey, we recorded the highest known density of the Lilford’s Wall lizard. The prevalence of mites and blood parasites was 100%. The frequent intraspecific interactions, shown by the proportion of males with digit amputations, could be the source of the higher prevalence and susceptibility to blood parasite infections. The diet of lizards from Colomer is omnivorous, including several prey groups, as well as carcass remains from birds and mammals, and even conspecifics. Lizards from Colomer are an excellent example of the effects of extreme environmental conditions, with high population densities, strong intraspecific competition, the widespread presence of external and blood parasites, the extensive use of the scarce resources, and the opportunistic use of unpredictable resources in masting years, such as the fruits of the joint pine.

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In this study, surveys were undertaken during 2008 – 2013, to record the distribution and status of Reptiles of the area during the study 41 species of reptiles were recorded from the area.Twenty two important habitats for reptiles in the area were identified and listed.Indian Spiny-tailed Lizard (Saara hardwickii) was found to be under threat in its localized habitat in Jhimpir Wind Corridor block in Thatta district and Indian Fat –tail Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) was noted to have been almost disappeared from most of the area due to large scale capture of the species for sale in the local markets.

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Animal coloration plays a fundamental role in communication, camouflage, aposematism, mimicry and thermoregulation, and has strong implications for adaptation and diversification. Phenotypic plasticity of color traits can thus affect social, reproductive, antipredator, or thermoregulatory behavior and determining the causes and consequences of color change helps us understand evolution. In contrast to seasonal or ontogenetic color changes, physiological color change in response to fine-scale changes in environmental conditions has received less attention. Temperature-driven, rapid changes in coloration can have profound implications for ecophysiology, particularly in ectotherms. Here, using a widespread color polymorphic lacertid, Podarcis muralis, we study the impact of temperature on the chromatic properties and perception of pigment- and structurally based coloration of different body regions. We subjected male and female adult lizards from different color morphs to two different temperature regimes: cold (25 ◦C) and hot (≥34 ◦C) temperature, and quantified color change in the dorsum, belly, throat and ultraviolet (UV)-blue ventrolateral patches using a spectrophotometer. We then applied visual modeling to assess color variation from the perspective of a conspecific and two visual predators. We show that despite minor differences in spectral reflectance metrics, temperature had no significant effect on how color patches are perceived by receivers. Moreover, temperature did not affect existing sex and morph differences in color properties, suggesting that the minor changes we observed have little functional/adaptive consequences in this context. Contrary to results reported in other lizard taxa (iguanians and geckos), our findings suggest that temperature-induced rapid visual color change is unlikely in this lacertid species.

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Iridescence refers to the optical property of surfaces for which the reflected wavelengths depend on viewing geometry. Although iridescence underlies some of the most striking animal colours, the sensory stimulation elicited by iridescent spectral shifts in relevant observers has seldom been explored. Wall lizards (genus Podarcis), with remarkable intraspecific colour variation and possible iridescence, offer a unique opportunity to investigate how these traits interact to shape overall colour appearance. Here, we set out to study iridescence in Podarcis liolepis in two localities in which lizards differ in dorsal coloration: the València Botanical Garden (EB) and La Murta Natural Park (LM). To determine the presence of angle-dependent reflectance, we measured dorsal coloration at three different configurations (0°, 60° and 90° angles between incident light and observer location) in 87 lizards of either sex and used visual modelling to determine their detectability when viewed by conspecifics, raptors and humans. Our results show that P. liolepis dorsal coloration varies chromatically with sex and locality and also shows iridescence (i.e. reflectance peaks at shorter wavelengths with increasing viewing angle). Lizards from EB are brown dorsally, whereas most lizards from LM, especially males, show a green dorsal background coloration, reflectance peaking at shorter wavelengths in lizards from LM compared to lizards from EB. Angle-dependent shifts in peak location are smaller in LM males than in other groups, yet iridescence appears more pronounced (i.e. larger chromatic distances between viewing angles) in LM than in EB due to greater overlap between the involved waveband and receiver cone sensitivities. Additionally, P. liolepis dorsal iridescence may be more noticeable to humans and raptors than to lizards. Our findings suggest that intraspecific colour variation influences iridescence detectability across observers, underscoring the need for objective colour quantification and visual modelling to assess the ecological consequences of animal coloration.

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We update the knowledge on the 30 terrestrial reptile species of Socotra, an archipelago well known for its highly endemic flora and fauna. We use the records obtained during several surveys throughout all the islands of the archipelago, carried out between 2007 and 2010, as well as the bibliographic records. We recorded all the known species of terrestrial reptiles for the islands (Chamaeleo monachus, Haemodracon riebeckii, Haemodracon trachyrhinus, Hemidactylus dracaenacolus, H. granti, H. homoeolepis, H. flaviviridis, H. forbesi, H. inintellectus, H. oxyrhinus, H. robustus, H. pumilio, Pristurus abdelkuri, P. guichardi, P. obsti, P. insignoides, P. insignis, P. sokotranus, P. samhaensis, Mesalina balfouri, M. kuri, Hakaria simonyi, Trachylepis socotrana, Pachycalamus brevis, Leptotyphlops filiformis, L. macrurus, L. wilsoni, Typhlops socotranus, Ditypophis vivax, Hemerophis socotrae). We report for the first time the occurrence of Hemidactylus robustus in Samha Island. H. homoeolepis is excluded from the fauna of Abd al-Kuri Island.

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The Erhard’s wall lizard Podarcis erhardii (Bedriaga, 1886) was first recorded on the tiny rocky islet of Spanopoula, near Kea (Aegean Archipelago, Greece), in 1980. Since then, there has been no other published reference to confirm the species’ presence or to estimate its population status. Here, we report on a herpetological survey we carried out on Spanopoula 44 years later, which added a third species (Mediodactylus kotschyi) to the islet’s herpetofauna list. During our visit, we collected body-size measurements and tissue samples for the molecular identification of the Podarcis lizards inhabiting the islet. We found a thriving population of medium-sized wall lizards, belonging to the mainland form, P. erhardii livadiacus (Werner, 1902). As this subspecies is not present in adjacent Kea and nearby islands, our finding supports a human-mediated dispersal scenario.

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The Balkan Wall Lizards are divided in two phylogroups, the “Podarcis tauricus” and “P. erhardii” species complexes. Both include cryptic species that were recently discovered in maternal molecular phylogenies and have undergone taxonomical rearrangements. The central Aegean islands host two of these species, one from each phylogroup, that present completely allopatric geographic distributions; the endemic P. milensis is found on the Milos island-group, while almost all other Cycladic islands are home to P. erhardii. Velopoula, a small isolated islet, lies at the westernmost edge of the Milos island-group and for the past many decades has been considered part of the P. milensis distribution. In this study, we collected DNA sequence data from the lizards of Velopoula, to discover that they, in fact, belong to P. erhardii. We built an updated, time-calibrated mitochondrial phylogeny of P. erhardii, including specimens from the islet and unrepresented regions of the neighboring mainland, in order to evaluate the phylogenetic position of the Velopoula population and infer its origin and diversification history. According to our results, this population represents a highly divergent lineage that split at the Miocene/Pliocene boundary. This rejects the hypothesis of a recent colonization of Velopoula from another insular or mainland P. erhardii population and provides evidence for a new, relict taxon endemic to this islet. Through a thorough bibliographic search, we retrace the mistaken taxonomic assignment of the Velopoula Wall Lizards and discuss their assignment as a new potential species within the “P. erhardii” species complex.

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The Italian wall lizard Podarcis siculus is a species distributed in Italy and the east Adriatic coast. It is also a wellknown invasive species introduced into four continents and many countries outside its native range. In 2014, an established population of this species was recorded in Athens, Greece, which was identified as Podarcis siculus campestris by molecular analysis. Here, we report for the first time the presence of another subspecies, Podarcis siculus siculus, in Greece and specifically on the island of Crete. Tissue samples from six adult and subadult lizards were analysed to reconstruct a mitochondrial phylogeny using a segment of cytochrome b and all published sequences of native and introduced populations of P. siculus. We identified the source-population of the Cretan P. siculus to be located in Sicily, while the Athenian population originated from the Adriatic coast. This indicates two independent introduction events in a period of < 10 years. The Cretan population of P. siculus seems to be well established and may pose a future threat to the endemic Cretan wall lizard Podarcis cretensis.

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The introduction of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) has various consequences to the native species of a region and reporting them is of major importance. The Italian Wall Lizard, expands its range. We are here reporting and verifying the presence of the species on the island of Crete for the first time by using a 408 bp fragment of the cytochrome b gene from a single individual and by conducting phylogenetic analyses. Our results indicate Athens as a possible source for the new population. Podarcis siculus might threaten the Cretan endemic P. cretensis, resulting in regional extinctions. We recommend immediate measures be taken to prevent the expansion of this population.

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The Lebanese Lizard (Phoenicolacerta laevis), primarily native to the Levant region, has recently been discovered in isolated populations well beyond its known distribution. This study presents the first confirmed record of P. laevis along the Black Sea coast of northern Türkiye, specifically in the city of Karadeniz Ereğli, Zonguldak Province. Mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) sequence analyses revealed a high degree of genetic similarity (>99%) between the Karadeniz Ereğli specimens and those from both Andırın, Kahramanmaraş (within the species` native range in southern Türkiye) and Anaklia on Georgia`s Black Sea coast, suggesting a shared origin. We propose that the presence of P. laevis in Karadeniz Ereğli is likely the result of human-mediated introduction, possibly via maritime trade, as the lizards were found restricted to the walls of a single building near a major port. A comparable introduction scenario has previously been suggested for the Anaklia population. The highly localized occurrence and absence of the species in neighboring areas indicate a recent introduction; however, the factors inhibiting further spread within the urban landscape remain unclear. This finding contributes to the broader understanding of species distribution dynamics and underscores the significant role of anthropogenic activity in facilitating the range expansion of non-native reptiles.

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Despite extensive research, it is still poorly understood how microgeographic phenotypic variation translates to the macroevolutionary level. Here, we use the Ibiza wall lizard, Podarcis pityusensis, an endemic species of the Balearic Islands, to study microgeographic variation across different scales of evolutionary isolation.We quantify biteforce and morphology alongside biotic and abiotic environment in 11 populations ,which have been variably isolated from one another over the Quaternary period. While we generally find increasing divergence in form and function as populations become more isolated from each other, this is not true when isolation is the highest; phenotypic differences between the 2 major clades of P. pityusensis are negligible, despite populations being isolated for over 100,000 years. Our results show that how environmental selective pressures drive form–function evolution differ by sex. Natural selection appears the most important driver of female evolution, while male phenotypes are apparently driven by both natural and sexual selection, but precise drivers of form–function evolution vary according to the scale of isolation investigated. Our study demonstrates incongruence in form–function–environment relationships within a constrained geographical area, highlighting how convergence at greater evolutionary scales can obscure microevolutionary diversity.

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Integumentary development on the dorsal and ventral aspects of the body of 14, 21, 26, 33, and 40-day incubated embryos of the European Wall Lizard (Lacerta muralis) is described. While the earliest stages of epidermal differentiation resemble those reported for other tetrapods, precocious differentiation of dermal collagen more resembles that of anamniotes than that of birds and mammals. Anchoring complexes comprising cellular components, anchor filaments, and collagen are described, and their possible relationship to the formation of scale anlagen is discussed. The first embryonic epidermal generation differentiates beneath the periderm; most features of ist histogenesis resemble those that have been described for the epidermis of adult squamates, but certain previously ignored organelles, including possible earlier@-keratin precursors, are reported. Different strategies regarding in ovo peridermal loss and posthatching shedding behavior are described and discussed in light of presently available data concerning control of cell differentiation in the squamate epidermis.

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This review is devoted to the history and progress in herpetological research in Central Asia and Kazakhstan, a region that is positioned within Central Asia. Studies of the herpetological diversity of Central Asia have a long history and are a special field of research. Research in this area has passed through several developmental stages, the first of which was associated with early expeditions which penetrated into Asia including those of P.S. Pallas and I.I. Lepekhin. The interest of naturalists was focused on this vast unexplored territory. The list of prominent researchers-encyclopedists and great travelers to work in Central Asia included E.I. Eichwald, A.A. Kaiserling, V.A. Perovsky, A.I. Schrenk, G.S. Karelin, G.I. Radde, G.I. Sievers, E. A. Eversmann, O. A. Grim, A.I. Lehman, O. Bettger, V.D. Alenitsyn, N.A. Severtsov, M.N. Bogdanov, A.P. Fedchenko, S.N. Alferaki, P. Y. Schmidt, N.A. Zarudny, L.S. Berg, and many others. At this historical stage, herpetological studies were often not separated into a special scientific branch and were carried out as part of complex zoological works. Later, in the twentieth century, large-scale herpetological studies were launched; a preliminary inventory of the fauna was carried out, many species were described, a synopsis of the species composition was created, and a zoogeographic analysis of the arid territories of Central Asia was performed. For the first time, the outstanding herpetologist A.M. Nikolsky, whose name our Herpetological Society bears, undertook this task. The history of research in the twentieth century and the current trends of the herpetological branch of zoology, which require an analytical understanding of descriptive and comparative data accumulated over previous periods, are considered in detail in this article. The use of an integrative approach in zoological research is becoming increasingly relevant, including the results of studying diversity structures, modes of speciation, and ecogeographic trends in a phylogenetic context. An integrative approach with the use of molecular genetic methods has allowed us to approach the solution of issues that have confounded many generations of herpetologists. The horizons of comparative analyses have also been expanded due to the increased availability of new, previously unexplored territories for researchers. Data obtained are of practical importance in the preparation of proposals for the allocation of protected areas and the assessment of the conservation status of particular species of model groups, including reptiles. Examples of integrative studies in model groups of reptiles (in various groups of turtles and lizards) are therefore also presented in this article.

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Israel is small and shared by contrasting ecological regions. Local amphibian and many reptilian populations are at peril as components of endangered ecosystems, and because they live at the limit of specific ranges and requirements. Some of them are also endangered commercially. Most local herpetological research efforts have been conservation-oriented on three levels: (1) Studies of endangered species: ecology in the field, specific requirements (incubation etc.) and taxonomic definition of taxa for protection. (2) Studies of other species, contributing data to conservation policy. (3) A policy to prefer investigations not requiring the collection of specimens.