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Algyroides moreoticus, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta graeca, Lacerta oxycephala, Lacerta trilineata, Lacerta viridis, Podarcis melisellensis fiumana, Podarcis muralis albanica, Podarcis peloponnesiaca, Podarcis sicula campestris, Podarcis taurica ionica, Podarcis taurica taurica.

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In this study, 29 reptile and amphibian species were recorded in 25 diff erent localities in the Sultan Mountains. Of these, 5 were anurans, 1 was a tortoise, 1 was a turtle, 11 were lizards, and 11 were snakes. A chorotype classifi cation of the species recorded in the Sultan Mountains is also given.

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Aim Diversification and rapid radiation are well documented in lacertid lizards. Niche conservation is frequently observed among related taxa, whereby niches will not change much during speciation events. Here, we investigate the relationship between environmental niche divergence and phylogenetic relatedness in a widespread group of green lizards, the Lacerta trilineata group. Location Eastern Mediterranean, Anatolia and adjacent regions. Methods A dated phylogeny based on three mitochondrial genes was contextualized using species distribution models of all genetically identified lineages in the Lacerta trilineata group. Based on this analysis, ancestral climatic niche occupancy was reconstructed using niche occupancy profiles. Niche divergence among lineages was quantified by computing multivariate niche overlaps. Results All taxa are associated with humid areas, but there is extensive variation in their climatic niche breadths and positions, which accord with the main phylogenetic split in the group. Our results suggest divergent niche evolution within subclades and convergent evolution among clades, which implies only a limited degree of niche conservatism regarding annual variations in temperature and precipitation. In contrast, niche axes – mainly reflecting precipitation patterns of the coldest quarter – show a greater difference among clades than within clades, and therefore a higher degree of niche conservatism. Main conclusions Based on estimated divergence times between taxa and geological events in Anatolia, our results can be explained by fragmentation of the range of a hypothetical ancestral species, resulting in different adaptations of subclades either to humid continental climates or to more Mediterranean climates. Our study highlights deviations from classical niche conservatism theory due to significant niche shifts among sister taxa.

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Diversification and rapid radiation are well documented in lacertid lizards. Niche conservatism is frequently observed among related taxa, whereby ecological niches remain mostly stable during speciation events. Here, we investigate the relationship between environmental niche divergence and phylogenetic relatedness in a widespread group of green lizards, the Lacerta trilineata group. A dated phylogeny based on three mitochondrial genes was contextualized using species distribution models of all genetically identified lineages in the Lacerta trilineata group. Based on this analysis, ancestral climatic niche occupancy was reconstructed using niche occupancy profiles. Niche divergence among lineages was quantified by computing multivariate niche overlaps. All taxa are associated with humid areas, but there is extensive variation in their climatic niche breadths and positions, which accord with the main phylogenetic split in the group. Our results suggest divergent niche evolution within subclades and convergent evolution among clades, which implies only a limited degree of niche conservatism regarding annual variations in temperature and precipitation. In contrast, niche axes – mainly reflecting precipitation patterns of the coldest quarter – show a greater difference among clades than within clades, and therefore a higher degree of niche conservatism. Based on estimated divergence times between taxa and geological events in Anatolia, our results can be explained by fragmentation of the range of a hypothetical ancestral species, resulting in different adaptations of subclades either to humid continental climates or to more Mediterranean climates. Our study highlights deviations from classical niche conservatism theory due to significant niche shifts among sister taxa.

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The oriental green lizards of the Lacerta trilineata group are widely distributed in Greece, Anatolia, the eastern Mediterranean, the southern Caucasus, and the Zagros mountains in Iran. We studied their phylogeography using three mitochondrial markers with comprehensive sampling from most representatives of the group. Their phylogeny and divergence times (implementing fossil-based molecular clock calibrations) were inferred using Bayesian methods, and haplotype networks were reconstructed to assess how genetic diversity and current distributional patterns were shaped. According to our phylogenetic analyses, the group constitutes a well-supported monophylum containing several distinct evolutionary lineages with high haplotype diversity. Vicariance might explain the divergences within most lineages that have accumulated by range restriction and expansion of populations as a result of Quaternary climate oscillations and glacial refugia. However, niche divergence appears to be a major force promoting speciation, and large scale distributional patterns between lineages were shaped earlier by multiple, independent dispersals out of Anatolia during the Pliocene and early Pleistocene. The results of the present study also suggest that the group is in need of a taxonomical revision because the identified lineages and genetic diversity are not congruent with the currently recognized subspecies.

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The oriental green lizards of the Lacerta trilineata group are widely distributed in Greece, Anatolia, the eastern Mediterranean, the southern Caucasus andthe Zagros mountains in Iran. We studied their phylogeography using three mitochondrial markers with comprehensive sampling from most representatives of the group. Their phylogeny and divergence times (implementing fossilbased molecular clock calibrations) were inferred using Bayesian methods, and haplotype networks were reconstructed to assess how genetic might explain the divergences within most lineages that have accumulated by range restriction and expansion of populations due to Quarternary climate oscillations and glacial refugia. However, niche divergence seems to be a major force promoting speciation and large scale distributional patterns between lineages were shaped earlier by multiple, independent dispersals out of Anatolia during the Pliocene and early Pleistocene. Our results also suggest that the group is in need of a taxonomical revision, as identified lineages and genetic diversity are not congruent with the currently recognised subspecies.

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Vorarbeiten über Schädlingsfauna der Kriehtieren (Reptilien) in der Türkei -- Die Kriehtiere leben meistens auf dem Lande. Viele sind Insektenfresser. Zahlreiche Arten nehmen tierische und pflanzliche, oder ausschliesslich pflanzliche Nahrung zu sich. Ihre wirtschaftliche Schäden an Kulturpflanzen sind gelegentlich. Die besonderen Arten von Pflanzenschädlingen, die in der Türkei leben, sind noch nicht genugend untersucht. Darüber findet man heute sehr wenige und nur zerstreute Veröffentlichungen und Beobachtungen in der Hand. In dieser Vorarbeit sind die bisheute bekannten pflanzenschädliche Arten von Kriehtieren bzw. Eidechsen und Schildkröten, in ihren Verbreitungsgebieten und ihre Nährpflanzen zum erstenmale zusammengestellt. Selbstverstândlioh sind darüber weitere und vertiefte Beobachtungen erforderlich. -- Die Arten der Eidechsen: Agama stellio L. (Schleuderschwanz). Verbreitung: Anatolien, Ankara (Ebner 1919, Kerville 1939). Nährpflanzen: Die süssen Früchten wie Feigen, Pfirsiche, Zuckermelonen, und andere Früohte, Salate, Lattichsalate.,- Agama stellio stellio L. Verbreitung: Süd - und west Türkei, Amasya, Nigde, Diyarbakir, Kayseri, Çanakkale (Bodenheimer 1946 und andere). Nährpflanzen: Wie bei Agama stellio L. -- Agama ruderata Oliv. (Ankara, Kerville 1939), Agama ruderata ruderata Oliv. Ankara, Eregli (Konya), Mardin, Nusaybin, Gaziantep und Malatya (Bodenheimer 1946), Eine Probe in Eregli (Konya) wurde vom Verfasser gefunden. Nährpflanzen: Noch nicht festgestellt, vielleicht wie bei Agama stellio L. -- Lacerta viridis Laur. var. major D. und B. (Srnaragdeidechse). Verbreitung: Westanatolien, andere Fundorte sind nicht bekannt. Nährpflanzen: Weintrauben, Feigen, Kirchen und andere süsse Früchten. Note: Noch mehrere Lacerta Arten wurden in der Türkei gefunden, ob sie pflanzliche Nahrung zu sich nehmen oder nicht, ist unklar. -- Die Arten der Schildkröten. Testudo graeca L. (Grichische Schildkröte). Verbreitung: Fast in allen Geblieten der Türkei. Nährpflanzen: Steppenpflanzen, junges Getreide - Baumwolle -Luzerne - Pflanzen, Gemüsen, Weintrauben, Blätter und Juruge Triebe von vielen jungen Pflanzen. -- Emys orbicularis L. (Surnpf-oder Europäische Schildkröte). Verbreuitung: Ankara (Kerville 1939), Manisa, Bursa, Kayseri, Eski¬sehir, Adapazari, Turhal (Bodenheimer 1946 und andere). Nährpflanzen: Wedntrauben, Zucker-und Wassermelonen. - Note: Noch andere Arten der Schâldknöten leben auch in der Türkei, aber ihre Nahrung ist nicht bekannt.

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Abstract Food habits of the green lizard (Lacerta bilineata) were studied in some Mediterranean sites of the vicinities of Rome (Latium, central Italy), by means both of stomach dissection of individuals found already dead in the field and faeces analysis of living individuals. The taxonomic diet composition of the lizards was accurately described by both methods, thus demonstrating the reliability of faecal pellet analysis as an non-cruel method to study lizard diets. However, by using the faeces analysis technique, it is difficult to measure the exact food intake rate (items / unit of time) as well as the size distribution of prey ingested by lizards. There was a remarkable ontogenetic change in the taxonomic diet composition of green lizards: adults essentially consumed beetles and isopods, whereas juveniles fed mainly upon orthopterans, spiders, and Rhynchota. Cannibalism and predation upon small vertebrates (lizards) were very rare events. It is suggested that (i) age-related differences in microhabitat frequented could explain the dietary differences between young and adult lizards due to different availability of the various prey categories in the various microhabitats, and that (ii) adults and juveniles partition their habitats to reduce intraspecific interference competition.

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Although the insular distribution of the rich herpetofauna of Greece has been studied more extensively, the mainland one is still underexplored. The region of Attica in central Greece represents one of these “black spots” in the mainland. Thus, in 2019 we surveyed for the first time the herpetofauna of Attica in a systematic way. We collected 794 field records of 31 species (4 amphibians, 27 reptiles); Testudo graeca and Trachemys elegans were documented for the first time for Attica.

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Algyroides fitzingeri, Algyroides marchi, Algyroides moreoticus, Algyroides nigropunctatus, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta lepida, Lacerta princeps, Lacerta schreiberi, Lacerta strigata, Lacerta trilineata, Lacerta viridis, Lacerta andreanszkyi, Lacerta armeniaca, Lacerta bedriagae, Lacerta brandtii, Lacerta cappadocica, Lacerta caucasica, Lacerta chlorogaster, Lacerta cyanura, Lacerta danfordi, Lacerta derjugini, Lacerta dugesii, Lacerta fraasii, Lacerta graeca, Lacerta horvathi, Lacerta jayakari, Lacerta laevis, Lacerta monticola, Lacerta mosorensis, Lacerta oxycephala, Lacerta parva, Lacerta perspicillata, Lacerta praticola, Lacerta rudis, Lacerta saxicola, Lacerta vivipara, Gallotia atlantica, Gallotia galloti, Gallotia simonyi, Podarcis erhardii, Podarcis filfolensis, Podarcis hispanica, Podarcis lilfordi, Podarcis melisellensis, Podarcis milensis, Podarcis muralis, Podarcis peloponnesiaca, Podarcis pityusensis, Podarcis sicula, Podarcis taurica, Podarcis tiliguerta, Podarcis wagleriana, Psammodromus algirus, Psammodromus blanci, Psammodromus hispanicus, Psammodromus microdactylus.

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Twenty-four species of lacertid lizards were examined at 31 sites in western Yogoslavia, Greece and Iberia. Comparative observations were made on over 4500 individual lizards, noting such features as times of activitiy, hunting methods, diet, micro- and macrohabitat, refuges used and body temperature. These data are used as a basis for assessing resource partition in related sympatric species, for find out whether different systematic groups have characteristic types of niche, and for comparing cumminity structures in the peninsulas of southern Europa. Acanthodactylus erythrurus, Algyroides marchi, Algyroides moreoticus, Algyroides nigropunctatus, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta graeca, Lacerta horvathi, Lacerta lepida, Lacerta monticola, Lacerta oxycephala, Lacerta mosorensis, Lacerta schreiberi, Lacerta trilineata, Lacerta viridis, Lacerta vivipara, Podarcis bocagei, Podarcis erhardii, Podarcis hispanica, Podarcis melisellensis, Podarcis milensis, Podarcis muralis, Podarcis peloponnesiaca, Podarcis sicula, Podarcis taurica, Psammodromus algirus, Psammodromus hispanicus.

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DNA sequence indicates the Lacertidae contain two subfamilies, Gallotiinae and Lacertinae, the latter comprising two monophyletic tribes, the Eremiadini of Africa and arid southwest and central Asia, and the Lacertini of Europe, northwest Africa and southwest and east Asia. Relationships within the 108 species of Lacertini are explored using mtDNA (291 bp cytochrome b; 329 bp 12S rRNA for 59 nominal species, and reanalysis of the data of Harris et al. 1998, and Fu 2000). The morphology of the tribe is reviewed and 64 of its characters (equivalent to 83 binary ones) also used to assess relationships. The Lacertini are assigned to 19 monophyletic units of 1 to 27 species, recognised here as the following genera (contents are indicated in brackets): Algyroides, Anatololacerta gen. nov. (L. danfordi group), Apathya (L. cappadocica group), Archaeolacerta (L. bedriagae), Dalmatolacerta gen. nov. (L. oxycephala), Darevskia (L. saxicola group), Dinarolacerta gen. nov. (L. mosorensis), Hellenolacerta gen. nov. (L. graeca), Iberolacerta (L. monticola group), Iranolacerta gen. nov. (L. brandtii and L. zagrosica), Lacerta s. str. (sand and green lizards, L. agilis group), Parvilacerta gen. nov. (L. parva and L. fraasii), Phoenicolacerta gen. nov. (L. laevis group), Podarcis (wall lizards), Scelarcis (L. perspicillata), Takydromus (Asian grass lizards), Teira (L. dugesii), Timon (ocellated lizards, L. lepida group) and Zootoca (L. vivipara). Both mtDNA and morphology indicate that Lacerta and Timon are sister taxa, and DNA suggests further possible relationships among genera (Fig. 1, p. 6). Neither DNA nor morphology indicates that the archaeolacertas (sometimes formalised as Archaeolacerta sens. lat.) form a clade. Instead, they are representatives of an ecomorph associated with living on rock exposures and using the narrow crevices that these contain. The Lacertidae probably arose in the European area, with the Gallotiinae later reaching Northwest Africa and the Canary Islands, and the ancestor of the Eremiadini invading Africa in the mid-Miocene. The Lacertini spread through much of their present European range and diversified, perhaps largely by repeated vicariance, around 12–16 My ago, producing the ancestors of the present mainly small-bodied genera, which then underwent often modest speciation. Three units spread more widely: the Lacerta-Timon clade of large-bodied lizards probably dispersed earliest, followed by Algyroides and then Podarcis. Overall, European Lacertidae show a pattern of repeated spread, often accompanied by restriction of previous groups. Expansion of Lacertini may have displaced earlier lacertid lineages from all or much of Europe; while spread of Podarcis may have restricted many other genera of Lacertini. The earlier expansion of the Lacerta-Timon clade probably did not have this effect, as difference in adult body size restricted competitive interaction with other forms. Several invasions of more distant areas also occurred: of East Asia by Takydromus over 10 My ago, and more recently of northwest Africa by Podarcis, Scelarcis and Timon, and Madeira by Teira. Relationships within the Eremiadini estimated from both mtDNA, and nDNA differ considerably from those based on morphology. They indicate relatively mesic forms may have diversified widely across Africa and given rise to at least three independent invasions of arid habitats. MtDNA also indicates that Lacerta andreanskyi belongs in the Eremiadini and may occupy a basal position there. It is assigned to a further new genus, Atlantolacerta gen. nov.

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In this study, we conducted an inventory of amphibians and reptiles between 2013 and 2016 in the Gediz Delta (İzmir, Turkey). The field results were combined with existing records. According to the data obtained, a total of 35 herptile species live in the region, comprising 7 amphibians (2 urodeles, 5 anurans) and 28 reptiles (6 chelonians, 10 lizards and 12 snakes). Five species (Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus ivanbureschi, Heremites auratus, Platyceps collaris and Telecopus fallax) were recorded for the first time in the Gediz Delta during the study. A chorotype classification and potential threats of the species are also presented.

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The authors give a description of the herpetofauna of some area´s in Yougoslavia they visited in june 1979. Some attention is given to the habitat of several species. The differences between certain island and mainland populations of some Lacerta- and Podarcis-species are discussed to some extend.

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Following examination of the amphibia, reptila and mammalia species which are distributed in the Special Protected Area around Köycegiz-Dalyan, the area`s natural resources were investigated. Establishment of the distribution of these species and their population cases has also been attempted by systemical and periodic investigaitons As a result, 5 frogs. 5 turtles, 11 lizards, 13 snakes and 18 mammal species have been discovered for the first time in this region. Furthermore, measures which must be taken into consideration for protection of these species, especially turtles, are given.

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Die Autotren berichten über zwei Aufsammlungen von Amphibien und Reptilien aus dem Gebiet der ostanatolischen Städte Erzurum, Iğdir, Kars und Ardahan. Das Material umfaßt drei Anurentaxa, eine Schildkrötenform, 11 Eidechsen- und 11 Schlangenarten in 172 Exemplaren. Aufgelistete Arten: Bufo viridis, Rana ridibunda complex, Rana camerani, Testudo graeca armeniaca, Phrynocephalus persicus, Eremias pleskei, Eremias strauchi, Lacerta agilis brevicaudata, Parvilacerta parva, Darevskia parvula, Darevskia raddei, Darevskia valentini valentini, Darevskia uzzelli, Lacerta trilineata, Ophisops elegans, Typhlops vermicularis, Eryx jaculus turcicus, Haemorrhois ravergieri, Hierophis schmidti, Platyceps najadum, eirenis modestus, Eirenis punctatolineatus, Coronella austriaca, natrix natrix persa, Natrix tessellata, Vipera wagneri.

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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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First week of October 2004 a group of nature lovers visited the southern continental part of Hellas (Greece): the Peloponnesos. Nesos means island. According to mythology Pelops, son of Tantalos, was awarded with an island, in his case a pseudo-island. The Island of Pelops or Pelopo-nesos is almost an island: it is THE original peninsula connected to the Balkans via the original Isthmos! From a biogeographical point of view this peninsula is interesting, with plants and animals found elsewhere in Europe, but also with island characteristics and with some endemical forms. Cyclamens, Peloponnesos Colchicum and several other plants were encountered. The author gives a short travelogue. He describes batrachological and herpetological results of the excur- sions made. The situation of chameleons and slowworms on the peninsula receives some extra concern. Also a list of herpspecies found and photographed is added.

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Während eines dreitägigen Aufenthaltes wurde die Herpetofauna von Skiathos (Nördliche Sporaden, Griechenland) untersucht. Insgesamt konnten drei Schlangen- und drei bzw. vier Echsenarten (Coluber najadum, Elaphe situla, Malpolon monspessulanus, Ophisaurus apodus, Podarcis erhardii, Lacerta triliniata und vermutlich Lacerta viridis) beobachtet werden. Eine Schlangenart (Elaphe situla) und zwei Echsenarten (Ophisaurus apodus und Podaras erhardii) sind Erstnachweise für Skiathos.

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Cyrtodactylus kotschyi tinensig n. subsp. is olescribed as ä hew subspecies from Tinos. This subspecies is distinguished from C. k. saronicus by the larger number of tubercles on the thigh. lt` is distributed on Andros too, while Ce k. kotschyi occurs on the Syros-Archipelago, and intermediate popülations between C. k, tinensis n. subsp. and C. k. saronicus ranging over Seriphos, Jyaros, Myconos, Naxe, Ikaria and the adjacent Islands. From-Ikaria, Agama stellio daani n. subsp. is described. It differs from A. s. stellio in its blackish grey instead of yellow or red head, the dark spotted throat and in serological characters. All ^^ A» s`^1^0 whi0^ h-as tieen added to the nominate sub- sp ecTe^~Toj^iirly belong to this subspecies, beside those of the Mycpnos-Archipelago which have to remain to A.s, stellio. The Podarcis erhardi from Syros and Stapod`ia do not belong to P. e. `mykoriensis; they intermediate between this subspecies and` P.e. naxensis. Also Matrix natriy from the Northern Cyclades`does not belong to` N. n^persa but intermediate between this rac?e and H. n> schw`eizerT7 The green`lizards of Tinos are Lacgrta triliheata; this race, now named L. t. citrovittata occurs also on Andros and probably on Mycöno s toQ,`while the L. trilineata of Syros belong to the same race as those from Naxe.` The records of ERHARD, V. HELPREICH and ERBER (partly) were omitted out of the qhecklist as very doubtful. Tab. 2 Shows which kinds of amphibians and reptiles occur on the Northern Cyclades`. The following species were first recorded fropi several Islands in th^s paper: Cyrtodactylus kotschyi (Tragonisi), Hemidae-frylus turcicus (Aridros, Tinos, Hyconos, Jyaros), Agamä^atglljo (Riniaj, PocLarcIs erhardi (Tragonisi, Stapodia, Cherrönisi, Strongylo~7 Schinonisi, Aspronisi, Hegalo and Hikro Gaidaronisi), Ablepharus kitaibelii (Jyaros, Rinia), Elaphe situla (Tinos), Elaphe quatuor—^ `Ij.nea.tj9. (Tipps), Natrlx`.hätriy (Tinos), Confirination is givep` `to many recörds, especially from the last Century (s, £ig. 1, tab. 2). The herpetofaunas of Andros, Tinos and the Myconos- Archipelago are y^ry similar, while that of Syros resembles more those of the Centra,! Cyclades. In summing up the differences between the Northern Cyclades and the •Western or Central Cyclades are rather small. The herpetofauna of Ikaria is rather similar to that of the Northern Cyclades too. But there are large differences between the herpeto- fauna of the Cyclades and that of the mainland and Euboee. In the case of the amphibians and reptiles, the wetland and the terrassed fields, many of them are abandoned now and give rise to phryganas, ma,cchias and secondary `woodlands with all stages of succession, are the most important habitats. But phryganas and intensively cultivated areas were settled by few species only, and in the towns only Hemidactylus turcicus occurs. More extended rocky areas ^ithbüf äny` Vegetation do not bear any amphibians or reptiles. Those species which are restricted merely to wetlands like Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Rana ridibunda, M caspica, L`acer.ta trilineata ahd Nafrlx natrix are rather `endangered `on the` Northern Cyclades by habitat destruction, and some populations of these species may have disappeared in the meantime.

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The current book provides a synthesis of the information concern- ing field identification of all the species and subspecies of Amphibia and Reptilia hitherto registered in Bulgaria. It comprises 61 species and 23 subspecies, among which 5 species (Pelophylax lessonae, P. kurtmuelleri, Hemidactylus turcicus, Eremias arguta, Montivipera xanthina) that have not been found yet on the territory of the country, but which are known from sites in proximity to Bulgar- ian frontiers. The frogs and toads are represented with 14 spe- cies, newts and salamanders with 6 species, turtles and tortoises with 7 species (Trachemys scripta introduced; Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas considered extinct), and snakes with 19 species (Vipera aspis and V. ursinii considered extinct). The structure of each species’ description includes the following headings: Name, Diagnosis, General Distribution, Distribution in Bulgaria, Habitats, and Biology. Besides in Bulgarian and Latin, all species are sup- plemented with their English, French, German and Russian names. All synonyms in the main herpetological literature are listed after the currently accepted Latin name. Original keys for identification of the families, genera and species, based entirely on morphologi- cal characters of adult specimens, as well as on the structure of amphibians’ eggs and larvae, are elaborated to facilitate the users. A photo gallery, comprising original colour photos shot in nature, and numerous line drawings of different key characters are made for better distinction between the species. For purely conservation- al reasons, the distribution maps not only indicate the scientifically confirmed species distribution in the country, but also show the areas with suitable habitats where a given species is likely to oc- cur. The degree of suitability is indicated with a different degree of shading: optimal (black); suboptimal (80% gray); suitable (60% gray); less suitable (20% gray); white means unsuitable. The guide is also introducing the readers to some general aspects of the tax- onomy, systematics, morphology, biology and ecology of herpeto- fauna. Special chapters are devoted to the methods of observation and capture of amphibians and reptiles, first aid after a snake’s bite, and the relationship between herpetofauna – humans. The status of each species according to main biodiversity conservation acts and conventions is given in Table 1. Being the first publication of its kind, the book is intended for professional herpetologists, students or nature lovers.

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Within a species one can often distinguish between groupings which correspond to objectively different levels of differentiation. The level of these differentiations may vary between semlspecies and local population rank. On the other hand the zoological system supplies us with only one category for the nomenclatoral expression of infraspeclflc relative relationship. Several examples taken from the European herpetofauna are used to demonstrate the absurdity of infraspeclflc concepts currently accepted for many European, especially Mediterranean reptile species. An alternative to this unsatisfactory situation would be the concept of `megasubspecies` as developed by American ornithologists. This concept would allow to express Infraspeclflc relationship also in herpetology better than before, but nevertheless in harmony with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.

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REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS ON SAMOS During a two week holiday on Samos, the follo- wing species were observed: Rona ridibunda, Agamastellio, Ophisaurusapodus, Ophisopsele- gans, Lacerta trilineata cariensis, Mabuya aura- to, L. anatolicaaegaea, Natrixnatrixpersa, Colu- ber caspius, C. najadum, Eirenis modestus, Eryx jaculus, Mauremyscaspica. Some of these species were not known to occur on the island. For each of the species some notes are given (if possible) about environment, status and behaviour.

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The physical geography of Iraq is summarised. Using data from the relevant literature and current information from the Internet, a very provisional checklist of Iraqi amphibians and reptiles is presented. Ten amphibian species are reported for Iraq, and exactly 100 reptile species.

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Note are given on the herpetofauna of Greece, with special reference to some of the (sub-) species. The observations were made during a spring trip.

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The Herpetological Collection of the Trieste Natural History Museum has almost 700 specimens of European Sauria belonging to about 33 taxa, including all the lacertids of northern Adriatic re- gions. The origin of the collection dates back to the foundation of the Museum of Trieste in 1846, but it was increased mainly between 1871 and 1939. The Herpetological Collection of the Trieste Natural History Museum has a great scientific and historical importance; it documents the varia- tion of the composition and distribution of northern Adriatic Sauria fauna during this century, in- cluding endemic varieties typical of little islands.

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The herpetofauna of Lesbos comprises the following species: Hyla a. arborea, Rana r. ridibunda, Testudo graeca ibera, Mauremys caspica rivulata, Agama st. stellio, Cyrto- dactylus kotscbyi (subspecies unknown), Opbisaurus apodus, Lacerta t. trilineata, Ophis- ops elegans ehrenbergii,Typhlops vermicularis, Natrix natrix persa, and Eirenis m. mode- stus. The following species were recorded for the first time from the island: Bufo bufo spinosus? (till now listed from Samos), Emys orbicularis (new for islands in Asia Minor), Testudo graeca ibera (hitherto Samos), Hemidactylus t. turcicus (hitherto Ikaria), and Elaphe situla (hitherto Chios and Samos). The most widespread and rather abundant species on the island is Ophisops elegans. Testudo graeca is not at all rare in the mountainous parts. In the wetlands Rana ridi- bunda and Mauremys caspica (surprisingly tall specimens of the latter) are often found.

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In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden vor allem die durch menschliche Aktivitäten zunehmend beeinträchtigten Feuchtlebensräume der griechischen Kykladeninseln Milos und Sifiios untersucht. Die Kleinstpopulationen der hygrophilen Amphibien und Reptilien sind stark gefährdet So ist Mauremys rivulata auf Sifiios wahrscheinlich bereits ausgestorben und sind die einzigen zwei auf Milos beobachteten Vorkommen stark gefährdet Auch der Seefrosch (Rana sp.) muß heute auf Sifiios und Milos als stark gefährdet betrachtet werden.

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The natural history of the island of Alonissos in the Northern Sporades is briefly described. The existing herpetological literature is presented and the new finds listed, namely Pelophylax ridibundus, Testudo marginata, Telescopus fallax and Zamenis situla. A melanistic snake, presumably Hierophis caspius, was also found. A total of 13 species of amphibians and reptiles has been reported for Alonissos.

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Nach gegenwärtiger Kenntnis umfaßt die Herpetofauna von Serifos zwölf Arten. Die insel ist wasserreich, die Verbreitung der vier dort vorkommenden semi-aquatischen Arten wurde untersucht. Die Populationen von Bufo viridis, Pelophylax kurtmuelleri und Mauremys rivulata sind als vital anzusprechen, hingegen konnte Natrix tessellata nicht mehr nachgewiesen werden. Es werden einige Aspekte des Naturschutzes im Hinblick auf diese Arten behandelt. Auf Serifos verschlechtern zwei infrastrukturprojekte die Situation der semiaquatischen Herpetofauna zusammen mit Schadeinflüssen durch Tourismus und Landnutzung. Weiters wird auf Austrocknungstendenzen in der Ägäis verwiesen, die für die insel-Herpetofaunen inskünftig Probleme verursachen werden.

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Die Insel Kythira ist Teil des südägäischen Inselbogens, der sich vor mehreren Millionen von jahren bildete und von der Peloponnes-Halbinsel über Kreta, Karpathos und Rhodos nach Anatolien erstreckt. In seiner Pflanzen- und Tierwelt hat Kythira viel mit dem Peloponnes gemeinsam. Bislang wurden etwa sechzehn Amphibien- und Reptilienarten von der Insel beschrieben, die sich durch ihren Wasserreichtum, besonders im Norden, auszeichnet. Die vorliegende Arbeit trägt die verstreute Information zur Herpetofauna von Kythira zusammen und erweitert sie durch eigene Beobachtungen.

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Many wild animals are exposed to road kills in the world. Amphibians and reptiles which live near the roads are the most endangered groups among vertebrates related to the road kills. However, there are only few studies about the road kills of amphibians and reptiles in Turkey. We recorded 23 individuals (6 amphibian individuals belonging to 2 species and 17 reptile individuals belonging to 9 species) exposed to road kills on the E87 highway on June 18-22, 2016 in Kırklareli province while we found 134 individuals (114 amphibian individuals belonging to 3 species and 20 reptile individuals belonging to 8 species) killed on the Enez-Ipsala highway on June 22-25, 2016 in Edirne province. The individuals killed more often belonged to Pelophylax ridibundus and Bufotes variabilis in the Edirne while the species more affected by road kills were Pelophylax ridibundus, Lacerta trilineata, Dolichophis caspius and Testudo graeca in Kırklareli. The results of this short-term study show that there is a need for long-term studies to show that amphibians and reptiles exposed to road kills are very common.

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Relationships among representatives of five genera of lacertid lizards from Iberia, Morocco, and South Africa were studied using quantitative micro-complement fixation analysis of serum albumin evolution. Using the albumin molecular clock to establish divergence times we suggest (1) South African Ichnotropis and North African Psammodromus diverged from the lineage representing Lacerta lepida-L. monticola during the Oligocene, (2) South African Pedioplanis and Heliobolus diverged from this lineage during the late Miocene, and (3) ancestral representatives of L. andreanszkyi, L. perspicillata and Podarcis hispanica diverged from lineages leading to L. monticola and L. lepida during the mid-Miocene. Radiation within the Palearctic Lacertidae has clearly been extensive, yet fewer than twenty percent of the species in this radiation have been examined biochemically. Until additional data can be gathered, the current classification of the Palearctic Lacertidae cannot be much improved and we recommend adherence to the taxonomy proposed by Arnold (1973).

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Notes on Rhodian herpetology. It is well known that the terrestrial herpetofauna of Rhodes is composed by 22 taxa. Of these, 15 have been found by the author; of the other seven, two are probably absent from the island (Pseudopus apodus and Natrix tessellata). As regards the Lizards, it has been observed, among other things, how Mabuya aurata shares its habitat with Lacerta oertzeni (occupying however the lower levels); Mabuya appears also to emarginate Chalcides ocellatus. Among the ophidian species, a particular emphasis has been given to Dolichophis jugularis. Of this colubrid various aspects, both morphological and biological, have been considered. Compared with the males of the island of Kos, described in a previous article, the Rhodian males show a different head morphology, a lower number of ventral scales and a lower intensity of colouring. When adult, they are characterized by dorsal melanosis and ventral yellow-red colouring. The degree of darkening seems to depend in small measure on the age and much on individual factors; a correlation between the dorsal and ventral chromatic variability seems to be lacking. Dolichophis jugularis appeared much bound to lentisk shrubs, where it took shelter when menaced. As in Kos, also in Rhodes it appeared to make use of pathways to track down a partner. In the last paragraph, the author assumes the possibility that this snake may perform a certain selection pressure on the ophidian community of the island, contributing to the rarefaction of some snakes. We finally inform that Zamenis situla is still present, since nearly a century, in the surroundings of the village of Agios Isidoros.

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Results of herpetological researches in the area of Marmaris (SW Turkey). The present contribution reports the results of herpetological researches carried out in the area of Marmaris (Mügla province, SW Turkey). Main aim of the researches was to study local populations of Dolichophis jugularis. These resulted to be morphologically similar to those of northern Dodecanese (Leros and Kos). However, some differences were observed in their trophic spectrum, probably due to a different complexity in the ecosystems; month of the year (May), sex and size being equal, the fundamental sauro-theriophagy of the Dodecanese populations changed into the pure ophiophagy of the Turkish specimens. Analysing faeces and ingesta, all snakes preyed on by Dolichophis jugularis had carinate scales, characteristic which in that area (Gökçe) involves Natrix spp. and Montivipera xanthina; the latter seemed also to be strictly syntopical with the colubrid. Additionally, the author records four specimens of Platyceps collaris; the fact that three of them had 17 dorsal scales at mid-body while the species generally has 19 (very rarely 21) is noteworthy. Lastly, contrary to the expectations, Montivipera xanthina resulted morphologically fairly similar to the northern populations.

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We here describe the first fossil remains of a green lizardof the Lacerta group from the late Miocene (MN 13) of the Solnechnodolsk locality in southern European Russia. This region of Europe is crucial for our understanding of the paleobiogeography and evolution of these middle-sized lizards. Although this clade has a broad geographical distribution across the continent today, its presence in the fossil record has only rarely been reported. In contrast to that, the material described here is abundant, consists of a premaxilla, maxillae, frontals, parietals, jugals, quadrate, pterygoids, dentaries and vertebrae. The comparison of these elements to all extant green lizard species shows that these fossils are indistinguishable from Lacerta trilineata. Thus, they form the first potential evidence of the occurrence of this species in the Miocene. This may be also used as a potential calibration point for further studies. Together with other lizard fossils, Solnechnodolsk shows an interesting combination of survivors and the dawn of modern species. This locality provides important evidence for the transition of an archaic Miocene world to the modern diversity of lizards in Europe. In addition, this article represents a contribution to the knowledge of the comparative osteological anatomy of the selected cranial elements in lacertid. This study gives special emphasis to the green lizards, but new data are also presented for related taxa, e.g., Timon lepidus, Podarcis muralis or Zootoca vivipara. Although the green lizards include several cryptic species for which determination based on isolated osteological material would be expected to be difficult, our comparisons show several important morphological differences.

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In this investigation, lizard species of Turkish Thrace are investigated indetail for the first time. Morphological characretirstics, range, distribution and subspecific states of the species are given. Furthermore, some observations concerning their biological and ecological characteristics are also given. In this study a total of 678 specimens and 10 species belonging to 3 families of Lacertilia have been investigated from Turkish Trace.

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The Greek lizard fauna consists of 26 species from which 5 are monotypic and the other ones are represented by a total of 86 subspecies. Five species and 61 subspecies are endemic of Greece. A checklist including the geographical distribution of each taxon in the Greek region is presented.

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The distribution of herpetofauna in large parts of mainland Greece has not been studied extensively. This study covers a poorly-known herpetological area in Thessaly Region - Lake Karla’s Plain. We conducted 59 field surveys during 12 consecutive years (2008–2019) and recorded a total of 26 herpetofauna species: 4 anuran amphibians and 22 reptiles (5 tortoises and terrapins, 7 lizards and 10 snakes). Our study brings updates regarding the presence, distribution and the main threats for the herpetofauna of Lake Karla’s Plain, with 17 species being recorded here for the first time, including an alien freshwater turtle, Trachemys scripta.

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1. The herpetofauna of the Argo-Saronic islands includes two amphibians, one tortoise, six lizards, and six snakes. There are no indigenous species, 2. Owing to the lack of previous reports for the area most species are recorded for the first time. However, of particular interest are Chalcides o. ocellatus, Coluber najadum dahlii and Malpolon monspessulanus insignitus, as these are basically mainland forms and absent from the Cycladcs, although the first two are found on Kea, close to the Attic peninsula . The record for Eryx jaculus turcicus is valuable as knowledge of its range in Greece is very incomplete.

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e reptile fauna of Romania comprises 23 species, out of which 12 species reach here the limit of their geographic range. We compiled and updated a national database of the reptile species occurrences from a variety of sources including our own eld surveys, personal communication from specialists, museum collections and the scienti c literature. e occurrence records were georeferenced and stored in a geoda- tabase for additional analysis of their spatial patterns. e spatial analysis revealed a biased sampling e ort concentrated in various protected areas, and de cient in the vast agricultural areas of the southern part of Romania. e patterns of species richness showed a higher number of species in the warmer and drier regions, and a relatively low number of species in the rest of the country. Our database provides a starting point for further analyses, and represents a reliable tool for drafting conservation plans.

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We studied the habitat availability and use of four lizard species occurring in the Natura 2000 ROSCI0123 Măcin Mountains protected area, located in the southeastern part of Romania, at the northern limit of the Balkan Peninsula, close to the Danube River. It covers an area of 18,546 ha and the highest peak rises 467 meters above sea level. Eleven Natura 2000 habitat types were identified and mapped within the protected area. We used over 1500 georeferenced occurrence records for the four species of lizards occurring there collected during an ongoing inventory that started in 2006. The species occurrences were each associated with a habitat type, and we assumed that the number of records within each habitat type was a proxy of habitat use. All four lizard species showed selectivity in habitat use to different degrees. Thus Podarcis tauricus avoided 55% of habitat types, Lacerta viridis and Ablepharus kitaibelli avoided 64% while Lacerta trilineata avoided 73% of habitat types. All four species preferred one single habitat: 40C0 “Ponto-Sarmatic deciduous thickets”. The habitat with the highest preference was 8230 “Siliceous rocks with pioneer vegetation...” for Podarcis tauricus, 8220 “Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation” for Lacerta trilineata, 40C0 “Ponto-Sarmatic deciduous thickets” for L. viridis and 91AA “Eastern white oak woods” for Ablepharus kitaibelli. The habitat niche of the four species varied largely, thus reducing competition and predation by larger species.

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In Dobrudja we encountered 10 species of amphibians (Triturus dobrogicus, Bombina bombina, Hyla arborea, Pelobates fuscus, Pelobates syriacus, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Rana dalmatina, Rana ridibunda, Rana lessonae), 16 species of reptiles (Emys orbicularis, Testudo graeca, Ablepharus kitaibelli, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Lacerta trilineata, Podarcis taurica, Podarcis muralis, Eremias arguta, Coronella austriaca, Zamensis longissimus, Elaphe quatuorlineata, Dolichophis caspius, Natrix natrix, Natrix tessellata, Vipera ammodytes) and also Rana kl. esculenta populations. Some species of amphibians (Pelobates fuscus, Pelobates syriacus) that were only previously known inform the lower regions of the Danube’s meadow and in the vicinity of the Black Sea, were recorded in the high areas of northern Dobrudja. Also here, all three forms of the green frogs’ complex documented for Romania have been encountered, but Rana lessonae and Rana esculenta are very rare, being found only in the north. The central sectors of Dobrudja are severely impacted by human activities, almost completely cleared as a result of agriculture and showed very low number of herpetofauna species as being present. The most important areas for the herpetofauna are the northern and south-western regions.

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The basin of Lake Skadar with its drainage area represents one of the Balkan Peninsula’s hotspots regarding amphibian and reptile fauna. The value of the batracho- and herpetofauna of the Lake Skadar region is reflected in a rich and diverse composition of species. This is undoubtedly the result of the basin’s specific geographic position and complex geological history. Recent studies revealed that Lake Skadar’s watershed is inhabited by 15 amphibian and 36 reptile species. Among these, one amphibian (Pelophylax shqipericus – EN) and two reptile species (Dinarolacerta mosorensis and Vipera ursinii, both VU) are considered to be globally threatened according to IUCN criteria. An additional three reptile species (Emys orbicularis, Testudo hermanni, and Elaphe quatuorlineata) could become threatened in the future. As an attractive tourist area, a significant part of the Lake Skadar region could be impacted by fast and intense anthropogenic changes. Therefore, preserving the network of suitable habitats, maintaining continuous monitoring, and investing in additional research are essential for maintaining this rich local amphibian and reptile diversity.

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Comparative analyses were carried out about the variability of the pileal shields of different species belonging to the family Lacertidae. The results of the comparisons have been evaluated in respect to the phylogenetical relationships existing between the different genera and species of the family.

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Während eines einwöchigen Aufenthaltes im September 2006 auf der mitteldalmatinischen Insel Brač konnten drei Lacertidenarten nachgewiesen werden. Aufgrund der zu diesem Zeitpunkt recht hohen Tempersaturen fielen die Beobachtungen allerdings recht spärlich aus.

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Systematics, distribution and ecology of 4 lizards of Jordan were studied: Uromastyx aegyptius microlepis, Lacerta laevis kulzeri, Lacerta trilineata israelica and Chalcides guentheri. All these species are new for Jordan. A revised list of the lizards of Jordan is given as an appendix.

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Amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates on Lesbos (Greece), April 28th–May 5th, 2006 -- The authors joined a herpetological journey to the Greek island of Lesbos close to the Turkish mainland. The group counted nine members and was travelling by van. The island of Lesbos is about 70 km long and about 45 km wide and is inhabited by about 80.000 people. The island is more or less mountainous (max. 970 m above sealevel). Pine, oak and scrub are common as well as more than 10 million olivetrees. Tourism, fishing, small scale farming and goat and sheepkeeping are the main source of income.The group visited a large part of the island on which wetlands, small rivers and small pools can be found. The searching was rather intensive and took about 10 hours a day. In total 19 species of reptiles and 5 species of amphibians are found. The search for invertebrates was limited to scorpions (only 1 species was found on Lesbos), some spiders (one of them the European ‘redback’) and centipedes. A list of observed species is found on page 10.

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Serum proteins of Lacerta v. viridis, L. v. meridionalis, L. trilineata, L. agilis, L. vivipara, L. taurica, L. muralis, Ophisaurus apodus, and Anguis fragilis were separated by polyacrylamidae disc electrophoresis. Among the lacertids, Lacerta viridis and Lacerta trilineata show greater similarities. Ophisaurus apodus and Anguis fragilis are characterized by praealbumins.

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New data on the distribution of amphibians and reptiles of conservation interest in southern Tuscany. The amphibian and reptile fauna native to southern Tuscany inclu des 31 species (13 amphibians and 18 reptiles), most of which are protected under the Habitats Directive (EEC Directive 43/1992, ratified by Italy with DPR 357/1997) and by the recent Tuscan Regional Law on biodiversity (LR 56/2000). Seventeen species are of particular significance and their conservation warrants or may require designation of Special Conservation Zones or Sites of Regional Importance. In this note, new data is provided on the distribution of eleven of these species (Salamandra salamandra, Salamandrina terdigitata, Triturus alpestris, Triturus carmfex, Bombina vanegata, Bufo viridis, Rana italica, Coronella austriaca, Coronella girondica, Elaphe quatuonlineata and Natrix tessellata) which considerably increases the number of 10 x 10 km squares of the UTM grid in which these species are present in southern Tuscany.

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1. Die gestreifte Smaragdeidechse der Dobrudscha, die im Schrifttum unter den verschiedensten Namen erwähnt wurde, gehört zu Lacerta trilineata und stellt eine neue Unterart (dobrogica) dar, die am nächsten mit der kaukasisch-kleinasiatischen media verwandt ist. 2. Vom Wohnareal der media ist dobrogica keinesfalls durch eine über 1000 km lange Zone geschieden, die von der typischen trilineata bewohnt ist; wenn eine media-freie Zone überhaupt besteht, so ist sie wesentlich kleiner. Außer in der Dobrudscha lebt dobrogica mit Sicherheit noch in Nordost-Bulgarien. Das Wohngebiet westlich des Schwarzen Meeres dürfte dobrogica bzw. ihre Ahnen längs der Nordküste Kleinasiens vom Kaukasus aus erreicht haben. 3. In der Dobrudscha lebt Lacerta trilineata dobrogica an vielen Stellen neben Lacerta viridis, mit der sie sich niemals vermischt. Da diese beiden Smaragdeidechsen auch in vielen anderen Gebieten Südosteuropas und des nordwestlichen Kleinasiens unvermischt vorkommen, werden sie als Arten aufgefaßt. Eine dritte Art der Smaragdeidechsen stellt Lacerta strigata dar, mit der dobrogica selbst von namhaften Herpetologen verwechselt worden ist. 4. Die gestreifte Smaragdeidechse der Dobrudscha zieht bewachsene, aber sonnige und warme Stellen vor; sie meidet jedoch den Wald. Ausgesprochen xerophil ist sie nicht, da sie immer in der Nähe des Wassers auftritt. 5. Ein Gelege aus 12 Eiern vom 22. Juli ergab bei etwa 26°C nach 77-83 Tagen Jungtiere. Da diese noch im Mai die Größe der im Herbst Geschlüpften haben, wird angenommen, daß sie sich in den Winterschlaf zurückziehen, ohne viel Nahrung aufgenommen zu haben.

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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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Field surveys were conducted on 10-11.05.2023 and 17-18.06.2023 by observation of live individuals or road kills and active searching under stones and artificial materials. A total of 12 species were recorded: three amphibian species and nine reptiles. Six of the reptile species were new records to Mount Ismaros. Now the list of the herpetofauna of the area is consisted of 19 known species.

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The aim of this study was to catalog the species of amphibians and reptiles in Honaz District, in the province of Denizli, Turkey, based on field surveys carried out during March–October of 2015–2018. The species found include five amphibians (Bufo bufo, Bufotes variabilis, Pelophylax bedriagae, Hyla orientalis, Rana macrocnemis) and 22 reptiles: two turtles (Mauremys rivulata, Testudo graeca), nine lizards (Stellagama stellio, Mediodactylus kotschyi, Anatololacerta danfordi, Lacerta trilineata, Ophisops elegans, Ablepharus kitaibellii, Pseudopodus apodus, Blanus strauchi, Heremites auratus), and 11 snakes (Xerotyphlops vermicularis, Dolichophis jugularis, D. caspius, Hemorrhois numnifer, Eirenis modestus, Telescopus fallax, Elaphe sauromates, Natrix natrix, N. tessellata, Eryx jaculus, Montivipera xanthina). In addition, the various factors threatening these species in this area were determined and proposals for the conservation of these species are presented.

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Partial DNA sequences from three mitochondrial (cytochrome b, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA) and two nuclear (-fibrinogen intron 7 and C-mos) genes were used to estimate the phylogenetic relationships among all eight extant species of green lizards, Lacerta sensu stricto, and many currently recognized subspecies. All eight species form a monophyletic group. L. agilis, L. schreiberi and L. strigata are genetically well differentiated species. L. trilineata and L. pamphylica are not monophyletic units based on analyses of the -fibrinogen intron 7. Lacerta media is closely related to some Lacerta trilineata. L. bilineata and L. viridis are closely related, and recognition of L. bilineata as a distinct species makes L. viridis paraphyletic also. For both L. bilineata and L. viridis, some subspecies appear to remain in their southern glacial refugia, while a single genetic entity shows successfully postglacial expansion. The topology derived from C-mos variation is concordant with that derived from mtDNA, with substitutions occurring at a similar rate to that of transversions in the rRNA genes. Although C-mos is typically used at deeper taxonomic levels it is also phylogenetically informative within green lizards. -fibrinogen intron 7, typically used for assessing phylogenetic relationships among bird species, is a useful phylogenetic marker for reptiles also, showing considerable variation between species. There is not complete concordance between estimates of relationships derived from the mtDNA and nuclear markers, probably because rapid diversification led to incomplete lineage sorting in the green lizards. Introgression could also be occuring between some species.

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In diesem Naturführer werden auf über 100 Farbfotos alle mitteleuroipäischen Arten und darüber hinaus auch süd- und osteuropäische vorgestellt: Frösche, Kröten, Molche und Salamander, Schildkröten, Echsen und Schlangen. Fachkundige Texte informirern über Kennzeichen, Vorkommrn, Verhalten, Fortpflanzung, Ernährung und Besonderheiten. Der bewährte Kosmos-Farbcode teilt die Amphibien und Reptilien nach ihrer Verwandtschaft in 5 Gruppen ein und erleichtert so die Bestimmung. Die praktischen Klappen bieten interessante Zusatzinformationen über Froschlurchentwicklung, Laichformen und anatomischen Besonderheiten bei Reptilien.

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Im Verlauf einer von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft finanzierten Reise nach Griechenland bereisten die Verfasser vom 23. bis 29. April 1972 den Paros-Archipel in der Zentral-Ägäis. Der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft sei an dieser Stelle für ihre großzügige Unterstützung gedankt. Danken möchten wir auch Herrn Dr. W. BÖHME, der Vergleichsmaterial aus den umfangreichen Beständen des Zoologischen Forschungsinstituts und Museums A. Koenig in Bonn zur Verfügung stellte, die F. BUCHHOLZ auf mehreren Griechenlandreisen gesammelt hatte. Neben Paros und Antiparos, den beiden größten Inseln, konnten wir mit einem gemieteten Fischerboot den folgenden unbewohnten Inselchen des Archipels einen Besuch abstatten: Despotiko, Strongylo, Tourlos, Preza, Glaropunta und Panteronisi in der südlichen Inselgruppe sowie Ovriokastro und Gaidaronisi vor der Nordküste von Paros. Insgesamt konnten wir hier 13 Arten von Amphibien und Reptilien nachweisen: Rana ridibunda, Mauremys caspica, Cyrtodactylus kotschyi, H emidactylus turcicus, Agama stellio, Podarcis erhardii, Lacerta trilineata, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Eryx jaculus, Elaphe quatuorlineata, Natrix natrix, Telescopus fallax und Vipera ammodytes. Diese von uns im Jahre 1972 eingebrachten Informationen werden ergänzt durch Angaben anderer Autoren (BUCHHOLZ 1955; CLARK 1965, 1967, 1968a, 1968b, 1970, 1971, 1972; WERNER 1938; WETTSTEIN 1953, 1957). Dadurch wird zwar die Anzahl der untersuchten Inseln vergrößert (Spiridonisi, Tria Nisia-Inseln; WETTSTEIN 1957), das Artenspektrum aber nur um Testudo marginata (CLARK 1970) und Elaphe situla (BUCHHOLZ 1955) erweitert.

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Diversity of reptile fauna, as well as threat factors were investigated during April and May 2019 in the settlement Mareza. Field methodology included active searching and visual observation of species along defined transects. In total, 20 reptile species were recorded, what comprises about 55 % of reptile fauna known for Montenegro. According to obtained results, area of Mareza can be considered as important reptile diversity hotspot in Montenegro. First finding of Xerotyphlops vermicularis in this area contribute to knowledge of its distribution range. Three identified species (Emys orbicularis, Testudo hermanni and Elaphe quatuorli neata) are listed on Annex II of the Habitat Directive. None of identified species are vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered, upon the IUCN Red List. Almost all identified species are protected on national level. Main threat factors for reptile fauna in the area of Mareza are: urbanization, habitat fragmentation and destruction, fires, illegal landfills, direct killing by locals and road killing.

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This paper presents an updated checklist of Amphibians and Reptiles of Montenegro. The checklist contains 52 species (including two species complexes), compiled from published literature and personal field surveys. Species complexes are the Anguis fragilis complex and the Lacerta viridis complex. Trachemys scripta is introduced, while Podarcis siculus is potentially introduced species. Migratory species include three sea turtles (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas and Dermochelys coriacea). Additionally, there are four potentially present species (Proteus anguinus, Mediodactylus kotschyi, Tarentola mauritanica and Podarcis tauricus), which presence is doubtful or still not confirmed with certainty in Montenegro. National and international protection as well as conservation status of Amphibians and Reptiles is given.

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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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The author visited the Greek island of Crete at the end of April - beginning of May 1999. The island was suffering a heat wave, which was probably the reason that fewer reptiles were seen than expected. It was rather disconcerting to find an American Trachemys scripta elegans surface among the Mauremys rivulata in a pond near the town of Mochós. This introduction could have dangerous implications to the native species. It was also remarkable to find that the Greek are convinced that Chalcides o. ocellatus is very poisonous and that Telescopus fallax pallidus can even be deadly to humans. Other species that were found are: Lacerta trilineata polylepidota, Coluber gemonensis and Natrix tessellata tessellata; the amphibians Bufo viridis viridis, Hyla arborea kretensis, and many Rana cretensis. The fact all three amphibian species known from Crete were observed, in spite of the excessive heat, was surprising. The shell of a dead, partially decomposed Testudo marginata was discovered in an abandoned garden in Stalis; this species is not native to the island, and this is the first record of its occurrence on Crete.

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In May 2003 the temperature on the Greek island of Lesbos was unseasonably high and not a drop of rain fell. Most likely that was the reason why no toads (Bufo bufo and Bufo viridis) were found. Green Frogs (Rana spec.) were abundant. The Common Tree Frog (Hyla arborea) was observed in low numbers. In terms of lizards, Balkan Green Lizards (Lacerta trilineata) were the most common; much less frequently observed were the Snake- eyed Lacertid (Ophisops elegans) and the Turkish Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus). In addition, we report the presence of the Starred Agama (Laudakia stellio) and European Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus apodus thracius). We encountered five species of snakes: Montpellier Snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), Grass Snake (Natrix natrix persa); Dice Snake (Natrix tessellata); Large Whip Snake (Coluber caspius) and Ottoman Viper (Vipera xanthina). Turtles and tortoises were abundant. In a narrow coastal strip no less than 60 Spur-thighed Tortoises were seen. Balkan Terrapins (Mauremys rivulata) were found in nearly every body of water, occasionally together with European Pond Terrapins (Emys orbicularis). The latter species was observed with significantly less frequency. The ’Lesbian Wildlife Hospital’ is currently breeding a once wounded female Marginated Tortoise (Testudo marginata), which is being crossed with a male Testudo graeca. The hybrid young born from this pair are unfortunately released on the island.

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The amphibians and reptiles of Kazdağı in western Anatolia were investigated. In the study area, 190 specimens belonging to 34 species from 15 amphibian and reptile families were determined. Three of these species are urodelan, 5 are anurans, 2 are turtles, 1 is a tortoise, 12 are lizards, and 11 are snakes. Rana dalmatina Bonaparte, 1840, Anguis fragilis Linnaeus, 1758, and Podarcis sicula (Rafinesque, 1810) were recorded at Kazdağı for the first time.

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We present the distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the Bjelopavlici region (central Montenegro) based on our field work records and of literature data. Twelve species of amphibians and 25 species of reptiles were recorded at 49 localities of which 57 % records has not been previously published. The greatest diversity of batracho- and herpetofauna was recorded at sites in the river Zeta plain. Our study provides the important information for assessments of diversity of batracho- and herpetofauna of Montenegro and their conservation.

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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 important specimens from his collections deposited at the Natural History Museum (NHM, UK) have come to light and we here present all of them in detail. We discovered paralectotypes of Lacerta saxicola obscura Lantz & Cyrén (BMNH 1918.11.21.5–7), syntypes of Lacerta boemica Sukhov (BMNH 1960.1.4.26–30, BMNH 1965.337–342) and Lacerta viridis media Lantz & Cyrén (BMNH 1960.1.4.25, 1966.512). We also identified numerous specimens from the French Mediterranean islands in Lantz’s collection deposited at the NHM, some of which represent the first reported specimens of their species from certain islands. We here provide data on all these specimens. We also place the Mediterranean island specimens from the Lantz collection in their historical context and emphasize the historical and taxonomic value of these collections.

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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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Aim: Animal body sizes are often remarkably variable across islands, but despite much research we still have a poor understanding of both the patterns and the drivers of body size evolution. Theory predicts that interspecific competition and predation pressures are relaxed on small, remote islands, and that these conditions promote body size evolution. We studied body size variation across multiple insular populations of 16 reptile species co-occurring in the same archipelago and tested which island characteristics primarily drive body size evolution, the nature of the common patterns, and whether co-occurring species respond in a similar manner to insular conditions. Location: Aegean Sea islands. Time period: 1984–2016. Major taxa studied: Reptiles. Methods: We combined fieldwork, museum measurements and a comprehensive literature survey to collect data on nearly 10,000 individuals, representing eight lizard and eight snake species across 273 islands. We also quantified a large array of predictors to assess directly the effects of island area, isolation (both spatial and temporal), predation and interspecific competition on body size evolution. We used linear models and meta-analyses to determine which predictors are informative for all reptiles, for lizards and snakes separately, and for each species. Results: Body size varies with different predictors across the species we studied, and patterns differ within families and between lizards and snakes. Each predictor influenced body size in at least one species, but no general trend was recovered. As a group, lizards are hardly affected by any of the predictors we tested, whereas snake size generally increases with area and with competitor and predator richness, and decreases with isolation. Main conclusions: No factor emerges as a predominant driver of Aegean reptile sizes. This contradicts theories of general body size evolutionary trajectories on islands. We conclude that overarching generalizations oversimplify patterns and processes of reptile body size evolution on islands. Instead, species’ autecology and island particularities interact to drive the course of size evolution.

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In June 2007, 12 species of Amphibia and 19 species of Reptilia were found during investigations at 18 localities situated from sea level up to 1507 m a. s. l. in Albania. The highest number of amphibians (5) was recorded at Shelegurë, 1032 m a. s. l. and of reptiles (9) at Diviakë, 1–5 m a. s. l. The highest total number of species (5 amphibians and 6 reptiles) was recorded at Shelegurë. Testudo hermanni was the most abundant species of reptile recorded. Of the amphibians, Bombina variegata and Pelophylax ridibundus were also abundant and Podarcis muralis occurred at the highest locality (Llogarë, Cikës Mts., 1507 m a. s. l.). Herein, are presented new faunistic records for 11 species of Reptilia. From the zoogeographical point of view, 50.0% of the amphibians recorded are Mediterranean, 33.3% European and 16.7% Palaearctic species. Of the reptiles, 52.6% are Mediterranean, 15.8% European and 31.6% Palaearctic species. Mediterranean faunal elements are predominant in the batrachofauna and herpetofauna of Albania. Four of the amphibians recorded (Triturus macedonicus, Pelophylax epeiroticus, P. shqipericus, Rana graeca) and three reptiles (Algyroides nigropunctatus, Podarcis erhardii, Anguis graeca) are endemic to the Balkan Peninsula. An annotated list of all the species recorded in Albania in 2007 is presented.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina plays an important role for the diversity of herpetofauna of the Balkans. The composition of the amphibian and reptile fauna has been influenced by both continental and Mediterranean climate. So far, 18 species of amphibians and 29 species of reptiles have been found to inhabit the territory, but due to the overall neglected faunistic research of this region in the last decades, this is presumably not the final number. At 31 localities we observed 12 species of amphibians and 17 species of reptiles representing 66.7 and 58.6% of the total known diversity of amphibians and reptiles, respectively. We recorded new distribution data for 8 species of amphibians and 9 species of reptiles. A zoogeographic analysis showed that the herpetofauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina could be classified into at least 12 chorotypes. While the amphibian assemblages are predominantly influenced by the European temperate climatic conditions, the Mediterranean climate plays a key role for the composition of the reptile fauna.

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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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Die Autoren untersuchten die Altersstruktur zweier Stichproben (Edirne: 17 m a.s.l. und Bolu: 1,250 m a.s.l.) von Lacerta trilineata Bedriaga, 1886 in der Türkei. Die Altersbestimmung mittels Skeletochronologie ergab Höchstalter von etwa sieben Jahren in der Stichprobe von Bolu und fünf in der von Edirne. die Überlebensrate bei Eintritt in die Geschlechtsreife betrug 0,59 % bei den Männchen und 0,24 % bei den Weibchen von Bolu. die entsprechende Lebenserwartung belief sich in dieser Stichprobe auf 2,94 Jahre für die Männchen und 1,82 fur die Weibchen. der Eintritt in die Geschlechtsreife erfolgte in beiden Stichproben im Alter von zwei Jahren. obwohl das mittlere Alter in der Stichprobe der Hochlandpopulation höher war als in der des Tieflandes, war die mittlere Kopf-Rumpf-Länge in letzterer größer.

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In the study, the samples collected from Akşehir, Konya, Turkey and stored in the Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, ZDEU-COMU collection were used. Thirty lizards belonging to the family Lacertidae (Lacerta trilineata 5 juveniles, 5 ♂♂; Ophisops elegans 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; Parvilacerta parva 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀) were evaluated. The age of the individuals was estimated after phalanges, femurs, and humeri samples were compared whether if there is any difference in terms of skeletochronological method. Among these species, the age is 2 years in 5 juvenile specimens of Lacerta trilineata and the ages of 5 males vary between 5 and 8. The age of male specimens of Parvilacerta parva vary between 4 and 6, and the age of females vary between 4 and 5. The age of male Ophisops elegans specimens vary between 4 and 6, and the age of females vary between 5 and 7. Similar ages were found in all three different bones that were sectioned and examined in all samples of all three species. Due to this similarity between the LAGs in the cross-sections of the bones, it is thought that phalanges could be used to determine ages without killing the specimens. In this way, the species that are already damaged due to human activities and changing environmental factors will be prevented from being adversely affected by these studies.

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Fourteen species of reptiles were found on Lesbos Island. The species Ablepharus kitaibelii and Malpolon monspessulanus are recorded for the first time from the island. The localities and some morphometric characters of the caught specimens are noted. Finally, we attempt to combine our data and the bibliographical ones in a biogeographical approach to the fauna of the islands of the northeastern Aegean Archipelago.

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3 species of amphibians and 21 species of reptiles have been found in the basin of Köycegiz in southwest Anatolia. The species are listed with short descriptions of their occurrence. The rich herpetofauna emphasizes the need for a strict protection of the whole basin. The need for the conservation of regional herpetofaunas in Turkey is discussed.

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Amphibia and Reptilia collections at the Zoological Museum, University of Istanbul (ZMUI) were studied and revised. The samples were collected from 1921 until today. The localities of most species are found in the different regions of Turkey. The collection have 75 species of which 21 species are amphibians and 54 species are reptiles. With this study a zoological collection belong to ZMUI was given for the first time.

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Geographic position and different climate features of our country is the most important reason of the richness and variety of the fauna of Turkey. Significant zoogeographic importance of this region has been stressed by recent studies on Turkey’s herpetofauna. In this study, 4 species anurans, 1 species turtle, 1species tortoise, 10 species lizards, 10 species snakes, have been collected from this region and there specimens were studied morphologically. Ecological and biological features of these species have been reported. In this research, the vicinity of Lake Bafa was studied with it’s herpetofauna firstly and it’s different features. As a result of this research, it was determined the area is one of the important watery areas of our country for it’s touristic construction, ancient town features, and biologic features such as having rich fauna and flora. The vicinity of Lake Bafa is one of the rare ecosystems, which is open to danger, having importance scientificly and education aly, and it should be presented with it’s biological diversity. While these were shown in the research, it’s diversity, field construction, ancient features, appropriate climate and touristic importance was stated, and the importance of protection of this area was tried to explain

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Lacerta pamphylica and Lacerta trilineata are two currently recognized green lizard species with a historically problematic taxonomy. In cases of tangled phylogenies, next‐generation sequencing and double‐digest restriction‐site‐associated DNA protocols can provide a wealth of genomic data and resolve difficult taxonomic issues. Here, we generated genome‐wide SNPs and mitochondrial sequences, and applied molecular species delimitation approaches to provide a stable taxonomy for the Aegean green lizards. Mitochondrial gene trees, genetic cluster delimitation and population structure analyses converged into recognizing the populations of (a) L. pamphylica, (b) east Aegean islands, Anatolia and Thrace (diplochondrodes lineage), (c) central Aegean islands (citrovittata), and (d) remaining Balkan populations and islands (trilineata), as separate clusters. Phylogenomic analyses revealed a split into two major clades, east and west of the Aegean Barrier, unambiguously showing a sister–clade relationship between pamphylica and diplochondrodes, rendering L. trilineata paraphyletic. Species delimitation models were tested in a Bayesian framework using the genomic SNPs: lumping all populations into a single ‘species’ had the lowest likelihood but the current taxonomy was also outperformed by all other models. All lines of evidence support the Pamphylian green lizard as a valid species; thus, east Aegean L. trilineata should also be considered a distinct species under the name Lacerta diplochondrodes. Finally, evidence from the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes is overwhelmingly in favour of recognizing the morphologically distinct Cycladian green lizards as a distinct species. We propose their elevation to full species under the name Lacerta citrovittata. All remaining insular and continental populations of the Balkan Peninsula represent the species L. trilineata.

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The Aegean Sea constitutes a major biogeographic barrier between the European and Asian continents and several models of diversification in the Aegean have been documented. Here, we test three of those models for the Aegean green‐lizards (Lacerta trilineata–pamphylica group): Vicariance versus Overland Dispersal versus Island Stepping‐stone Dispersal. We investigate these hypotheses and complement our knowledge on the impact of the Aegean Barrier on east Mediterranean taxa.

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Turkey has very high biodiversity, due to its various topographical, geological, and climatic features. Although previous studies have dealt with amphibians and reptiles from Karabük province no detailed study has yet been conducted on the herpetofauna of Karabük province. Here, we provide some records for herpetofauna of Karabük province and contribute to the literature on the Turkish herpetofauna. This study was carried out from March to June 2014. The specimens of amphibians and reptiles were collected using different techniques according to habitat conditions. The systematics of the examined materials was studied using current literature. Also, the conservation status of the species was given with national and international agreements in which Turkey is included. Result of the fieldwork conducted in Karabük province, 17 reptile species (two turtles, one tortoise, seven lizards, and seven snakes) and seven amphibian species (one urodelans, six anurans) were determined. According to our results, Parvilacerta parva, Lacerta viridis, Zamenis longissimus, Coronella austriaca and Elaphe sauromates are new records for Karabük province. This study underlines the importance of Karabük province as a herpetological area.

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The distribution and the ratios between noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) cells in eight species belonging to the family Lacertidae were studied. There are variations in the distribution of the two cell types within the gland and a wide range of variation in the NA/A cell ratio. Comparing their data with palaeontological, anatomical and biochemical evidence, the authors are inclined to consider G. galloti and L. graeca as the most ancient lizards among those studied and to ascribe L. graeca to the group Lacerta part II together with L. dugesii. P. pityusensis should also be ascribed to the same group on the basis of the result, of this study. The other four species studied (L. lepida, L. trilineata, L. viridis and L. schreiberi) appear to be of fairly recent origin and should be ascribed to the group Lacerta part I, on the basis of the homogeneous distribution of the chromaffin cells inside the adrenal gland and their low NA/A cell ratios.

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Over the four year period (2007–2010), the authors conducted a field study aimed at drawing up an inventory of batrachofauna and herpetofauna of the Zrmanja river catchment area. Eight species of amphibians and twenty one species of reptiles were detected; through the available literature overview two more reptilian and one amphibian species were added to the list. Therefore, we proved the presence of thirty two species in total. High diversity of amphibians and reptiles indicates great significance of this area and imposes the need to ensure survival of these species through long-term populations monitoring and conservation measures.

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The island of Poros in Greece — no herpetological gold clump -- Poros is a small island belonging to the Saronic Islands, located 40 kilometers from Athen. The author has visited the island three times, in August 2000, September 2001 and May 2004. Following species were observed: Ablepharus kitaibelli, Cyrtodactylus kotsihyi, Lacerta trilineta and Testudo marginata.

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The southern part of Montenegro has been identified as an area with high diversity of herpetofauna. However, comprehensive studies of distribution and diversity patterns of reptiles on the country level are still missing. Such studies are essential in designating areas of special conservation importance and nature protection planning in a milieu of increased habitat loss and degradation due to rapid urbanization and tourism development in this small Mediterranean country. To make progress on this problem, we analyzed distribution and diversity patterns of the lizards in Montenegro using a large database consisting of literature data and our unpublished records. We found that fifteen lizard species inhabit Montenegro, and two additional species may be present. The lizards were most diverse in the Maritime biogeographic region of Montenegro, while low diversity was found predominantly along the state borders in the Mountain-valley region. The identified pattern of lizard diversity is at least partly influenced by sampling bias. The eastern mountainous subregion had a distinct species composition compared to all other parts of the country. The East-Mediterranean chorotype was the most dominant, represented by seven species. The great diversity of the lizard fauna of Montenegro can be attributed to its specific topographic position with great influence of Mediterranean climate, heterogeneity of biomes, complex geological history and diverse physiogeographic features. High lizard species richness in the Maritime region and a unique species composition in the eastern subregion of Montenegro indicate that these areas are of high conservation interest.

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We analysed the effects of body mass on the monthly activity patterns of six Mediterranean lacertid lizard taxa, four relatively small species, the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus), the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis), the blue-throated keeled lizard (Algyroides nigropunctatus), and the Ionian wall lizard (Podarcis ionicus), and two larger species, the western green lizard (Lacerta bilineata) and the Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata). The highest number of observations for all six species occurred in April and May and the lowest in July and August, the latter being the hottest and driest months of the year. The two larger species were mainly active from March to July, whereas the four smaller species had an additional period of high activity from September to November. As all six species reproduce during spring, the increase in activity of the smaller species in autumn was consequently unrelated to reproductive behaviour. There was no difference in seasonal activity of the two smaller Italian species at sites with or without the larger green lizards. It is therefore unlikely that interference competition/predation by green lizards caused the increased autumnal activity of the smaller lizards. We suggest that due to their lower mass-specific metabolic rates, larger species can obtain sufficient lipid stores over a shorter annual activity to ensure successful reproduction the subsequent spring. By contrast, smaller species have greater need to replenish their lipid reserves after summer fasting and therefore resume much higher activity levels in September to November to attain this goal.

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Albumins from several species assigned to Lacerta s. 1. and Gallotia were investigated by means of the Micro-Complement fixation technique. The phylogenetic trees evaluated according to Fitch & Margoliash (1967) and Beverley & Wilson (1982) led us to infer a division, which is in accordance with protein electrophoretic results (Mayer & Tiedemann, 1982) as well as with the subgeneric division used before the studies of Böhme (1971) and Arnold (1973).

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THE LACERTA VIRIDIS-COMPLEX Compared with the beginning of this century there has been a considerable change in taxonomy of the, mostly, green large lizards ofthe genus La- certa. Even in the last decade a lot of new facts are published on the green lizards of Turkey. A classification at the beginning of the century is given. L. agilis, L. jayakari, L. princeps, L. lepi- da, L. pater, L. schreiberi, L. pamphylica, L. stri- gata, L. media, L. trilineata and L. viridis are considered here as one group. A short discription of the species (also of the juveniles), the subspe- cies and the ranges of the species arc enumerated in this article.

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The albumins from 41 species of the family Lacertidae representing a substantial part of genera as well as infrageneric groups of the collective genus Lacerta s.l. were investigated by means of the MCF technique. The data allow a chronological estimation of the most important radiation events and their correlation with paleogeographical facts. Our results are in remarkable contradiction to the phylogeny presented by ARNOLD (1989a) based mainly on morphological characters. The most important phylogenetic relationships are: 1. The genera Gallona and Psammodromus are already isolated from the other taxa since the Oligocene. We assess these main branches as subfamilies Gallotiinae and Lacertinae. 2. Lacerta s.str. and Lacerta subgenus Zootoca form the sister group of the remaining Lacertinae. 3. A colonization of Africa in the Lower Miocene has led to a separation in two lines, with mainly Eurasian and African members respectively. 4. ARNOLD`S (I.e.) `Ethiopian and advanced Saharo-Eurasian clade` proved to be a paraphyletic unit, one group of genera being more closely related to European taxa. All techniques applied to the systematics of Lacertidae hitherto are critically discussed. An area-time- hypothesis concerning the phylogeny of Lacertidae is presented. Key words: Lacertidae, phylogeny of; Gallotiinae subfam. nov.; Lacertinae subfam. nov.; micro complement fixation; albumin evolution.

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All seven lacertid species recorded from the Peloponnese can be found in a very small area in the Arkadian highlands on the Peloponnese peninsula. Up to now only one example for such unique diversity in such a small area has been described in the Mediterranean region. This density requires the occupation of different restricted ecological and ethological niches for all seven species and therefore the habitats should be diverse. This niche segregation as well as the ecological demands and the ethological differences between the species are discussed in relation to this habitat diversity.

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Investigated the albumins from 31 species and subspecies of the genus Lacerta s.1. by means of the immunoloical techniue Micro-Complement-fixation. Dendrograms were computed by means of the ktch-MargJiash algorithm. Moreover the taxa of the Lacerta saxicola and the Lacerta danfordi comlexes were analyzed by electrophoresis concerning 14 genetic loci. The results were discussel together with karyological and genitalmorphological data so far known yielding the following relationships: Lacerta graeca shows a closer relationshi to the subgenus Podarcis as does the quite closely related species air L. dugesii and L. perspicikata. Lacerta Iaevis probabl is connected closely to Podarcis, too. Lacerta parva shows a closer relationship to the `small izards` than to the sub-genus Lacerta s. str. A clear decision concerning the position of the Lacerta danfordi complex according to chemosystematical data was not possible. It is isolated from the other species probably about as long as L. puma. Biochemical differences between its `species` are too small to confirm their taxonomical revalorisation by Eiselt and Schmidtler Within the Lacerta saxicola complex the investigated taxa show a close relationship. Lacerta praticola and L. derjugini were definitly assigned to this group.

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37 specimens of Lacerta trilineata and 40 of Lacerta viridis, as well as one hybrid (bred in captivity), were electrophoretically investigated at 16 Genetic loci. The only constant difference was the mobility of the heart LDH. In contrast to the often uncertain morphological differences of species, this protein can be used for the clear identification of both species and possible hybrids. To identify the species (without destroying the animals) only pieces of lizard tails soaking them in PPS and running LDH gels are necessary. The method is discussed in full.

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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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Aim Body size is instrumental in influencing animal physiology, morphology, ecology and evolution, as well as extinction risk. I examine several hypotheses regarding the influence of body size on lizard evolution and extinction risk, assessing whether body size influences, or is influenced by, species richness, herbivory, island dwelling and extinction risk. Location World-wide. Methods I used literature data and measurements of museum and live specimens to estimate lizard body size distributions. Results I obtained body size data for 99% of the world`s lizard species. The body size–frequency distribution is highly modal and right skewed and similar distributions characterize most lizard families and lizard assemblages across biogeographical realms. There is a strong negative correlation between mean body size within families and species richness. Herbivorous lizards are larger than omnivorous and carnivorous ones, and aquatic lizards are larger than non-aquatic species. Diurnal activity is associated with small body size. Insular lizards tend towards both extremes of the size spectrum. Extinction risk increases with body size of species for which risk has been assessed. Main conclusions Small size seems to promote fast diversification of disparate body plans. The absence of mammalian predators allows insular lizards to attain larger body sizes by means of release from predation and allows them to evolve into the top predator niche. Island living also promotes a high frequency of herbivory, which is also associated with large size. Aquatic and nocturnal lizards probably evolve large size because of thermal constraints. The association between large size and high extinction risk, however, probably reflects a bias in the species in which risk has been studied.

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Aim Temperature influences most components of animal ecology and life history – but what kind of temperature? Physiologists usually examine the influence of body temperatures, while biogeographers and macroecologists tend to focus on environmental temperatures. We aim to examine the relationship between these two measures, to determine the factors that affect lizard body temperatures and to test the effect of both temperature measures on lizard life history. Location World-wide. Methods We used a large (861 species) global dataset of lizard body temperatures, and the mean annual temperatures across their geographic ranges to examine the relationships between body and mean annual temperatures.We then examined factors influencing body temperatures, and tested for the influence of both on ecological and life-history traits while accounting for the influence of shared ancestry. Results Body temperatures and mean annual temperatures are uncorrelated. However, accounting for activity time (nocturnal species have low body temperatures), use of space (fossorial and semi-aquatic species are ‘colder’), insularity (mainland species are ‘hotter’) and phylogeny, the two temperatures are positively correlated. High body temperatures are only associated with larger hatchlings and increased rates of biomass production. Annual temperatures are positively correlated with clutch frequency and annual longevity, and negatively correlated with clutch size, age at first reproduction and longevity. Main conclusions Lizards with low body temperatures do not seem to have ‘slower’ life-history attributes than species with high body temperatures. The longer seasons prevalent in warm regions, and physiological processes that operate while lizards are inactive (but warm enough), make environmental temperatures better predictors of lizard life-history variation than body temperatures. This surprisingly greater effect of environmental temperatures on lizard life histories hints that global warming may have a profound influence on lizard ecology and evolution.

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Die beiden Arten der Gattung Lacerta auf Rhodos werden durch endemische Rassen vertreten: Lacerta trilineata durch diplodtondrodes, Lacerta dantfordi durch pelasgiana n. subsp. Von diplochondrodes wird das eigenartige zwei- bzw. vier- streifige Jugendkleid beschrieben, das bisher kaum von Lacerta trilineata und erst recht nicht von der verwandten Lacerta strigata bekannt war. Die bisher bald als dantfordi, anatolica oder oertzeri bezeichnete pelasgiana wird in die nächste Verwandtsdraft der typischen danfordi vom Cilicischen Taurus sowie von oertzeni aus Nikaria gestellt.

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Although Albania has a rich reptile fauna, efforts to reveal its diversity have so far been limited. To fill this gap, we collected available published and unpublished (museum collections, online sources) records of reptile occurrences and conducted several expeditions to search for reptiles in areas with few or no previous records. Our georeferenced database contains 3731 records of 40 species from between 1918 and 2015. Based on this comprehensive dataset, we prepared distribution maps for each reptile species of the country. Applying spatial statistics, we revealed that overall sampling effort was clustered, with hotspots associated with easily accessible areas and natural heritage sites. The maximum number of species per cell was 26 with an average of seven. Cells harbouring large reptile diversity were located along the Adriatic and Ionian coasts, on the western slopes of south Albanian mountains, i.e. in areas generally considered as Balkans biodiversity hotspots or potential historical refugia. We found that species presence and diversity is strongly influenced by landscape features. Diversity of land cover, altitudinal variation, temperature and precipitation variation explained the observed pattern in our models. Our study presents the largest database of reptile occurrences to date and is the first to analyse reptile diversity patterns in Albania. The database and the diversity patterns can provide a basis for future macroecological studies and conservation planning.

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We present unpublished data on the diet of three lizards (Lacerta trilineata, Lacerta agilis and Podarcis tauricus) from the Lacertidae family, collected in 1974 in few localities in Southern Bulgaria. The analyzed data showed that the insects (Insecta) are the most numerous and the most frequently met food component and among the non-insect components the spiders and isopods are slightly predominating. The largest niche breadth was recorded in Podarcis tauricus (6.135), followed by Lacerta trilineata (5.263) and Lacerta agilis (4.132). All three studied lacertid species are classified as opportunistic general feeders (polyphages), which may show slight preference towards beetles, ants or spiders, depending on the occupied habitat or the season.

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A study on the trophic spectrum of three species of lacertid lizards (Lacerta agilis, Lacerta trilineata and Podarcis muralis) was carried out, based on 20 specimens collected in the period 1967-1973 in various localities in Bulgaria. The analyzed data showed that the insects (Insecta) are the most numerous and the most frequently met among the alimentary components of the total amount of food of the studied stomachs (except for Lacerta agilis, where spiders are slightly predominating). The non-insect components consisted spiders and isopods. The largest niche breadth was recorded in Lacerta trilineata (8.25), followed by Podarcis muralis (5.20) and Lacerta agilis (3.44). The niche overlap between the three species (pair-wise comparison) showed medium values and in our opinion there should not be any serious competition for food resources at the places with sympatric distribution.

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The current paper reviews the species composition and distribution of 2 amphibian (Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea) and 7 reptile species (Cyrtopodion kotschyi, Lacerta viridis, Lacerta trilineata, Podarcis taurica, Podarcis muralis, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Coronella austriaca) inhabiting three protected territories in the town of Plovdiv. Some aspects of the species ’ ecology are discussed in relation to the urban environment and the recorded amphibians and reptiles are categorized in ecological groups according to their level of synanthropy. Species ’ zoogeographic characteristics, level of endemism, conservation significance and the basic conservation threats and problems in the studied protected territories are also discussed.

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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 present study is a review of the herpetofauna of the sourtheastern part of the Black Sea Coast and Strandzha Nature Park. A total of thirty nine species were recorded for both regions (12 amphinian species, 27 - reptiles), of which two newt species (Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus ivanbureshi), ten species of anurans (Bombina bombina, B. variegata, Bufo bufo, Bufotes viridis, Pelobates syriacus, Hyla orientalis, Rana dalmatina, Pelophylax ridibundus, P. cf. esculentus, P. bedriage), eleven species of lizards (Mediodactylus daniliewskii, Angius colchicus, Pseudopus apodus, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Lacerta agilis, L. trilineata, L. viridis, Podarcis muralis, P. tauricus, P. erhardii, Darevskia praticola), four species of native turtles and tortoises (Testudo graeca, T. hermanni, Emys orbicularis, Mauremys rivulata) and twelve species of snakes (Xerotyphlops vermicularis, Platyceps najadum, P. collaris, Natrix natrix, N. tessellata, Dolichophis caspius, Elaphe sauromates, Zamenis longissimus, Zamenis situla, Coronella austriaca, Malpolon insignitus, Vipera ammodytes). A comparison between the species compositon of the herpetofauna between South Black Sea Coast and Strandzha NP is made and analyzed.

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Hybridization between Lacerta t. trili~eata and Lacerta v. viridis in captivity is described. 16 hybrids hatched in June 1974. The difficulties of mating between the two species and the color and pattern of the hybrid specimens are described.

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This study provides information about age and growth of Lacerta trilineata BEDRIAGA, 1886, in the population from Sergen, West Turkey, at an altitude of 420 m a.s.l. age at maturity, sexual size difference (SSd) and growth rate of the sample are presented. Cross-sections of phalangeal bones were examined based on the skeletochronology method. In the adult sample (14 males and 12 females), the age ranged from 6-13 (x = 8.77) years for both sexes collectively, the values 7-13 (x = 9.07) years in males and 6-10 (x = 8.42) years in females not differing significantly from each other. Sexual maturity was attained in the third year of life in both sexes. There was no significant correlation between the lizards’ body size (SVL) and age for both males and females. A slightly male-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSd = 0.014, not significant) was observed. The growth coefficient (k) was lower in females than males (k ± confidence interval, males: 0.96 ± 0.22; females: 0.75 ± 0.41). There was no difference in the growth rate between sexes.

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Chromosomal inter- and intraspecific variation in Lacertidae. The karyology of various species from the family Lacertidae (Reptilia, Sauria) has been studied with conventional and C-banding techniques. The study shows that this family is not so conservative from a karyological viewpoint as considered til! now. In fact supernumerary chromosomes have been observed in two of the species investigated. Moreover an inter- and intraspecific variability has been found in the C-banding pattern of the various species studied. The situation found in Podarcis sicula is particularly remarkable. Different Cbanding patterns have been observed in three different subspecies and in two populations of the same subspecies. The C-banding technique evidences also the existence in some of the species studied of a female sex heteromorphism, in which the W chromosomes is completely heterochromatic. These observations suggest that in lacertid lizards the evolution of the sex chromosomes follows the same steps hypothesized for snakes.

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The karyology of various species from the family Lacertidae (Reptilia, Sauria) has been studied with conventional and C-banding techniques. The study shows that this family is not so conservative from a karyological viewpoint as considered till now. In fact a higher diploid number than that generally observed in most species of Lacertidae and supernumerary chromosomes have been observed in three of the species investigated. Moreover an evident interand intraspecific variability has been found in the C-banding pattern of the various species studied. The situation found in Podarcis sicula is particularly remarkable. Different C-banding patterns have been observed in three different subspecies and in two populations of the same subspecies. These variations do not show a well defined trend and their role in the evolution of lacertid lizards is discussed. The C-banding analysis evidences also the existence in two of the species studied of a female sex heteromorphism, in which the W chromosome has the same shape and size as the Z, but differs from it in being completely heterochromatic. This situation reminds that observed in some snakes and suggests that in lacertid lizards the evolution of sex chromosomes might have followed the same steps previously hypothesized for ophidians.

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Mount Madran is located within Aydın Province and contains lots of types of ecosystems. With this study, amphibian and reptile species of Madran was tried to determine. Specimens which were collected on September 2011 and April-May 2012 were investigated in terms of some morphological characteristics like number of scales and plates, color and pattern characteristics, and body measurements and ratio. Information about ecological and biological characteristics of determined species from study area were also given. In this study, totally 23 species with 3 amphibian and 20 reptiles were determined and were expected to contribute Turkish Herpetofauna.

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This study investigates amphibian and reptile species of Madran Mountain. Specimens were collected in September 2011 and April and May 2012. A total of 23 species (3 amphibians and 20 reptiles) were determined. ese species are thought to contribute to our knowledge of the Turkish herpetofauna. In addition, a chorotype classi cation of the species determined on Madran Mountain is given.

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In this study, the amphibians and reptilians of Murat Mountain, where only mountain frogs have been investigated so far, are introduced. A total of 99 specimens from 15 different species were collected. Four of the species belong to anurans, one belongs to tortoises, six belong to lizards and four belong to the snakes group.

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Tail loss is an effective antipredator strategy in many lizards. After loss the tail continues to thrash vigorously and may distract predators away from the escaping lizard. However, autotomy imposes energetic and survival costs (loss of lipid reserves, reduction of reproductive output, impairment of locomotor performance). Autotomy may have been lost when costs exceed benefits, while a substantial reduction or full loss may occur during ontogeny. The Balkan green lizard, Lacerta trilineata is a skilful sprinter despite its robust structure. Predation was simulated in a total of 83 individuals (48 juveniles and 35 adults). All juveniles shed their tail readily while none of the adults autotomized their tails. Post-autotomy duration of movement and levels of involving metabolites in shed tails were measured. No differences were found on comparison to other Greek lacertids. These findings suggest that autotomic ability is lost ontogenetically in L. trilineata while post-autotomy energetics seems to be a conservative character.

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A deviant population of green lizard of the Peloponnese (Greece) The author and several other amateur herpetologists report the presence of populations of green lizards in the west of the Peloponnese (Greece) that are deviant from the locally widespread Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata trilineata). Males had green backs and lavender-blue lateral sides, while females were similar to Balkan green lizards. The habitat of these animals appeared to be restricted to the surroundings of (temporary) dry riverbeds. In view of the striking similarity to a subspecies of Levant green lizard (Lacerta media ciliciensis) speculations are made about their origin. Genetic research will be required to clarify the taxonomic status of these deviant populations of green lizards in the Peloponnese.

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Morphological and behavioral abnormalities in F1 hybrids of Lacerta bilineata and Lacerta trilineata. A male L. trilineata was introduced to the enclosure of a female L. bilineata. Mating was observed and a clutch of eight eggs was produced. Three of these eggs hatched after 60 days of incubation at 26-30oC. The juveniles had characteristics of both parent species but displayed deformities at the front legs. Furthermore, they did not show any interest in prey items and subsequently died within 2 weeks. The remaining eggs contained dead, underdeveloped embryo’s with non-closed abdomens. These mechanisms may contribute to the reproductive isolation of both species in the region where their areas of distribution meet.

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Captive bred lizards in general and especially Emerald Lizards dislays aberrant pale blue/green body colors. These colors are less attractive than the bright yellow/green colors of lizards in the wild. Exoeriments were designed to solve this problem. The author subjected groups of captive bred juvenile Western Emerald Lizards (Lacerta bilineata) to different food and lighting conditions. From these experiments it became clear that artificial UV-light or unfiltered sunlight was not sufficient to induce normal body coloration. By changing the diet of the lizards from captive bred insects to wild-caught arthropods normal body coloration began to appear within one week. The feeding of artrificial pigments to induce the yellow color did not have anyeffect on body coloration, while red pigments (casrotenoids) induced red ventral coloration in male Peloponnese Wall Lizards (Podarcis peloponnesiacus) and red coloration of rostral and labial shields in Ocellated Lizards (Timon lepidus). These results show that the attractive bright body colors typical for Emerald Lizards (and several other lizard species) depend on the source of food.

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Male courtship behavior in lizard species of the genus Lacerta usually begins by gentle biting in the female’s flanks, hind legs and tail. Eventually, the male will clamp onto the female by biting her flank followed by copulation. In Balkan Green Lizards (Lacerta trilineata) from the Peloponnese (Greece) the author observed an additional and very remarkable aspect of courtship behavior. Males repeatedly produced a clearly audible hissing sound during courtship which lasted up to 40 seconds. This suggests that sound is part of mating behavior in Balkan Green Lizards, a phenomenon that has not been described for any of the other species in the genus Lacerta.

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The blue-sided lizards of the Peloponnese (Greece) Green lizards of the Lacerta trilineata cluster form a complex taxonomic group with several species and subspecies. During herpetological oriented journeys to the Peloponnese (Greece), populations of green lizards were observed that were strikingly different from the subspecies of Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata trilineata) known to be present on the peninsula, by having blue-sides and all green backs. In this article I have analysed the phylogenetic relationship of these unusually colored green lizards by DNA analysis and subsequently comparing part of the cytochrome b gene to other species within the Lacerta trilineata cluster. From these analyses it became clear that the blue-sided lizards were genetically different from all L. trilineata subspecies described so far, but most closely related to the normally colored L. trilineata trilineata from the Peloponnese. This may indicate that the blue-sided L. trilineata represents a new subspecies restricted to the West of the Peloponnese. In captivity the blue-sided lizards do remarkably well and reproduce abundantly. During courtship the male blue-sided lizards display extraordinary behavior by producing a clearly audible sound. So far I have bred these interesting lizards in captivity unto the third generation.

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Seit einigen Jahren versucht der Autor, eine Lösung für das Problem der im Allgemeinen matten Körperfarben von in Menschenobhut gezüchteten großen Lacertiden wie Lacerta bilineata, L. trilineata und Timon lepidus zu finden. Frühere Untersuchungen hatten ergeben, dass bei diesen im Terrarium gezüchteten Eidechsen vor allem das gelbe Pigment fehlte, was zu unnatürlich bläulichen Körperfarben führte. Nach dem Ausschluss von (UV-)Licht als bestimmender Faktor für natürliche Körperfarben bei diesen Eidechsen wurde die Nahrung (Insekten) als Quelle des gelben Pigments identifiziert. In Gefangenschaft gezüchtete Insekten besitzen dieses Pigment nicht, während in der Natur gefangene Insekten ausreichende Mengen des gelben Pigments enthalten, um natürliche Körperfarben bei in Menschenobhut gezüchteten Eidechsen hervorzurufen. Da es vor allem in gemäßigten Klimazonen fast unmöglich ist, für eine große Zahl von Eidechsen-Nachzuchten genügend Insekten aus der freien Wildbahn zu fangen, versuchte der Autor, eine synthetische Alternative zu finden, um natürliche Körperfarben bei den Nachzuchten zu erzeugen. Im vorliegenden Artikel wurde Sauriflavin (ein synthetisch modifiziertes Carotinoid) mehreren Arten von großen Lacertiden verabreicht, und es wurde festgestellt, dass es zu einer normalen Gelbfärbung und damit zu einer normalen Grünkörperpigmentierung führt. Sauriflavin ist wasserlöslich und scheint keine toxische Wirkung auf junge oder erwachsene Eidechsen zu haben. Interessanterweise konnten Weibchen, die mit Sauriflavin gefüttert wurden, die normale Körperpigmentierung über die Eier auf ihre Nachkommen übertragen.

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Smaragdeidechsen der Lacerta-trilineata-Gruppe bilden eine komplexe taxonomische Gruppe aus mehreren Arten und Unterarten. Während herpetologisch ausgerichteter Reisen auf die Peloponnes konnten Smaragdeidechsen-Populationen beobachtet werden, deren Tiere sich durch ihre blauen Flanken und einen vollständig grünen Rücken auffallend von der auf der Peloponnes-Halbinsel verbreiteten Riesensmaragdeidechse (Lacerta trilineata trilineata) unterscheiden. In diesem Bericht möchten wir die Ergebnisse unserer DNA-Untersuchungen und die phylogenetischen Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen dieser ungewöhnlich gefärbten Smaragdeidechsen zu anderen Arten der Lacerta-trilineata-Gruppe vorstellen.

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Many animals display complex colour patterns that comprise several adjacent, often contrasting colour patches. Combining patches of complementary colours increases the overall conspicuousness of the complex pattern, enhancing signal detection. Therefore, selection for conspicuousness may act not only on the design of single colour patches, but also on their combination. Contrasting long- and short-wavelength colour patches are located on the ventral and lateral surfaces of many lacertid lizards. As the combination of long- and short-wavelength-based colours generates local chromatic contrast, we hypothesized that selection may favour the co-occurrence of lateral and ventral contrasting patches, resulting in complex colour patterns that maximize the overall conspicuousness of the signal. To test this hypothesis we performed a comparative phylogenetic study using a categorical colour classification based on spectral data and descriptive information on lacertid coloration collected from the literature. Our results demonstrate that conspicuous ventral (long wavelength-based) and lateral (short wavelength-based) colour patches co-occur throughout the lacertid phylogeny more often than expected by chance, especially in the subfamily Lacertini. These results suggest that selection promotes the evolution of the complex pattern rather than the acquisition of a single conspicuous colour patch, possibly due to the increased conspicuousness caused by the combination of colours with contrasting spectral properties.

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Although the herpetofauna of Greece is well known (see for example, Werner, 1938; Wettstein, 1953, 1957; Ondrias, 1968; Chondropoulos, 1986, 1989), several distributional questions still remain unclear, mainly for the mainland but also for islands. ` In this paper we present some chorological information from a field trip of one month (April 1990) to mainland and insular Greece.

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The geographical position, mild climate, mountainous landscape, and habitat heterogeneity determine Bulgaria’s rich diversity of herpetofauna. Currently, 17 species of amphibians (20 subspecies) and 36 species of reptiles (45 subspecies) are known from Bulgaria. Due to its transitional position, Bulgaria lies at the southern or northern distribution limits of many species of amphibians and reptiles. Vertical distribution is presented for all species found in Bulgaria. The richest in terms of diversity and abundance are the areas below 400 m, where nearly 95 % of taxa occur. The geographical ranges of almost all amphibians and reptiles in Bulgaria are well-known, although on a local scale the information is often limited. Zoogeographical analysis demonstrates that amphibian species belong to nine chorotypes, of which the Eastern Mediterranean and the European chorotypes are represented with three species each. Out of the ten chorotypes recognized for the reptiles, 51.4 % of the species belong to the Eastern Mediterranean (25.7 %) and Turanian–Mediterranean (25.7 %) chorotypes. Only two subspecies are Bulgarian endemics (Salamandra salamandra beschkovi and Mediodactylus kotschyi rumelicus). Due to the high diversity and mosaic distribution of habitats in Bulgaria, the herpetofauna has a rather continuous occurrence and high relative abundance. Although 80 % of the Bulgarian herpetofauna is legally protected by the Biodiversity Protection Act (2002) and other conventions, some species are threatened through collection for trade or habitat changes due to construction. Several sites in the southern part of Bulgaria are very rich in herpetofauna (nine to ten species of amphibians and 19 to 21 species of reptiles).

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In this paper, we present the results of a study conducted in the Great Ulcinj Beach area, including its hinterland and Ada Island. In the study area, we recorded 10 species of amphibians (Lissotriton vulgaris, Bombina variegata, Bufo bufo, Pseudepidalea viridis, Hyla arborea, Pelophylax ridibundus, Pelophylax lessonae, Pelophylax shqipericus, Rana dalmatina, and Rana temporaria) and 20 species of reptiles (Testudo hermanni, Emys orbicularis, Mauremys rivulata, Caretta caretta, Hemidactylus turcicus, Lacerta viridis, Lacerta trilineata, Podarcis muralis, Podarcis melisellensis, Anguis fragilis, Pseudopus apodus, Natrix natrix, Natrix tessellata, Hierophis gemonensis, Dolichophis caspius, Zamenis longissimus, Elaphe quatuorlineata, Malpolon insignitus, Telescopus fallax, and Vipera ammodytes). Mauremys rivulata and Telescopus fallax were recorded for the rst time in this area.

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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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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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Several species of the green lizard group of the Caucasus (Lacerta tritineata, L. strigata and L. agilis) occur sympatrically. However, the reproductive isolating mechanisms prevent the hybridization. Various kinds of possible mechanisms, both premating (habitat isolation, differences in the breeding period, mating behaviour, including visual, sound, tactile and chemical communications, sizes) and postmating (low amounts of fertilized eggs, hybrid inviability) are discussed. The author provides new data on artificial hybridization of the three species (table 3).

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Hybridization experiments between the five commonly recognized species L. agilis, L. viridis, L. schreiberi, L. strigata, L. trilineata reveal increased rates of malformation and reduced fertility up to sterility as postzygotic isolating mechanisms. Depending on the combination, 30% up to 100% of hybrid females are sterile while only two sterile males were observed among hundreds. In backcrosses and in the rare cases of F2 generations, a drastic decrease of reproductive success was observed, if fertile offspring occurred. Clear species boundaries between the five species are demonstrated, although different degrees of postzygotic isolation indicate different genetic distances between them. Results from crosses within the taxon L. viridis s. 1. justify the distinction of two polytypic semispecies, L. bilineata in the western part of the range and L. viridis in the eastern part.

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The present study reports the morphology of leukocytes of 12 European lacertid lizards (Podarcis sicula, P. tiliguerta, P. melisellensis, P. bocagei, P. muralis, Algyroides nigropunctatus, Lacerta viridis, L. bilineata, L. trilineata, L. oxycephala, Timon lepidus, and Zootoca vivipara) stained using May–Grünwald/Giemsa method. The morphology of white blood cells was very similar among species, suggesting a relative morphological uniformity within the lacertid lizards. For six species (i.e. P. sicula, P. tiliguerta, P. melisellensis, P. bocagei, P. muralis, and A. nigropunctatus), we determined the leukocyte differential counts, which may be considered representative of the normal values of the corresponding populations. These results may be useful either in clinical investigation to detect pathologies in wild individuals, as in management and conservation projects to assess the general health conditions of natural wild lizard populations.

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The structural and functional features that animals develop in order to survive and thrive in their environment have long drawn the attention of the scientific community. Regarding insular ecosystems, the unique physical-natural conditions prevailing on them, the strictly defined by the seas boundaries and the more simplified systems induce the diversification and evolution of island biotas with a number of ways. The main aim of the present research was first, to investigate the effect of natural selection on the ecology, physiology and general biology of ectothermic animals, such as lizards and second, to examine how natural selection can shape morphological, functional and behavioral traits. To this aim, we studied insular and mainland populations of the lizard species Lacerta trilineata (Sauria: Lacertidae). The green lizards of the genus Lacerta comprises nine allopatric species, four of which occur in Greece, while only L. trilineata is distributed in both continental and insular Greek region. The latter feature makes L. trilineata an ideal organism to study the phenotypic plasticity of physiological and morphological traits. How and with what adaptations was its current distribution formed? How did insular and mainland populations have diversified to the different environmental conditions? Are there historical or ecological causes that led to this diversification? These are some of the subjects that this PhD Thesis was dealt with. Through a comparative framework, that contained several L. trilineata populations we tried to address these issues. The resolved phylogeny revealed that the first branch-off of the Greek green lizards occurred during the middle Miocene (13.91 Mya) and led to the separation of the L. viridis/bilineata group from the species L. agilis and L. trilineata. The next major cladogenetic event took place at late Miocene (11.65 Mya) and led to the separation of the latter two species. Regarding the clade of L. trilineata our results support the existence of six distinct lineages. The high intraspecific genetic divergences between these lineages, which are comparable to that recorded among lacertid species, raises questions regarding its taxonomic status and whether or not it is a single species. L. trilineata seems to originate and diverge in western Anatolia. Given the phylogeny of L. trilineata in the Aegean and the geological history of the Greek area, we assume that the ancestral form of this species invaded the Greek area from Anatolia before the complete formation of the MAT (~9 Mya). The forming of this barrier gave the two groups of L. trilineata lineages (west and east of the trench). Within each group, some other vicariant and dispersal events as well as the raise of the Mediterranean Sea at the end of the last glacial period during Holocene have resulted in the present distribution of the six evolutionary lineages of L. trilineata. In order to approach the thermal biology of this species, we studied two mainland and two island populations and determined three different thermal values for each population: lizard`s temperature under normal conditions in the field (body temperature), the temperature that a lizard may achieve in a special designed thermal gradient in the lab (selective temperature) and the potential temperatures that an animal could reach in its biotope (operative temperatures). From the correlation of these three values we tried to describe the strategy of thermoregulation that each population has adopted. The comparison between mainland and island populations revealed that both populations have adapted to their thermal environment, supporting the `labile` view on the evolution of thermal physiology for this species. In particular, insular lizards thermoregulate less effectively because of the more benign, in terms of thermal quality, environment and have lower thermal preferenda. Mainland lizards on the other hand, showed higher effectiveness as a result of the more demanding environment. However, predation regime seems to restrict the ability of the latter to achieve body temperatures close to their set-point range. To investigate the trophic ecology of the Balkan green lizard, we removed the digestive track of preserved specimens as well as collected the fecal material from live lizards, and we correlated the trophic data with morphological and functional traits. Our findings support that L. trilineata is a widely foraging predator, feeding on numerous invertebrate taxa, while Coleoptera and Orthoptera represent the predominant prey group. Ontogeny, sex, season and habitat affect the feeding ecology of this species. The seasonal variation in the diet of L. trilineata corroborate that the species is an opportunistic predator. However, juveniles followed a discrete feeding pattern, which indicates an ontogenetic shift. During their growth, lacertids undergo significant changes in the size, shape and performance of their feeding apparatus. A complementary underlying reason should be sought in the way adults exploit their environment and the areas that usually occupy. Finally, regarding the observed differences in diet composition between sexes as well as island and mainland populations, these probably reflect adaptations through sexual and natural selection. The more robust heads of male lizards allows them to develop a greater bite force and consequently to feed on harder prey items. In addition, the food scarcity prevailing in the Mediterranean islands offers little choice to insular lizards. Thus islanders have to take advantage of every available food resource in order to survive even plant material, which they achieved by increasing the head depth and width as well as bite force, compared to their mainland counterparts. Differences on feeding ecology usually affect several aspects of the digestive system such as physiology and morphology. In the study of the digestive procedure we tried to obtain a qualitative approach of the digestion of the main organic compounds (lipids, sugars and proteins). Islanders deviated from their mainland peers increasing the digestive tract length and the frequency of cecal valves in the hindgut. However, an increase in the digestive tract length and the frequency of cecal valves might cause an increase of gut passage time and, thus, food retention times. In other words, enzymes could have more time to act, which maximize the rate of energy intake and the digestive efficiency. We believe that these changes on the digestive procedure could be interpreted as adaptations for the limited food availability prevailing on islands. Finally, given that the ability of an animal to successfully colonize new habitats is mainly determined by its ability to cope with pathogens of the environment, we studied the immune response in association with the genetic diversity of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I. For the study of cell-mediated response we used two methodological approaches: (a) the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and (b) the phytohemagglutinin-induced skin swelling test (PHA). Our finding revealed that the genetic boundaries of islands and the food scarcity prevailing on them caused decline in the genetic divergence at the MHC genes and in parasite tolerance. Nonetheless, the significant importance of balancing selection against genetic drift, in shaping MHC polymorphism, has lead to an increase on the nucleotide diversity of the remaining MHC alleles. As a result and besides the reduce parasite tolerance of islanders, the latter demonstrated high cell mediated response, which is comparable to their mainland peers. To sum up, it appears that island populations of L. trilineata have adapted to the different biotic and abiotic environmental conditions of islands, which have lead to the development of unique morphological, physiological and behavioral traits.

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Island environments differ with regard to numerous features from the mainland and may induce large-scale changes in most aspects of the biology of an organism. In this study, we explore the effect of insularity on the morphology and performance of the feeding apparatus, a system crucial for the survival of organisms. To this end, we examined the head morphology and feeding ecology of island and mainland populations of the Balkan green lizard, Lacerta trilineata. We predicted that head morphology, performance and diet composition would differ between sexes and habitats as a result of varying sexual and natural selection pressures. We employed geometric morphometrics to test for differences in head morphology, measured bite forces and analysed the diet of 154 adult lizards. Morphological analyses revealed significant differences between sexes and also between mainland and island populations. Relative to females, males had larger heads, a stronger bite and consumed harder prey than females. Moreover, island lizards differed in head shape, but not in head size, and, in the case of males, demonstrated a higher bite force. Islanders had a wider food niche breadth and included more plant material in their diet. Our findings suggest that insularity influences feeding ecology and, through selection on bite force, head morphology

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Head morphology and head size in lizards have been traditionally associated with ecological and behavioral features such as feeding, mate success and aggressive performance. The relation between head size and bite performance is adequately direct, and individuals with larger head exert higher maximal bite force. On the other hand, bite force is a valuable indicator of prey choice and feeding strategies of animals. In the present study we examined the head morphology and feeding ecology between island and mainland Greek populations of the Balkan Green Lizard, Lacerta trilineata. We investigated how natural and sexual selection can affect head traits. We applied geometric morphometrics for a total of 154 adult L. trilineata individuals (20 females and 48 males from the islands and 30 females and 56 males from the mainland). For each individual, stomach content was also analysed. Apart from taxonomic classification, preys were also classified based on hardness measurements obtained from previous prey-crushing studies. All the examined animals were deposited to the Herpetological Collection of the Natural History Museum of Crete. Analyses of morphology indicated significant morphological differences both between sexes and between mainland and island populations. Males had, in general, larger heads than females. Moreover, insular and mainland lizards of the same sex differed in head size but not in body size. The analysis of stomach content revealed a significant difference on the diet between sexes and between mainland and island populations. Our findings suggest that the observed differences in head traits may partly reflect the trophic ecology of different L. trilineata populations.

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The Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata) is the most widespread lizard in the Balkans, ranging from Croatia to Crete and from Ionian to Black Sea. Surprisingly, its feeding ecology remains largely understudied. In this study we describe the diet of the species using 288 specimens from museum collections that derived from 8 island and 4 mainland populations from Greece. Besides yielding basic information on the trophic preferences of the species, our aim was also to unravel the effect of sex, age, season and habitat on the feeding patterns. The diet of L. trilineata consisted mainly of insects, with Coleoptera (51%) and Orthoptera (11%) being the predominant prey groups. Though we failed to detect any sexual variation, we found that ontogeny, season and habitat seem to affect the feeding ecology of the species. Juveniles had higher niche breadth and fed on softer preys. Lacerta trilineata changes its feeding preferences throughout the year. Island populations adopted a higher niche breadth during summer; mainland lizards – during spring. Islanders showed also a clear proneness to herbivory, most probably due to the food scarcity of the islands. Lacerta trilineata is an opportunistic predator that shifts its diet according to season and habitat.

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Studies on life history characters are of pivotal importance to understand population dynamics and demography and, if required, to propose effective conservation measures. The Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata) is the most widespread lizard species in the Balkans but, interestingly, there are no studies on its reproductive biology. Herein, we focused on life history traits of L. trilineata, examining 369 museum specimens deriving from 12 island and 5 mainland populations from Greece. We measured the testicle size and the length of the epididymis in males, and the presence, number and size of oviductal eggs and vitellogenic follicles in females during activity seasons (from March to September). Our results suggest that the annual reproductive cycle in both sexes starts in mid-April and ends in July, though insular lizards seem to slightly prolong their reproductive season. Both sexes reached sexual maturity at a minimum body size of approximately 80 mm. Clutch size varied greatly depending on maternal body size. Clutch size and mean egg volume differed between mainland and island populations: in a striking deviation from the island syndrome, insular females carried more (13) but smaller eggs compared to their mainland conspecifics (nine but larger eggs). Mean egg volume was negatively correlated with clutch size.

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Living on islands entails numerous challenges for animals, among which resource scarcity stands out. In order to survive, animals have to optimize energy acquisition. We examined the impact of insularity on digestion comparing a series of physiological and morphological traits of adult males between insular and mainland populations of the Balkan green lizard. Island lizards had longer gastrointestinal tracts and gut passage times and higher digestive efficiencies. The dissection of the hindgut revealed an unexpected finding, the presence of cecal valves that were more frequent in island lizards. Thanks to all above islanders retain food for longer periods and thus maximize energy income and increase the amount of the extracted nutrients. That way, they secure energy income from the limited, in time and quantity, food resources of the islands.

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The green lizards of the genus Lacerta (Sauria, Lacertidae) comprise nine recognized species, which in Europe are mainly restricted to the southern peninsulas. Four of them (L. trilineata, L. viridis, L. bilineata and L. agilis) occur in Greece. The uncertainty of morphological diversification renders the taxonomic assignment into species and subspecies problematic. In this study sequence data derived from two mito- chondrial (cytochrome b and 16S rRNA) genes and one nuclear (NKTR) gene were used to (a) evaluate the taxonomic status of the genus Lacerta in Greece with emphasis on L. trilineata group and (b) investigate the evolutionary history of the genus through the application of phylogenetic and phylogeographic anal- yses, using Gallotia and Timon as outgroups. The phylogenetic analyses revealed the existence of four major clades. The first clade corresponds to L. trilineata group, the second to L. media, the third to L. agilis and the fourth to a complex of L. viridis and L. bilineata. However, the produced phylogenetic relationships are not congruent with the current taxonomy, especially in the first clade in which L. trilineata appeared to be paraphyletic in regard to L. pamphylica. Six distinct lineages were inferred within L. trilineata, despite the current recognition of nine morphological subspecies, the genetic differentiation of which exceeds that of other Lacerta species, imposing a thorough taxonomic revision of the species. Our results suggested a rapid diversification of L. trilineata group during the late Miocene. We believe that the pres- ent distribution of the genus in Greece is the result of several dispersal and vicariant events that took place during the late Miocene and early Pliocene.

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The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has long served as a model for the evolution of adaptive genetic diversity in wild populations. Pathogen-mediated selection is thought to be a main driver of MHC diversity, but it remains elusive to what degree selection shapes MHC diversity in complex biogeographical scenarios where other evolutionary processes (e.g. genetic drift and introgression) may also be acting. Here we focus on two closely related green lizard species, Lacerta trilineata and L. viridis, to address the evolutionary forces acting on MHC diversity in populations with different biogeographic structure. We characterized MHC class I exon 2 and exon 3, and neutral diversity (microsatellites), to study the relative importance of selection, drift, and introgression in shaping MHC diversity. As expected, positive selection was a significant force shaping the high diversity of MHC genes in both species. Moreover, introgression significantly increased MHC diversity in mainland populations, with a primary direction of gene flow from L. viridis to L. trilineata. Finally, we found significantly fewer MHC alleles in island populations, but maintained MHC sequence and functional diversity, suggesting that positive selection counteracted the effect of drift. Overall, our data support that different evolutionary processes govern MHC diversity in different biogeographical scenarios: positive selection occurs broadly while introgression acts in sympatry and drift when the population sizes decrease.

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The overall biology of ectotherms is strongly affected by the thermal quality of the environment. The particular conditions prevailing on islands have a strong effect on numerous features of animal life. In this study we compared mainland and island populations of the lizard Lacerta trilineata and hypothesized that insularity would affect the thermoregulatory strategy. Continental habitats were of lower thermal quality, experiencing more intense fluctuations and had higher values of operative temperatures. Nevertheless mainland lizards selected for higher body temperatures in the lab and showed more effective thermoregulation during summer than their island peers. Lizards achieved similar body temperatures in the field in both types of habitat, underlining the importance of predation as a potential factor to mainland lizards that failed to reach their higher thermal preferences. Both island and mainland populations of L. trilineata have been adapted to their thermal environment, supporting the labile view on the evolution of thermal physiology for this species.

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During a two weeks stay in the west of Crete (25. 09. - 09. 10. 1996) the following species were observed: Lacerta trilineata polylepidota, Podarcis erhardii, Hemidactylus turcicus, Coluber gemonensis, Mauremys caspica rivulata, Trachemys scripta elegans and Bufo Viridis.

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Two species of Walllizards are occuring in the Dobruja of Romania and Bulgaria: the Balkan walllizard (Podarcis muralis albanica) and the Taurican or Crimean lizard (Podarcis taurica taurica). A short description of these species is followed by information on distribution, ecology, threats and conservation.

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Lefkada ist eine recht kleine Insel, die südlich der bekannten Urlaubsinsel Korfu liegt und sogar mit einer „Damm-Brücke“ gut per Auto zu erreichen ist. Die Insel liegt im Ionischen Meer und sollte durch die Nähe zum Festland die für diese Gegend typische Herpetofauna beherbergen. Seltamerweise liegen aber nur sehr wenige herpetologische Beobachtungen vor, da sie anscheinend nur selten von herpetologisch interessierten Personen besucht wird. Ein Grund mehr, hier einmal seinen Frühjahrsurlaub zu verbringen. Und weil einmal keinmal ist, werden hier gleich die Beobachtungen von zwei „herpetologischen Strandurlauben“ berichtet.

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The first overview of the amphibians and reptiles of Dugi Otok Island, Northern Dalmatia, is presented, based on the published data and new records collected during the last twenty years. A total of 15 species are present on the island, of which only one was not recorded on our surveys. In comparison to other islands of Northern Dalmatia, Dugi Otok is the second most diverse island in terms of herpetofauna, just after Pag Island. The main threats to the amphibians and reptiles on the island are the disappearance and degradation of aquatic habitats, the abandonment and succession of traditional agricultural fields and olive groves and the increasing presence of several invasive species.

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1. A revision of Anatolian L. trilineata reveals its subdivision into three species: The western L. trilineata BEDRIAGA, 1886 (comprising in Anatolia the two subspecies- groupings cariensis and diplochondrodes), the eastern L. media LANTZ & CYREN, 1920 (comprising the subspecies L. m. (m.) media - probably subdivided into further „minor subspecies` - L. m. (i.) isaurica, L. m. (i.) ciliciensis, L. m. (w.) wolterstorffi, L. m. (w.) israelica) and L. pamphylica SCHMIDTLER, 1975; the latter being endemic and allopatric in Southern Central Anatolia. Probably these three species are equally related with each other, with the L. viridis-strigata-complex and possibly also with L. agilis. In Green Lizards generally the degree of specific differentiation is weil indicated by the degree of pholidotic differentiation. 2. In the intrapontic transversal valleys of Arav and Gök-rivers (West Pontus-Subregion) three species of Green Lizards prove to be ecological indicator-species of the three main vegetation-zones and herpetocoenoses: - Mediterranean-intrapontic vegetation-zone (Pinus halepensis; 300-600 m): L. m. me- dia and the reptiles Ophisops elegans, Coluber caspius, Mauremys caspica, Testudo graeca; the amphibians Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Rana ridibunda. - Supramediterranean-prepontic vegetation-zone (Pinus nigra; 600-1000 m): L. triline- ata galatiensis and the reptiles Lacerta parva, Podarcis muralis, Emys orbicularis, Testudo graeca and, additionally to the above mentioned amphibians: Rana macrocnemis. - Moderate-euxinic vegetation-zone (Pinus silvestris; 1000-1500 m): L. viridis paphla- gonica and the reptiles Lacerta cf. rudis, Podarcis muralis, Coronella austriaca; the amphibi- ans Triturus vittatus, Bufo bufo, Hyla arborea, Rana ridibunda and R. macrocnemis.

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In Green lizards (Lacerta s. str.) two kinds of numerical variation appear in temporals, supraciliars, supraciliargranules, dorsals, gulars, femoral pores and subdigital lamellae: The first being correlated with climate, the second non-correlated. In the first kind of variation the mean values increase from forms living in moderate-continental regions to forms living in more warm-oceanic regions. This kind of variation is clearly visible even in closely related forms (mostly `minor subspecies`) and shows an almost parallel gradation in all the seven scale characteristics (see Abb. 2). Within the climatically extreme ranges of a form the pattern of scutellation seems to be generally rather uniform and to correspond to its climatic centre. The second kind of variation of these scales - non-correlated and non-parallel - has a greater importance only when comparing more distantly related forms (subspecies-groupings; Abb. 2). These results produce a number of difficult questions concerning the first kind of vari- ation and being mostly insolvable at present: Inherited or non-inherited (modificatory) character of variation? Influence of inherited climatic requests to non-inherited scutella- tion-patterns? Clinal changes of scutellation-patterns correlated with climate, as the expression of an ecological cline? Predictions of climatic adaptation basable on (modifica- tory) scutellation data? Importance of this kind of variation for taxonomy of lacertids?

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Numerical and cladistic methods are applied to pholidosis in Green Lizards. As a result of this first publication treating the nearly related L. viridis and L. strigata, the specific rank of L. strigata, a fully allopatric and probably polytypic taxon, becomes questionable. L. vi- ridis living along the Southern coast of the Black Sea is now subdivided into three, partly intergrading subspecies: L. viridis meridionalis CYREN 1933 (Marmara-Region), L. v. paph- lagonica n. ssp. (West Pontus-Subregion), L. v. inftapunctata n. ssp. (East Pontus-Subre- gion). The lauer comprises also specimens having been assigned to Lacerta agilis grusinica by PETERS (1962 a).

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During nine stays on Mount Biokovo (1762 m) / Central Dalmatia (Croatia), and the adjacent parts of the Cetina valley in the years 1979–1990, 16 reptile species were observed. Together with previous data from literature the list now comprises 21 species. New or more detailed data are given, particularly on the following lizard species: Lacerta trilineata, L. viridis, L. mosorensis, L. oxycephala, Podarcis muralis and P. sicula.

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General morphology and size of erythrocytes of the some lacertid lizards, Lacerta trilineata, L. viridis, L. taurica and L. sicula (Lacertidae), living in Turkey was studied using Wright`s technique. The longest erythrocytes were found in L. sicula and the shortest ones in L. trilineata.

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The island of Lefkada is a popular and easily accessible tourist destination; nevertheless, there is no comprehensive checklist of its interesting herpetofauna. Indeed, most records are old, scattered in different papers, and lacking precise locality data. In order to summarize the knowledge on the herpetofauna of the island, we critically reviewed literature, we looked for reliable records in the web and we carried out a field survey in May 2019. The herpetofauna of Lefkada amounts to 28 species (six amphibians and 22 reptiles). The occurrence of Testudo graeca on the island is considered unlikely, while an additional species, Testudo marginata, is here reported based on web sources. Among the species recorded on the island, 25 have been recently confirmed, two of them (Rana dalmatina and Anguis graeca) over a century. For three species (Lissotriton graecus, Chelonia mydas, and Podarcis tauricus) the last records date back to over 30 years ago.

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Three couples Lacerta trilineata were caught in Yougoslavia. After 3.5 years only one couple was still alive. Temperature was kept high in winter.

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The list of recent taxonomic and nomenclatural changes concerning Romanian amphibian and reptile species is presented in the light of new phylogenetic results. The status and distribution of some subspecies which inhabit Romania is discussed. The goals of contemporary conservation are revised. Also a list of used Romanian material in recent phylogeny studies is provided.

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Research on the taxonomy of European amphibians and reptiles has increased noticeably over the last few decades, indicating the need for recognition of new species and the cancellation of others. This paper provides a critical review of recent changes and draws up a tentative species list.

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The last species list of the European herpetofauna was published by Speybroeck, Beukema and Crochet (2010). In the meantime, ongoing research led to numerous taxonomic changes, including the discovery of new species-level lineages as well as reclassifications at genus level, requiring significant changes to this list. As of 2019, a new Taxonomic Committee was established as an official entity within the European Herpetological Society, Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH). Twelve members from nine European countries reviewed, discussed and voted on recent taxonomic research on a case-by-case basis. Accepted changes led to critical compilation of a new species list, which is hereby presented and discussed. According to our list, 301 species (95 amphibians, 15 chelonians, including six species of sea turtles, and 191 squamates) occur within our expanded geographical definition of Europe. The list includes 14 non-native species (three amphibians, one chelonian, and ten squamates).

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A collection of 1580 recent data records (1993-2012) of amphibians and reptiles from the Greek island of Samos was compiled. All records were mapped onto a grid of 1 km by 1 km, with 261 of the total 648 cells (40 %) of the island holding at least one observation. Subsequently, the distribution patterns and ecological observa- tions were compared with data from other islands in the Aegean Basin. The discovery of the Coin-marked Snake Hemorrhois nummifer (reuSS, 1834), published herein after, constitutes a new island record, setting the herpeto- fauna list to 28 confirmed species (4 amphibians, 24 reptiles).

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In den Jahren 2005 bis 2007 fanden im Becken von Feneos (Peloponnes, Griechenland) umfangreiche Untersuchungen zur Avifauna und Herpetofauna statt. Bei der erstmaligen Erfassung der Vogelwelt im Bergtal konnten 98 Vogelarten nachgewiesen werden, davon 81 Brutvögel, 14 Durchzügler und drei Nahrungsgäste. Für die Herpetofauna gelang der Nachweis von sieben Amphibien- und 26 Reptilienarten.

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Although reptile fauna of FYR of Macedonia (FYROM) was the matter of interest since more than a century, detailed distributions of most of the species are still missing. According to published data, 32 reptile species inhabit FYROM. In this paper, detailed distribution data of reptile species in FYROM are presented. Research of herpetofauna of FYROM was conducted from 1999 until 2012 and included 393 localities. For 32 recorded reptile species, exact localities and altitudes, as well as published records are given. Analyses of the reptile diversity of the FYROM showed that the regions with the highest species diversity are: the Prespa and Ohrid Lake Region, Skopje region, Veles region and the Dojran Lake Region, with 18-21 reptile species per UTM 10 x 10 squares. These regions should be considered for the future designation of important herpetological areas at national level. Results of comparative analysis of reptile faunas from all Balkan countries showed that Macedonian fauna is the most similar with Albanian (92.537) and Bulgarian (90.909) reptile faunas. Zoogeographic analysis showed that reptile fauna of FYROM consists of eight chorotypes in total, the most dominant chorotype being the Eastern-Mediterranean with 13 species, followed by the Turano-Mediterranean with six and Southern-European with five species. Detailed distribution data of this study could be basis for future action plans, protection and conservation measures of reptiles in FYROM, and should be implemented in the national legislation and acts. In addition, this data are imperative for the Red Data Book of reptilians and designation of the Important Herpetological Areas in the country.

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Peri-urban forests have both a protective and aesthetic role in cities, contributing to the health and well-being of their residents. Seich Sou is the peri-urban forest of Thessaloniki City, Greece, with an area of about 3000 ha. It offers protection from erosion and pollution, a place for recreation and it can also provide a wildlife refuge. To date, no thorough report on the Seich Sou’s herpetofauna exists in the literature, which is the aim of the present work. The presence of 32 herpetofauna species (seven amphibians and 25 reptiles) has been confirmed in the peri-urban forest, after numerous herpetological surveys that have been conducted within a 17-year time period. Amongst them, eight are listed in the Appendix II of the Council Directive 92/43/EC, three are characterized as Near Threatened and one as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

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In pristine conditions, Mediterranean Europe was covered by dense forests during all Pleistocene and in more recent warm periods. Combined with its rather northern position this means that at that time, apart from in coastal environments, lizard habitats would have been present only where open places were formed by the action of storms, natural fires and the erosive forces of rivers. The latter will have been the most reliable and also the most important force, especially combined with the influence of large grazing and browsing animals. Variations in habitat quality in the resulting open spaces are determined by longitudinal gradients in temperature, humidity, steepness and trophic conditions. Present day ecological differentiation and some special characteristics of the lizards will be discussed in the light of these hypotheses.

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During a field study in 1983-1984 in a 200 km 2 study area in the south of Evros province (Greece) the presence of 11 lizard species was established. For every species a distribution map within the area is supplied. In different parts of the area thc lizards formed different species combinations. Ophisops elegans appeared to vicariate in certain terrains with both Podarcis erhardii and P. taurica. By studying habitat selection and activity patterns of all species data on spatial and temporal niche segregation could be obtained. The activity patterns of all species were strongly influenced by exposition and altitude. In some species a strong altitude influence was also measured on growth and some other life history data. Some pairs of morphologically or ecologically related species are compared in more detail. Some species occurred in very high densities (Lacerta viridis up to 500, Ablepharus kitaibelii up to 1100 ind./ha). Tail loss frequencies of all species are given. For many birds of prey they formed an essential food source.

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Eleven species from six families of lizards have been found in the Resadiye (Datça) Peninsula between the years 1990-1993. In this survey the morphological characteristics such as pholodosis, color-pattern and body measurement and ratios have been investigated. Systematic positions the species of which we have a sufficient number of samples were more accurate in terms of morphological characteristics. Besides, the biological and ecological information on the species were also given.

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This study presents distribution maps of the amphibians and reptiles in the Province of Çanakkale (Marmara Region, Turkey), based on information from field studies conducted at intervals between 2002 and 2013, and the existing literature records. The herpetological inventory comprises 43 species, nine amphibians (three urodelans and six anurans) and 34 reptiles (five turtles, 14 lizards and 15 snakes). The species belong to 15 chorotypes according to the classification by vIGnA TAGlIAnTI et al. (1999). Podarcis siculus (RAFIneSque-SChMAlTZ, 1810) and Elaphe sauromates (PAllAS, 1811) represent first records from the Peninsulas of Biga and Gelibolu. environmental factors that constitute threats to the herpetological species in the Province of Çanakkale are briefly addressed.

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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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We present the updated distribution of batracho- and herpetofauna in southern and south-eastern Serbia, based on literature and new field records for 16 amphibian and 22 reptile species. In these two biogeographic regions, already recognized as biodiversity hotspots, we discovered two new amphibian species with limited distribution: Hyla orientalis and Pelobates balcanicus. Also, one species (Triturus ivanbureshi) has restricted distribution, while one (Bombina bombina) is rare. Four reptile species have limited distributions and six are rare in these regions. The presence of hybrid zones and the influence of the Mediterranean climate make southern and south-eastern Serbia areas of great importance and the target for future ecological and conservation studies in Serbia.

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Based on the results of field investigations carried out in 1994 – 2008 period, the author established the general distributional patterns in the northern part of the Dobrogean mainland of three lizard species. The Sand Lizards (Lacerta agilis) populates habitats with linear shape, the species being present along river valleys and some roads. The Balkan Green Lizards (L. trilineata) and the Green Lizards (L. viridis) were recorded mostly nearby or inside the forests (or plantations). In case of L. trilineata and L. viridis there is quite obvious the spatial segregation: in areas where the two species were present, the Balkan Green Lizard (L. trilineata) occurs mostly at lower altitudes, meanwhile the Green Lizard (L. viridis) was more frequently present at higher altitudes.

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Benny Trapp, Fotograf, Griechenlandkenner und Leiter des Schutzprojektes `Afrikanisches Chamäleon` auf dem Peloponnes, stellt in diesem Buch alle 62 Reptilien- und Amphibienarten des griechischen Festlandes in faszinierenden Bildern vor. Die Informationen zu Beschreibung, Verbreitung, Lebensraum, Fortpflanzung und Verhalten jeder Art werden durch praktische Tipps zu Beobachtungsmöglichkeiten der oftmals scheuen und heimlich lebenden Tiere ergänzt. Neben Informationen über Land und Leute sowie Naturschutz in Griechenland erfährt man Nützliches über Giftschlangen und zur Naturfotografie. Mit seinen bestechenden, zahlreichen Fotos sicherlich eines der prächtigsten Bücher über europäische Amphibien und Reptilien.

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During a two week stay to the Cyclade island Tinos in May 2006 we were able to observe the Balkan Gieen Lizard in is natural habitat and take some photographs as well. Lacerta trilineata citrovittata in some cases showed a high flight distance of up to 5o m.

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Vertebral laminae are bony ridges or sheets that connect important morphological landmarks on the vertebrae, like diapophyses or zygapophyses. They usually exhibit some serial variation throughout the column. A consistent terminology facilitates the morphological description of this variation, and the recognition of patterns that could be taxonomically significant and could serve as phylogenetic characters. Such a terminology was designed for saurischian dinosaurs, and has also been applied to other members of Archosauri- formes. Herein, this terminology is applied for the first time to lizards (Squamata). Probably due to their generally smaller size compared to saurischian dinosaurs, lizards have less developed vertebral laminae. Some laminae could not be recognized in this group and oth- ers require new names to account for differences in basic vertebral morphology. For instance, the fusion of diapophysis and parapophysis in lacertids into a structure called synapophysis necessitates the creation of the new term synapophyseal laminae for both diapophyseal and parapophyseal laminae. An assessment of occurrence and serial varia- tion in a number of lacertid species shows that some laminae develop throughout ontogeny or only occur in large-sized species, whereas the distribution of other laminae might prove to be taxonomically significant in future.

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In this study the terrestrial Herpetological fauna of the Ancient City of Phaselis and in its Territorium were evaluated. Also in this study the general properties of some of the species observed in the field are given together with a photograph. In consequence of the field studies conducted during 2014‐2015: 36 species of amphibians and reptiles were identified. Considering the conservation status of these species; the IUCN status for the herpetofauna: 1 species located in category CR, 1 species located in category EN, 3 species located in category NT, 1 species located in category VU, 29 located in category LC and 1 species is in an undefined category, the Bern Convention status for the herptils: 25 species located in Appendix II (Strictly Protected Fauna Species) category, 9 Species located in Appendix III (Protected Fauna Species) category. The current situation recorded during the course of this study, the number of the species and some features of the fauna, will vary through the wider range of future studies examining the fauna and their environmental situation.

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We are present a brief review of the herpetofauna of the northeastern part of the Black sea coast. A total twenty seven species was recorded. Of which two newt species (Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus karelinii), nine species of tailless amphibians (Bombina bombina, Pelobates fuscus, P. syriacus, Bufo bufo, Epidalea viridis, Hyla arborea, Rana dalmatina, Pelophylax ridibundus, P. esculentus), ten species of lizards (Mediodactylus kotschyi, Angius fragilis, Pseudopus apodus, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Lacerta agilis, L. trilineata, L. viridis, Podarcis muralis, P. tauricus) and seven species of snakes (Natrix natrix, N. tessellata, Dolichophis caspius, Elaphe sauromates, Zamenis longissimus, Coronella austriaca, Vipera ammodytes). Their conservation status was stated and their presence in the protected areas in the study area was analyzed. A map of the herpetologically important areas was draw.

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Blood-serum proteins of the Anatolian populations of Lacerta trilineata, L. media and L. pamphylica were studied comparatively by polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis. In order to obtain useful biochemical data for classification, differences between the electrophoreograms of the samples collected from dif- ferent regions were distinguished qualitatively and quantitatively. These com- parisons indicate that the Anatolian populations of L. trilineata should be subdivided into three species.

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In this study, Herpetofauna of the eastern region of t he Amanos mountains in Turkey was investigated. A total of 319 samples were collected and 27 species from 17 amphibian and reptile families were described. Two of these species are urodeles, three are anurans, two are turtles, eleven are lizards and eight are snakes.

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In this paper, the updated checklist of Serbian amphibians and reptiles is presented. The updated checklist of Serbian amphibians and reptiles was compiled from the literature on distribution, taxonomy and phylogeny. The checklist contains 48 autochthonous and two introduced species. Five species underwent taxonomic revisions (Triturus ivanbureschi, T. macedonicus, Pelobates balcanicus, Bufotes viridis and Mediodactylus kotschyi). Two species were added after recent taxonomic splits of species’ complexes (Hyla orientalis and Anguis colchica). Presence of new (Lacerta trilineata) and introduced species (Hemidactylus turcicus) was confirmed during recent fieldwork. There are at least eight more species that can potentially be present in Serbia. The national protection legislative should be updated according to the current checklist.

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We explored the ontogenetic dynamics of the morphological and allometric disparity in the cranium shapes of twelve lacertid lizard species. The analysed species (Darevskia praticola, Dinarolacerta mosorensis, Iberolacerta horvathi, Lacerta agilis, L. trilineata, L. viridis, Podarcis erhardii, P. melisellensis, P. muralis, P. sicula, P. taurica and Zootoca vivipara) can be classified into different ecomorphs: terrestrial lizards that inhabit vegetated habitats (habitats with lush or sparse vegetation), saxicolous and shrub-climbing lizards. We observed that there was an overall increase in the morphological disparity (MD) during the ontogeny of the lacertid lizards. The ventral cranium, which is involved in the mechanics of jaw movement and feeding, showed higher levels of MD, an ontogenetic shift in the morphospace planes and more variable allometric patterns than more conserved dorsal crania. With respect to ecology, the allometric trajectories of the shrub-climbing species tended to cluster together, whereas the allometric trajectories of the saxicolous species were highly dispersed. Our results indicate that the ontogenetic patterns of morphological and allometric disparity in the lacertid lizards are modified by ecology and functional constraints and that the identical mechanisms that lead to intraspecific morphological variation also produce morphological divergence at higher taxonomic levels.

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We used Procrustes-based geometric morphometrics to explore morphological variability in dorsal and ventral cranium shape of twelve lacertid lizard species from the Balkan Peninsula (), at the juvenile (neonatal) and at the adult stage (females and males separately). These species differed in phylogenetic relatedness, overall size and habitat preference (terrestrial in overgrown habitats, terrestrial in sparsely vegetated habitats, saxicolous and semiarboreal). General pattern of shape variation appeared to be preserved throughout ontogeny, especially for the dorsal cranium - adult female and male morphospaces corresponded to the neonate morphospace. The inspection of morphospaces showed that the general pattern of shape variability was along the gradient from the smaller to the species with larger body size. Along this gradient, species clustered according to habitat preference. The main difference between neonates and adults was the position of semiarboreal species, which completely separated from the rest of the species at the adult stage. The overall morphological disparity (MD) increased during the course of ontogeny (from neonates to adult females and males). Ventral cranium, with its structures involved in mechanics of jaw movement and feeding, showed greater increase in MD, as well as the shift in the morphospace hyperplanes. On the generic level, Lacerta spp. showed significantly higher MD than Podarcis spp. In contrast to other ecological groups (terrestrial and semiarboreal) saxicolous lizards showed a tendency of decreasing shape disparity during ontogeny. The species from saxicolous group were phylogenetically heterogeneous but morphologically convergent due to the specific habitat constraints, and their distinctive MD pattern could be achieved by different allometric paths. The patterns of shape variation and MD were modified by ecology, functional constraints and different ontogenetic trajectories. Further studies on the ecomorphology, allometric diversity and morphological integration, as well as the reassessment of the problematic lacertid phylogeny are needed in order to shed more light on the complex relationships among morphology, ecology and phylogeny in lacertid lizards.

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Different factors and processes that produce phenotypic variation at the individual, population, or interspecific level can influence or alter the covariance structure among morphological traits. Therefore, studies of the patterns of integration and modularity at multiple levels—static, ontogenetic, and evolutionary, can provide invaluable data on underlying factors and processes that structured morphological variation, directed, or constrained evolutionary changes. Our dataset, consisting of cranium shape data for 14 lizard species from the family Lacertidae, with substantial samples of hatchlings and adults along with their inferred evolutionary relationships, enabled us to assess modularity and morphological integration at all three levels. Five, not mutually exclusive modularity hypotheses of lizard cranium, were tested, and the effects of allometry on intensity and the pattern of integration and modularity were estimated. We used geometric morphometrics to extract symmetric and asymmetric, as well as allometric and nonallometric, components of shape variation. At the static level, firm confirmation of cranial modularity was found for hypotheses which separate anterior and posterior functional compartments of the skull. At the ontogenetic level, two alternative hypotheses (the “anteroposterior” and “neurodermatocranial” hypotheses) of ventral cranial modularity were confirmed. At the evolutionary level, the “neurodermatocranial” hypothesis was confirmed for the ventral cranium, which is in accordance with the pattern observed at the ontogenetic level. The observed pattern of static modularity could be driven by functional demands and can be regarded as adaptive. Ontogenetic modularity and evolutionary modularity show the same developmental origin, indicating conservatism of modularity patterns driven by developmental constraints.

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Apart from certain species of the African clade, the lizard family Lacertidae has generally been described as consisting of active foragers. We made quantitative field observations of 14 species of lacertid lizards, mainly belonging to the more basal Eurasian clade. Our data show that sit-and-wait foraging is much more widespread in Lacertidae than previously alleged. We also investigated the influence of weather and times of day on foraging activity levels and conclude that for comparative purposes observations should be restricted to circumstances that are optimal for activity. We did not find sex differences in foraging behavior.

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The autor describes au ecological journey to the Danube Delta in Romania. Three areas in this region were visited, the DanubeDelta, Dobrogea (Dealul Mare, Muntii Macin, Babadag forest) and the southern lagunes (Lake Istria/Lake Nuntasi, Grindul Chituc). Part of the region was explored by bus and part by boat. The group was accompanied by a herpetoiogist of the Instirure for the Study and Proteetion of the Danube Delta and by tl1e Conservation Officer of the Royal Society for the proteetion of Birds. In all 24 species ofreptiles and amphibians were spotted in this rather short period.

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In this study the terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna around the Ancient City of Phaselis and in its Vicinity were evaluated. The project over the course of 5 years that began in 2012, surveyed the terrestrial fauna which could be found during 2012‐2013 and the list of the literature recording this vertebrate fauna present in the area is provided in this report. Also in this study the general properties of some of the species observed in the field are given with a photograph. In this context, field studies conducted during 2012‐2013, from the results of these field studies: 35 species of amphibians and reptiles, 26 species of mammals and 122 species of birds were identified. Considering the conservation status of these species; undefined IUCN status for one of the species in the reptile and amphibian group, 1 species in CR, 1 EN, 3 NT, 1 VU, 28 LC located in this category; for birds: 2 species NT, 2 VU and 118 species LC located in this category; for the mammals: 2 species NT, 3 types VU, 20 LC located in category and 1 species is in an undefined category. The current situation during this study and the number of the species and some features of the fauna will change through the wider range of future studies to examine the fauna and their environmental situation).

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Thirty-eight Balkan green lizards, Lacerta trilineata, from Turkey were examined for helminths. Three species of Digenea, Plagiorchis elegans, Pleurogenoides medians, Brachylaemus sp. (metacercaria); 2 species of Cestoda, Oochoristica tuberculata and Mesocestoides sp. (tetrathyridium); and 6 species of Nematoda, Abbreviata abbreviata, Ascarops strongylina (larva in cysts), Falcaustra armenica, Oswaldocruzia filiformis, Skrjabinelazia hoffmanni, Skrjabinodon medinae, were found. Lacerta trilineata represents a new host record for each of the parasite species; Plagiorchis elegans, Brachylaemus sp., Oochoristica tuberculata, Mesocestoides sp., Abbreviata abbreviata, Ascarops strongylina (larva), Falcaustra armenica Skrjabinelazia hoffmanni, and Skrjabinodon medinae are reported from Turkey for the first time.

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In this paper we present distributional data for reptiles from different localities in the Western Balkans. During an 11 year period (2002-2012) we collected new data in the frame of spring student research camps organized by the Biology Students’ Society (DŠB). Surveys were conducted by members of the herpetological groups that were mostly biology students. Surveys were located on five islands Dugi otok, Brač, Korčula, Mljet, and Pag, one peninsula Pelješac (Croatia), in the continental area around Kamenovo and Lake Skadar (Montenegro), Dojran Lake (Macedonia), at lower Neretva Delta (Croatia) and around Niš (Serbia). Altogether 34 different reptile species were recorded in the surveys. The species lists comprised of 7-22 different species per single locality. The highest reptile biodiversity was recorded around Dojran Lake in Macedonia.

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Agricultural land abandonment is recognized as one of the main environmental drivers in Southern Europe, affecting ecological communities. Lizards, as ectothermic species with low dispersal capacity, are particularly prone to the threats associated with land use changes. We investigated the effect of land abandonment on lizards in a remote mountainous area in Greece, using line transect sampling, in 20 randomly selected sites [1 km × 1 km], along a four grade abandonment gradient in terms of forest encroachment. We recorded four species: Algyroides nigropunctatus, Lacerta viridis/ trilineata, Podarcis tauricus and Podarcis muralis, the latter being the most abundant. Our results did not provide evidence for a significant effect of forest encroachment or grazing on lizard diversity, given the dominance of P. muralis, the availability of all microhabitat types along the gradient and the low grazing intensity in the study area. Environmental parameters at the macrohabitat scale did not prove determinant for habitat variance, but microhabitat analysis showed a clear preference of P. muralis to bare ground. Despite the non-significant effects of land abandonment on lizard diversity, the dominance of P. muralis tends to indicate a lizard community shift towards species inhabiting forested habitats. The preservation of open microhabitats, such as bare land, is considered of great importance for promoting high levels of lizard diversity, as their loss would affect even species currently widespread in forested ecosystems. Low intensity grazing, as well as the enhancement of wild ungulate populations in abandoned areas, can contribute to halting forest encroachment and maintaining the required habitat heterogeneity.

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Report about an intense encounter with the giant emerald lizard Lacerta trilineata major BOULENGER, 1887 on the Croatian islsnd of Krk.

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We report the observation of bipedal escape behavior of a Balkan Green Lizard (Lacerta trilineata major) on the island of Krk. In a movie clip on YouTube, the reader can also view the behavior in slow motion.

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Die Eidechsen Bulgariens und deren Lebensräume werden in Text und Bild vorgestellt. Die Autoren konnten auf mehreren Reisen neun der insgesamt zehn vorkommenden Lacertiden-Arten finden.