AG magazine (in print)
Online magazine (pdf)
Online articles (html)
Literature- and poster projects
of the real lizards, family Lacertidae
Eremias multiocellata tsaganbogdensis MUNKHBAYAR & BORKIN, 2010
Munkhbaatar, M. & Terbish, H. & Bobrov, V.V. & Erdenetushig, P. (2018) -
М.Мунхбаатар & Х.Тэрбиш & В.В.Бобров & П.Эрдэнэтушиг (2018) -
Munkhbayar, K. & Borkin, L.J. (2010) -
A new subspecies of the multi-ocellated racerunner, Eremias multiocellata tsaganbogdensis Munkhbayar et Borkin, 2010, subsp. nov. (Lacertidae) is described. Holotype: ZISP.19956.1, Department of Herpetology, Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg. Type territory: Tsagaan Bogd Uul Mountain, Bayanhongor Aymak, southern Mongolia.
Munkhbayar, K. & Borkin, L.J. (2018) -
Munkhbayar, K. & Munkhbaatar, M. (2018) -
From the viewpoint of evolution, the classes of amphibians and reptiles could be considered as relicts, and because they are poikilothermic animals, it’s very difficult for these species to live under the dry and cold climatic conditions in Mongolia. Even species diversity is poor, Mongolian herpetological composition is unique, highly adopted to the country’s harsh climate and originated a long time ago. In Mongolia, 6 species of amphibians belong to four genera, four families and two orders and the recorded 21 species of reptiles belong to 13 genera in 6 families of 2 suborders.
Orlova, V.F. & Poyarkov, N.A. & Chirikova, M.A. & Nazarov, R.A. & Munkhbataar, M. & Munkhbayar, K. & Terbish, K. (2017) -
We provide an integrative analysis of the diversity of the E. multiocellata—E. przewalskii species complex in Central and Middle Asia using morphological and molecular (COI DNA-barcoding) data. We report preliminary data on mtDNA variation within this group and clarify the taxonomic status and distribution of the members of the species complex. We also provide a description of a new Eremias species from Eastern Kazakhstan and western Mongolia, where it occurs in sympatry with E. multiocellata sensu stricto, from which it can be clearly differentiated using both morphological and molecular characters. The new species, described as Eremias dzungarica sp. nov., is assigned to the subgenus Pareremias on the basis of the following features: subocular not reaching mouth edge; one frontonasal; two supraoculars; the row of small granular scales between supraoculars and frontal with frontoparietals absent; distance between the femoral pore rows being wide; femoral pore rows not reaching knee-joint; coloration pattern with light colored ocelli with black edging. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners on the basis of the following morphological attributes: a mediumsized lacertid lizard, maximum snout-vent length (SVL) = 64.5 mm, tail being ca. 1.5 times longer than body length (SVL), hindlimbs relatively long (hindlimb length to SVL ratio 0.46); subocular scale not reaching mouth edge, in touch with 6–8 supralabials; males with bright coloration consisting of 2–3 dorsolateral rows of light-colored ocelli with thick black edging; the ventral row of ocelli in life is greenish to bluish; dorsal pattern consisting of black irregular blotches along the middorsal line. We also report on the high genetic and morphological diversity of E. multiocellata in Mongolia and China, synonymize E. m. bannikowi with the nominative form E. m. multiocellata, discuss variation within E. przewalskii, synonymize E. p. tuvensis with the nominative form E. przewalskii, provide new data on E. cf. reticulata and E. m. tsaganbogdensis, confirm validity and clarify distribution ranges of E. stummeri, E. szczerbaki and E. yarkandensis and discuss further progress on taxonomic studies of the E. multiocellata—E. przewalskii species complex.