Species:

Darevskia praticola  (EVERSMANN, 1834)

Subspecies (3):

Darevskia praticola praticola  (EVERSMANN, 1834)

Darevskia praticola hyrcanica  TUNIYEV et al., 2011

Darevskia praticola loriensis  TUNIYEV et al., 2013

Synonyms:

Lacerta praticola  EVERSMANN, 1834

Lacerta vivipara stenolepis  NIKOLSKY, 1911

Darevskia praticola  ARRIBAS, 1997

Common names:

Meadow Lizard (English)
Wieseneidechse (German)
Луговая ящерица (Russian)

Types:

praticola: Lectotype: unlocated fide Doronin, but was ZISP = ZIN (Zoological Institute of St. Petersburg) Holotype: SNP (= Herpetological collection of Sochi National Park, Sochi, SNP No 1473 (5), adult female, Azerbaijan, Astara District, Talysh Ridge, natural boundary of Gada-Zyga-Khi (1510 m above sea level, 38°28’ N 48°35’ E), 18.08.2009, collector A. A. Kidov (Fig. 7).

hyrcanica: Paratypes. SNP 1473.0-19 (25 specimens), herpetological collection of SNP, Sochi; ZISP 12301, 12630, 12632-12635, St. Petersburg.

loriensis: Holotype: SNP 1568 (Herpetological collection of the Sochi National Park, Sochi), adult male, 22.05.2012, collector S. B. TUNIYEV; paratypes: SNP 1569.1-19, ZISP 17075

Terra Typica:

praticola: Type locality: Narzan, North Caucasus; Town Kislovodsk, S Russia (fide Tuniyev et al. 2013)

hyrcanica: Type locality: Azerbaijan, Astara District, Talysh Ridge, natural boundary of Gada-Zyga-Khi (1510 m above sea level, 38°28’ N 48°35’ E)

loriensis: Type locality: Armenia, Lori Marz (Province), vicinity of Stepanavan, village Gyulagarak (1438 m above sea level, 40°56’35.0’’ N 44°28’19.1’’E)

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Eversmann, E. (1834) -  Description Darevskia p. praticola. -  In: “Lacertae Imperii Rossici variis in itineribus meis observatae. [Lacerta sylvicola]” Nouveaux mémoires de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou, 3: 339-358.   

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• Ryabinina, N.L. & Bannikova, A.A. & Kosushkin , S.A. & Ciobanu, D.G. & Milto, D.A. & Tuniyev, B.S. Orlova, V.F. & Grechko, V.V. & Darevsky, I.S. (2002) -  Estimation of the subspecies level of differentiation in Caucasian lizards of the genus Darevskia (syn. Lacerta saxicola complex, Lacertidae, Sauria) using genome DNA markers. -  Russian Journal of Herpetology, Moscow, 9 (3): 185–194.    

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  The taxonomic categories such as population and subspecies were studied on the example of three Caucasian lizard species of genus Darevskia - D. praticola, D. derjugini, and D. rudis by comparing the morphological data and results inferred from nuclear DNA markers. RAPD and new inter-MIR-PCR (IM-PCR) methods were used. The IM-PCR was used to characterize the lacertid DNA fragments located between dispersed SINE type repeats which occurred to be ortologous to mammalian repeats of the same type. It was shown that separation of the Northern population of D. derjugini (subspecies silvatica) is supported by the comparison with two Southern populations (derjugini and barani). The latter ones, in their turn, are very similar and hardly can be considered as good subspecies by the genetic distance. The subspecific division of D. praticola (praticola and pontica) also requires more specification. For example, several populations from North Caucasus (ssp. praticola) occurred to be heterogeneous. The level of differences between ssp. praticola and pontica is of the same order as in some of the praticola populations. Low level of molecular differences between two subspecies of D. rudis (obscura and bischoffi) does not confirm their validity as a full subspecies.

• Ciobanu, D.G. & Grechko, V.V. & Darevsky, I.S. (2003) -  Molecular Evolution of Satellite DNA CLsat in Lizards from the Genus Darevskia (Sauria: Lacertidae): Correlation with Species Diversity. -  Russian Journal of Genetics, Moscow, 39 (11): 1292-1305.    

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  The structure and evolution of a satellite DNA family was examined in lizards from the genus Darevskia(family Lacertidae). Comparison of tandem units of repeated DNA (satDNA), CLsat, in all species from the genus Darevskiahas shown that their variability is largely explained by single-nucleotide substitutions, which form about 50 diagnostic positions underlying classification of the family into three subfamilies. Maximum differences between the subfamilies reached 25%. At this level of tandem unit divergence in the subfamilies, no cross-hybridization between them was observed (at 65°C). The individual variability within one subfamily within the species was on average 5% while the variability between species consensuses within a subfamily was 10%. The presence of highly conserved regions in all monomers and some features of their organization show that satellites of all Darevskia species belong to one satDNA family. The organization of unit sequences of satellites CLsat and Agi160 also detected by us in another lizard genus, Lacerta s. str. was compared. Similarity that was found between these satellites suggests their relatedness and common origin. A possible pathway of evolution of these two satDNA families is proposed. The distribution and content of CLsat repeat subfamilies in all species of the genus was examined by Southern hybridization. Seven species had mainly CLsatI (83 to 96%); three species, approximately equal amounts of CLsatI and CLsatIII (the admixture of CLsatII was 2–5%); and five species, a combination of all three subfamilies in highly varying proportions. Based on these results as well as on zoogeographic views on the taxonomy and phylogeny of the Darevskia species, hypotheses on the evolution of molecular-genetic relationships within this genus are advanced.

  Чобану Д.Г., Гречко В.В., Даревский И.С. (2003) -  Молекулярная эволюция сателлитной ДНК CLSAT ящериц рода Darevskia (Sauria: Laeertidae): корреляция с видовым разнообразием. -  Генетика, 39 (11): 1527-1541.  

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  Исследовали структуру и эволюцию семейства сателлитной ДНК ящериц рода Darevskia сем. Lac-ertidae. При сравнительном анализе последовательностей мономеров тандемных повторов ДНК (сатДНК) - CLsat - всех видов ящериц р. Darevskia показано, что вариабельность повторов обусловлена главным образом однонуклеотидными заменами, которые образуют около 50 диагностических позиций, на основании которых выделены три подсемейства повторов. Максимальные значения различий между подсемействами достигают 25%. При такой степени дивергенции мономеров трех подсемейств перекрестной гибридизации (при 65°С) между ними не наблюдается. Индивидуальная вариабельность мономеров одного подсемейства внутри вида в среднем составляет 5%, а вариабельность между видовыми консенсусами внутри подсемейства - 10%. Наличие высококонсервативных областей во всех мономерах и ряд особенностей их организации позволяют рассматривать сателлиты всех видов р. Darevskia как единое семейство сатДНК. Приведено сравнение организации последовательности мономеров сателлита CLsat и обнаруженного нами Agi160 из другого рода ящериц -Lacerta s. str. Выявлено сходство, свидетельствующее о родстве этих сателлитов и об их общем происхождении, предложен вероятный путь эволюции этих двух семейств сатДНК. Методом Саузерн-гибридизации изучено распространение и содержание подсемейств повторов CLsat во всех видах рода. Семь видов содержат в основном CLsatl (от 83 до 96%), три вида - примерно равные количества CLsatl и CLsatIII (примесь CLsatII составляет 2-5%), а пять видов - сумму всех трех подсемейств в сильно отличающихся соотношениях. На основе этих данных, в совокупности с зоогеографически-ми представлениями о родстве видов р. Darevskia, предложены гипотезы эволюции молекулярно-генетического родства видов этого рода.

• Tuniyev, S.B. & Doronin, I.A. & Kidov, A.A. & Tuniyev, B.S. (2011) -  Systematic and geographical variability of meadow lizard, Darevskia praticola (Reptilia: Sauria) in the Caucasus. -  Russian Journal of Herpetology, Moscow, 18 (4): 295-316.    

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  The compicated history of the intraspecific taxonomy of meadow lizard, Darevskia praticola sensu lato is considered and the species’ geographical variability in Caucasian Isthmus is analyzed. It was confirmed the species status of Darevskia praticola sensu stricto and Darevskia pontica. Lectotype of Darevskia pontica was assigned and de- scribed; the known paralectotypes of D. pontica are noted. Description of the new subspecies Darevskia praticola hyrcanica ssp. nov. is given from the Talysh foothills and Elbrus range (Azerbaijan, Iran). The possible patters of speciation and distribution of closely related species Darevskia praticola sensu stricto and Darevskia pontica within the Caucasus and the Balkans are discussed.