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Species: |
| Darevskia pontica (LANTZ & CYRÉN, 1918) |
Synonyms: |
| Lacerta praticola pontica LANTZ & CYRÉN, 1918 Lacerta praticola pontica LANTZ & CYRÉN, 1919 Lacerta praticola hungarica SOBOLEVSKY, 1930 Lacerta plicata BARTENEF & REZNIKOVA, 1931 |
Common names: |
| Pontic lizard (English)
Понтийская ящерица (Russian) |
Types: |
| Lectotype: ZISP 22853 (Fig. 11 in TUNIYEV et al. 2011); paralectotypes – ZISP 5279, 5280, 22847, 22852.1-2, 22854 |
Terra Typica: |
| Town Gagry (now Republic of Georgia, on the Black Sea coast) |
Taxonomic notes:
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| The taxonomic status of Lacerta praticola hungarica SOBOLEVSKY, 1930 is not clear.
Either it is a subspecies of Darevskia pontica or a separate species.
Igor Doronin |
Relevant taxonomic literature:
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Lantz, L.A. & Cyrén, O. (1918) - Note sur Lacerta praticola Eversm. - Proceedings of the Caucasian Museum, 11 (3–4): 192–195. 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.   × 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. 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. × 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.
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