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1. Das Geruchsvermögen ist bei den Eidechsen (L. viridis, L. agilis, L. muralis) gut ausgebildet. Sämtliche Beute wird gerochen 2. Die Nase spielt eine bei weitem größere Rolle als das Jabobsonsche Organ. Dieses tritt, übereinstimmend mit den Befunden Kahmanns, nur akzessorisch in Funktion zum unmittelbaren Prüfen vor oder in dem Munde. 3. Der Beutegruch wird durch die Nase aus ca. 8 bis 10 cm Entfernung sichtbar wahrgenommen (durch die gesteigerte Brustatmung, die als „Pumpen“ bezeichnet wurde, erkenntlich) und löst Suchbewegungen aus. 4. Dieser allein ist bei Ausfall des optischen Sinnes befähigt, Zubeißen und Freßakt, selbst bei ungeeigneten Objekten, auszulösen. Es ist höchstwahrscheinlich, daß ein Geruchsscheme den Tieren angeboren ist. 5. Eidechsen lassen sich entgegen diesem angeborenen Geruchsscheme auf fremden Geruch positiv dressieren, wie Versuche mit stark süßlich duftenden Öl aufzeigten. Es gelang, andressierte Eidechsen nach Steinen usw., die mit Dressurduft markiert waren, beißen zu lassen, selbst als die Tiere im Besitz ihres optischen Sinnes waren. 6. Es hat den Anschein, als würden die Lacerten zirka eine Woche zur Bildung neuer Assoziationen benötigen, sobald sie täglich andressiert werden. Diese Zeitspanne wurde ungefähr bei den von mir durchgeführten Geruchs- und Geschmacksdressuren, sowie auch bei den Gehördresuren von Berger (1924) als Lernzeit benötigt. 7. Die Eidechsen konnten durch Vergällung einer bestimmten Beute mit Kochsalz dazu gebracht werden, bei gleichzeitiger Ausschaltung des optischen Sinnes diese Beute zu meiden, nahmen jedoch andere Nahrungsobjekte an. Durch Engerstellung der Verschiedenheit der Beutetiere konnte gezeigt werden, daß die Echsen in der Lage sind, selbst feinste Qualitätsunterschiede des Geruches zu registrieren. Sie vermochten Grillen von Locustiden, und weiters Locustiden untereinander geruchlich zu unterscheiden, auch wenn diese lebend und unvergällt angeboten wurden. 8. Auf dieses Vermögen dürfte die Bildung eines erworbenen Nahrungskreises zurückzuführen sein. Für sein Bestehen spricht die Bevorzugung von Lieblingsfutter, sowie die Ablehnung gewisser Beutetiere schon aus relativ großer Entfernung. 9. Freilandbeobachtungen zeigen, daß der Geruch bei Nahrungssuche, in unübersichtlichem Gelände von großer Bedeutung sein dürfte, analog zu den Feststellungen im Laborversuch. 10. Der arteigene Geruch ist bei Lacerta viridis wesentlich am endgültigen Festlegen im Verhalten gegenüber dem Artgenossen als Gegner oder Geschlechtspartner beteiligt. Ein Männchen dieser Art kämpft nicht gegen ein anderes, sobald dieser Reiz in der Reizsumme fehlt. Umgekehrt wird bei Anwesenheit des typischen Geruches gekämpft, auch wenn die optischen Merkzeichen stark verändert erscheinen; daraus wird die Bedeutung dieses Faktors im Reizsummenphänomen beim Paarungsverhalten ersichtlich. Der geschlechts-charakteristische Geruch stammt nicht aus den Schenkelporen, da eine operative Entfernung derselben keinerlei Änderung des Verhaltens bewirkte. 11. Die Nasenhöhle registriert Luftfeuchtigkeit und ermöglicht den Eidechsen das Wasser gerichtet aufzufinden. Die Nase darf daher als Alarm- und Leitsinnesorgan bezeichnet werden. Bei der Auffindung von Wasser kann der optische Sinn zusätzlich in Aktion treten, wobvei auf stark lichtbrechende Stellen angesprochen wird. 12. Bei Ausschaltung des Olfactorius sind die Tiere nicht imstande, Wasser zu finden, außer in optisch günstigen Fällen. 13. Freilandbeobachtungen zeigen, daß die Eidechsen durch Tau und Regenfall ihr Wasserbedürfnis gedeckt finden. Bei großer Trockenheit ziehen sich die Tiere zu einem Trockenschlaf zurück, den sie unterbrechen, sobald genügend Feuchtigkeit vorhanden ist. Die Luftfeuchtigkeit wird von den versteckt liegenden Tieren durch die Nase perzipiert und veranlaßt das Aufsuchen der Feuchtigkeitsquelle. Diese Annahme machen Freilandbeobachtungen auch in der natürlichen Umwelt höchst wahrscheinlich.

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The differentiation of the thyroid primordium of lacertilian species is poorly understood. The present study reports on the ultrastructural analysis of the developing thyroid primordium in the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) during the early stages of differentiation. The early thyroid primordium of sand lizard embryos was composed of cellular cords that contained single cells with a giant lipid droplet, which were eliminated by specific autophagy (lipophagy). The follicular lumens at the periphery of the primordium differentiated even before the division of the cellular cords. When the single cells within the cords started to die through paraptosis, the adjacent cells started to polarise and junctional complexes began to form around them. After polarisation and clearing up after the formation of the lumens, the cellular cords divided into definitive follicles. The cellular cords in the central part of the primordium started to differentiate later than those at the periphery. The cellular cords divided into presumptive follicles first and only later differentiated into definitive follicles. During this process, a population of centrally located cells was removed through apoptosis to form the lumen. Although the follicular lumen in sand lizard embryos is differentiated by cavitation similar to that in the grass snake, there were very important differences during the early stages of the differentiation of the cellular cords and the formation of the thyroid follicles.

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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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Oxygen consumption levels and metabolic rate temperature curves of various lizard species from three different climatic regions were examined in relation to ambient temperature. The species used in this research were as follows: Anguis fragilis, Lacerta vivipara, Lacerta agilis (cool temperate species); Blanus cinereus, Podarcis hispanica, Podarcis lilfordi brauni, Podarcis lilfordi lilfordi, Podarcis muralis, Psammodromus algirus, Tarentola mauritanica (warm temperate species); Chalcides ocellatus, Acanthodactylus opheodurus, Acanthodactylus schmidti (desert species). A double chamber volumetric closed system was used to measure the resting oxygen consumption of the lizards. Acute oxygen consumption determinations were made, that is the lizards were not allowed to acclimate to the test temperatures. Interspecific differences in levels of resting oxygen consumption and in the characteristics of the metabolic rate temperature curves were examined in relation to methods of thermoregulation and in relation to the ecology of the respective species. Evidence for `temperature dependent shifts` and `low thermal dependence` was found in the metabolic rate temperature curves of some species. A diminishing Q10 at or below the voluntary body temperatures suggests some degree of metabolic homeostatsis and energy conservation.

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This bachelor thesis deals with testing the buccal swab method as a non-invasive toxicological method. Environmental pollution due to anthropogenic influence is increasing, therefore more attention is focused on researching the impact of pollution on organisms and the environment. Recent researches try to encroach on nature as little as possible and degrade it in any way, which gives importance to such methods. They are increasingly used in higher groups of vertebrates (mammals), but at the level of herpetofauna it has not yet been investigated. During the research, 16 lizards (five Lacerta agilis and 11 Podarcis muralis) were caught and their swabs were taken. The samples were processed and the amount of protein was determined. Due to the very low values of the protein concentration, the enzyme activity was not determined. The method proved to be unreliable because small fluctuations in the amount of sample significantly affect the result. In addition, high-quality swabbing of lizards is difficult due to the impossibility of turning the stick in order to take the required amount of sample.

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Im Auftrag des Hessische Dienstleistungszentrums für Landwirtschaft, Gartenbau und Naturschutz (HDLGN) führte die Arbeitsgemeinschaft Amphibien- und Reptilienschutz in Hessen e.V. (AGAR) 2003 eine Erfassung der Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis) in Hessen durch. Durch Auswertung vorhandener Dokumente und durch eine landesweite Kartierung konnten insgesamt 470 Datensätze zu Zauneidechsensichtungen für den Zeitraum 1998- 2003 erfasst werden. Die Zauneidechse läßt sich im Vergleich zu anderen Reptilienarten verhältnismäßig leicht kartieren. Nicht desto trotz beruhen einige Hinweise auf Zufallsbeobachtungen. Die Auswertung der rezenten Verbreitungsdaten zeigt, dass die Art über fast ganz Hessen verbreitet ist und örtlich sogar relativ häufig angetroffen werden kann. Scheinbare Verbreitungslücken in ansonsten offensichtlich geeigneten Gebieten lassen sich vermutlich durch gezielte Regionalkartierungen schließen. Die Zauneidechse fehlt in Hessen vermutlich lediglich in den bewaldeten Hochlagen von Kellerwald, Rhön, Vogelsberg und Taunus. Die Zauneidechse kann zu den häufigsten Reptilienarten in Hessen gezählt werden. Die Bestandsentwicklung ist aber vermutlich rückläufig, wie dies z. B. auch für Rheinland-Pfalz vermutet wird (HAHN-SIRY 1996). Es wird angeregt, in Hessen zunächst auf der Basis regelmäßiger Präsenz-Absenz-Untersuchungen ein stichprobenartiges Monitoring an ausgewählten Zauneidechsen-Standorten einzuführen. Die Abschätzung von Abnahmetrends müsste über den Verlust gesamter Populationen erfolgen. Jegliche Monitoring-Ansätze sollten eine Komponente zur Bewertung der Habitatentwicklung beinhalten. Methoden und Bewertungsrahmen können provisorisch definiert werden, sollten aber in ihrer endgültigen Form gemeinsam mit anderen Bundesländern erarbeitet werden. Das vorliegende Gutachten enthält einen Steckbrief der Zauneidechse sowie den Entwurf eines Bewertungsrahmens.

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Die landgebundenen Wirbeltiere des festländischen Iberiens (Süßwasserfische, Amphibien, Reptilien mit Ausnahme der Meeresschildkröten, Säugetiere mit Ausnahme der Chiroptera, Pinnipedia und Cetacea) bilden, wie im einzelnen gezeigt wird, in ihrer Gesamtheit eine besondere faunistische Einheit: ungefähr die Hälfte der Formen (Spezies oder Subspezies) ist endemisch; das gilt für 73 % der echten Süßwasserfische, 47 % der Amphibien, 36 % der Reptilien und 53 % der Säugetiere. Die geographische Isolierung durch die Pyrenäen und das Mittelmeer ist gewiß die Hauptursache für die Entwicklung einer so eigenartigen Fauna, aber auch andere Faktoren (die sehr verschiedenen Klimate und Biotope innerhalb Iberiens, der im Vergleich mit anderen Gebieten Europas geringere Einfluß der Vereisungen usw. haben sicher ebenfalls eine sehr wichtige Rolle gespielt. Acanthodactylus erythrurus erythrurus, Algyroides hidalgoi, Algyroides marchi marchi, Algyroides marchi niethammeri, Lacerta agilis agilis, Lacerta hispanica hispanica, Lacerta hispanica bocagei, Lacerta hispanica vaucheri, Lacerta lepida lepida, Lacerta lepida nevadensis, Lacerta monticola monticola, Lacerta monticola cantabrica, Lacerta monticola cyreni, Lacerta schreiberi, Lacerta viridis viridis, Lacerta vivipara, Psammodromus algirus algirus, Psammodromus hispanicus hispanicus, Psammodromus hispanicus edwardsianus.

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Morphologic diversity was studied in 129 species of lacertid lizards and their relationship with ecology by means of comparative analysis on seven linear morphometric measurements. Body size is the most important variable determining, a continuum among small bodied species and larger ones independently evolved through the lacertid phylogeny. This variable is strongly and positively correlated with the others masking the patterns of morphologic diversity. Multivariate analysis on size-adjusted variables show a negative covariation among relative tail and limb length. Remarkably, arboreal and semiarboreal species (Takydromus and the Equatorial African clade) appeared two times independently during the evolution of lacertids and are characterized by extremely long tails, and relatively long forelimbs in comparison with hindlimb length. The arboreal and glider lizard Holaspis with their short tail constitute the only exception. Another case of convergence is found by some species dwelling into dense vegetation or grass (Tropidosaura, Lacerta agilis, Takydromus amurensis or Zootoca) which have long tails and short limbs. On the opposite, species living in deserts, steppes or scrublands with scarce vegetation isolated into extended open areas have developed long hindlimbs and short forelimbs to achieve higher speed and maneuverability This is especially the case of Acanthodactylus and Eremias.

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Pleistocene climate oscillations had a dramatic impact on the distribution of temperate ectothermic organisms. These range fluctuations plausibly have left a footprint on the species’ genetic structure which is linked with modelled paleoclimatic conditions, allowing us to infer which environmental factors shaped the evolutionary history of Sand lizards. In this study, we evaluated the patterns of niche diversification of Lacerta agilis in Eurasia, based on mitochondrial DNA analyses and ecological niche models. The lineage of Sand lizards evolved 3.8–1.8 Mya, being the most basal in the east-Caucasian subclade, with eight mitochondrial subclades separated into two groups. These groups represent two independent waves of expansion from the ancestral region constituted by the Caucasus and the adjacent northern plains to the Paleartic. Paleoclimatic models suggested a high instability of the range of this lineage in the last 3 Mya, with niche contractions during the colder glacial periods and expansions following the glacier retreat. This suggested an allopatric diversification process, with subspecies boundaries upon secondary contact maintained by competitive interactions, at least between closely related pairs. The great mountain systems of the Mediterranean Peninsulas constituted stable refugia during the Pliocene–Pleistocene cycles, favouring the evolution of endemic subclades. These montane subclades have higher mitochondrial diversity than those that occur in the plains. However, the Pyrenean endemic L. agilis garzoni is exception possibly due to the occupation of a very small refugium during the recent glacial phases.

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The reproductive cycle of Lacerta agilis was studied in the Pyrenees at the southwestern boundary of the species range. The activity period is short (about 4.5 months). Males attain sexual maturity at smaller sizes than females and show mixed type spermatogenesis and spring spermiogenesis. Vitellogenesis in females is rapid (45 days for the whole population) with a long period of oviductal retention. Clutches are laid at the beginning of summer. During the reproductive period males mobilise reserves during the mating activities. Females deplete more fat reserves but later in the season than males and they are at their lowest after egg production. In both sexes, energy resources are mobilised from the fat bodies and also from the liver and the proximal part of the tail. Clutch size increases with female size but also depends on other factors. The short activity period does not appear to affect the reproductive cycle of this species. The gonad cycles and clutch traits do not show substantial differences from other European populations, perhaps with the exception of slight variation in the timing of reproductive events and, to a lesser extent, clutch frequency. This evidence strongly suggests that the limited southwestern range of Lacerta agilis is not due to environmental constraints but to very recent colonization.

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Abstract. The thermal relations, diel, and annual activity and microhabitat use of Lacerta agiliswere studied in the Pyrenean isolated range of this species. Although, this heliothermic lizard demonstrated thermoregulatory capability, thermal constraints attributable to the mountain climate were observed. The activity pattern was that typical of cold temperate lizards but the beginning of activity was delayed in comparison with lowland populations. The reproductive cycle determined different activity patterns for males and females. The ontogenetic and seasonal changes in microhabitat use detected suggest influence of body size, reproductive condition in adults, and interference with other individuals in juveniles.

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TERRA TYPICA. South Sweden. DISTRIBUTION. Sand lizard is one of the most widely distributed Eurasian species; its distribution range covers the most part of Europe from western France and north of the Balkan Peninsula to Eastern Siberia, north-western Mongolia and western China in the east (Chinese part of the Mongolian Altai). On the territory of North Eurasia the species occurs from western borders of Moldova, the Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States and Russia in the west to the northern area adjacent to Lake Baikal and southern Trans-Baikal area in the east, more or less in parallel with the north border of taiga. It inhabits the Caucasus and Kazakhstan in the south. It is known from Mongolia (Kobdo aimak). In the south-east distribution range covers the eastern Semirechye, north-western Mongolia (Kobdosky aimak) and the western part of Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. From there it penetrates into Issyk-Kul depression in Kyrgyzstan. Data on the records in piedmonds of Turkestan and Seravshan mountain ranges in eastern Uzbekistan are erroneous Ten subspecific forms are distinguished, the following seven occur in the former Soviet Union. L. a. chersonensis Andrzejowsky, 1832 – Moldova, the right-bank Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States, Leningrad region and south of the neighbouring Karelia. In the east, approximately from the left-bank valley of the river Dnieper a narrow area of intergradation with the neighbouring eastern subspecies is noted. L. a. exigua Eichwald, 1831 occupies the whole eastern part of the distribution range up to the Crimean Peninsula and Ciscaucasia in the south. L. a. grusinica Peters, 1960 inhabits the coast of the Black Sea and submontane regions of the Caucasus in the south-west of the Krasnodar Territory, Abkhazia, in the Colchis lowland and Ajaria. L. a. brevicaudata Peters, 1958 occurs in northern and western Armenia, southern Georgia and on the southern slopes of the Great Caucasus range within the North Ossetia. L. a. ioriensis Peters et Muskhelischwili, 1968 occurs on the southern slopes of the Caucasian range: in the valley and ravine of the upper current of the river Iori in Georgia. L. a. boemica Suchow, 1929 inhabits submontane regions of North Ossetia, Ingooshetia, Chechnya and Dagestan. L. a. tauridica Suchow, 1926 inhabits the southern montane Crimea. CONSERVATION STATUS. The species is included into the Red Data Book of Latvia (2003) and Estonia (1998). Its conservation status (category 2) corresponds to the same status of the Bern convention.

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We tested intra-population morphological variability and the ontogeny of sexual dimorphism in a sample of 78 individuals of Lacerta agilis (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Bistra Mountain in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The effect of predation was also assessed by examining the animals’ tails. In 43.8% of individuals of all age classes tails were missing or regenerated, which means that lizards are subjected to high predation at this locality. After measuring, marking and photographing, all animals were released into their natural habitat. The set of 17 linear measurements and body mass were taken for each individual, and snout-vent length was taken as a standard descriptor of body size. Among adults, significant sexual dimorphism was recorded in body size, head dimensions and distance between front and hind limbs, while sexual dimorphism was not observed in juveniles. Females had greater body size and distance between front and hind limbs, while males had proportionately larger heads. Static allometric trajectories of adult females and males were assessed, and they diverged only for head and mouth width. Divergence of ontogenetic allometric trajectories was significant for all measurements except the dimensions of the fourth toe on the front and hind limbs. Sexual dimorphism pattern in sand lizards from Bistra Mountain was in concordance with previous studies. Larger adult female body size could be interpreted as a result of sexual selection for fecundity, while larger male heads could result from selection for greater bite force in two ways: intra-sexual selection (between males) in relation to territory defense, and inter- sexual in relation to copulatory bites. Sexual dimorphism was not significant among juveniles: adults apparently attain a different morphology through diverging allometric trajectories during growth. Further studies should include populations of sand lizards from different habitat types to further assess patterns of intra-specific morphological variability.

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To investigate the impact of nuptial coloration (the badge) on male fitness in the Swedish sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), we conducted a manipulation experiment in a natural population. Males in one group had their badges enlarged by being painted as cheaters and were compared to a control group with respect to mate acquisition, body condition and survival. Badge enlargement did not affect survival, but elevated mate acquisition by almost 400%, and body condition in small males. This increase in condition is likely to stem from greater access to female-associated sites with high food availability.

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Amphibian and reptile species likely to occur in the Simpevarp SKB special area of investigation are listed with comments on their distribution, status, biology and environmental demands. The species are Triturus vulgaris (Smooth newt), T cristatus (Great crested newt), Bufo bufo (Common toad), Rana arvalis (Moor frog), R temporaria (Common frog), Lacerta agilis (Sand lizard), L vivipara (Common lizard), Anguis fragilis (Slow-worm), Coronella austriaca (Smooth snake), Natrix natrix (Grass snake) and Vipera berus (Adder). A short field study was performed mainly to verify the presence of suitable habitats for the species listed. Findings of amphibians and reptiles as well as their potential habitats are noted by geographical codes and additional remarks are given to interesting findings. Altogether 38 findings of five different species of amphibians and reptiles were done in 18 localities. Of special interest is the record of sand lizard, which probably indicate a colony in the vicinity even though this could not be confirmed.

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The Sand lizard Lacerta agilis inhabits a huge area across Eurasia with several subspecies. Nine subspecies are generally approved, L. a. agilis, L. a. argus, L. a. bosnica; L. a. chersonensis, L. a. exigua, L. a. grusinica, L. a. iorinensis, L. a. brevicaudata and L. a. boemica, but several more have been described. The emergence of this large number of subspecies is connected with the phylogeographic history of this species, defined by geographic and climatic processes. A study revealing phylogenetic relationships of this species was already conducted with a broad taxon sampling and coverage. However, the latter study was based solely on the cytochrome b gene and, furthermore, the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the subspecies L. a. bosnica was underrepresented. This peninsula is a centre of European herpetofaunal endemism with high levels of phenotypic and genotypic variation. Therefore, the inclusion of the subspecies L. a. bosnica is important to clarify the overall view of the phylogenetic relations within the Lacerta agilis subspecies complex and to investigate the level of population differentiation within this highly diverse area. Thus, the aim of the present study was a more thorough analysis of the Balkan Peninsula with a broader taxon sampling. Furthermore, we extended the available datasets by adding the mitochondrial d-loop region and by further samples of different areas of the distribution range apart from the Balkan Peninsula. Our study reveals that the Balkan Peninsula is apparently inhabited by several differentiated lineages, whereby the Central Greek lineage might deserve subspecies status. Furthermore, the distribution area of the two subspecies L. a. agilis and L. a. argus should be revised, as the results of our study raise doubt about the commonly assumed distribution of both subspecies. As the most important outcome our results support that L. a. boemica deserves species status.

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The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) inhabits a huge area across Eurasia with several subspecies. Nine subspecies are generally approved, L. a. agilis, L. a. argus, L. a. bosnica; L. a. chersonensis, L. a. exigua, L. a. grusinica, L. a. iorinensis, L. a. brevicaudata and L. a. boemica, but several more have been described. The emergence of this large number of subspecies is connected with the phylogeographic history of this species, defined by geographic and climatic processes. Within Germany two subspecies exist according to Bischoff (1988), L. a. argus und L. a. agilis, which are separated based on morphological features. However, the existence of these two subspecies was questioned by Rahmel (1988) and by Elbing et al. (1996). We conducted phylogenetic analyses based on the cytochrome b gene sequences from specimen of L. a. agilis and L. a. argus with samples covering their whole distribution range. These sequences already have been published before by Andres et al. (2014) and Kalyabina-Hauf & Ananjeva (2004). Our study challenges the commonly assumed distribution of L. a. agilis und L. a. argusand their status as distinct subspecies. Therefore their genetic status and distribution range should be thoroughly analysed and revised in future studies.

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Am 07.08.2006 wurden zwei juvenile Lacerta agilis in einer Falkenzuchtvoliere in einem Falkenzuchtbetrieb in Helvesiek, Niedersachsen (TK 25: 2723.3.11; 53° 13’N, 9° 29’O) unter einer reflektierenden Badebrente aus V²A-Stahl gefunden. Unter der Badebrente herrschte eine Temperatur von 23,4°C über dem Boden herrschten 27,35°C und 2 m über dem Boden 26°C. Somit befanden sich die Eidechsen an dem scheinbar kühlsten Punkt der Voliere, was ein Zeichen von höherer Affinität zu niedrigeren Temperaturen von juvenilen Lacerta agilis ist. Die Voliere wird in ihrem Aufbau beschrieben mit ihren Strukturelementen (niedrige Vegetation, Kiesbahn entlang den geschlossenen Wänden aus Buchen- und Koniferenholz. Ebenfalls sind Schattenplätze vorhanden, jedoch herrscht eine hohe Temperatur in Bodengrundnähe aufgrund der Grundvegetation und der umseitig geschlossenen Wände. Das ist der erste Nachweis von Eidechsen in einer Voliere auf dem Betriebsgelände, außerhalb der Volieren gibt es jedoch mehrere (auch adulte) Zauneidechsen. Die beschriebene Voliere könnte ein potentielles Eidechsenhabitat repräsentieren, in Kombination mit einem hohen Insektenaufkommen aufgrund von Futterresten (Fleisch und andere Gewebe) die in der Falkenzucht unvermeidbar sind. Es ist denkbar, dass mehr Eidechsenvorkommen in ähnlichen Tierhaltungseinrichtungen möglich sind, jedoch ist dafür eine Kontaktaufnahme mit den Betreibern unerlässlich, da die Anlagen in der Regel nicht öffentlich sind. Dies könnte helfen, neue oder bisher unbekannte Populationen und Vorkommen von Zauneidechsen oder anderen Reptilienspezies festzustellen.

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Three different lizard species can be found at the great pasture of Hajúbagos. These are the balkan or crimean wall lizard (Podarcis taurica), the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) and the green lizard (Lacerta viridis). All of them are protected by law in Hungary but while sand lizard and green lizard is common all over the country, the amount of the balkan wall lizard is decreasing. The main cause of this regrettable possession is the habitat degradation and thus habitat loss. Namely balkan wall lizard not only prefers but suffers open sand grasslands and these kinds of habitats are disappearing in Hungary. Due to the fact that the extensive animal grazing lost its importance, open sand pastures started to change, succession can be realized. Thus grass closing constantly what is favourable for sand lizard and green lizard. Furthermore sand lizard and balkan wall lizard share roughly the same foodsource and moreover green lizard could possibly pass into a predator of balkan wall lizard juveniles also. Therefore sand lizard and green lizard became competitors (or predators) of balkan wall lizard and the proportion of the three species compared to each other is changing. My aim is to examine the vegetation change and simultaneously monitor the amount of the mentioned three lizard species. After all I would like to make a well established proposal on the management of protected grasslands.

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New data on the distribution of 10 amphibian and 6 reptile species in the Vladimir Region is given. The list of species contains 198 new records including such rare species as Bombina bombina and Coronella austriaca.

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Im Nordwesten von Leipzig wurden von 2006 bis August 2013 insgesamt 116 Beobachtungsdaten der vier hier gegenwärtig bodenständigen und einer allochthonen Reptilienarten gesammelt und ausgewertet. Dominierende Art ist mit 58 Nachweisen die Zauneidechse, gefolgt von Ringelnatter (40), Waldeidechse (9), Blindschleiche (8) und der eingeschleppten Mauereidechse mit nur einem Nachweis. Einen relativ hohen Anteil an den Nachweisen haben Totfunde, wovon ganz besonders die Ringelnatter betroffen ist, bei der über 50 % der Nachweise Totfunde sind.

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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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The ability to shed (autotomize) all or part of the tail, usually in response to predator attack, and often to subsequently regenerate it is widespread in lizards and amphisbaenians and also occurs in a few snakes and in the tuatara. Most species possess a sophisticated intravertebral autotomy mechanism which seems to be primitive in the Squamata. This appears to have been independently lost in members of many groups, but some agamids and snakes have regained the ability to shed their tails by a simpler intervertebral means and a -number of agamids have also redeveloped tail regeneration as well. Breakable tails are used to evade capture in two main ways: by enabling reptiles to break away from predators that have grasped them by the tail and by providing a distraction which deflects the attention of the attacker away from the vulnerable head and body. It is argued that loss of caudal autotomy has occurred when the costs of tail shedding outweigh its benefits. Likely costs include the expense of regrowing the tail and the loss of a variety of possible tail functions that may cause partial incapacitation, at least until the tail regenerates. Benefits of autotomy are liable to be low if predation is rare, if the animal is able to protect itself effectively in other ways, if it is too slow to evade further pursuit after the tail is shed, or if the tail is small or unpalatable and consequently not likely to distract a predator. Benefit variation may well be greater than cost variation and therefore more important in initiating the loss of autotomy mechanisms. Many taxa that do not shed the tail appear to conform to the above interpretation, but in some cases, such as the Platynota, Agamidae and Chamaeleonidae, lack of intravertebral autotomy may reflect the history of these groups rather than being a direct result of present ecological pressures. The distribution of intervertebral autotomy in the Agamidae suggests that it may have evolved only in rather special circumstances where tail fragility is advantageous even in the absence of the ability to regenerate. Restriction ot autotomy planes to the tail-base, so that the whole organ is lost, a condition found in a number of relatively slow-moving geckoes, is interpreted as a means of ensuring that enough of the tail is shed to distract a predator from further pursuit. The stimulus necessary to induce autotomy can vary rapidly in individual lizards and at least some of these changes probably maximize the effectiveness of the tail-shedding mechanism. Differences in the readiness with which all or part of the tail is shed exist between species and are likely to reflect the balance of costs and benefits in particular cases. Variations in incidence of broken tails between species and populations may be due to such differences in fragility but many other factors may play a part, including the age structure of samples, incidence of unsuccessful attacks by predators and ability to evade predators after autotomy. There is a clear tendency for climbing lizards, especially those living on rock surfaces, to have higher incidences of broken tails than ground-dwelling species, perhaps because the tail is usually less important in locomotion in the first group. Many lizards possess conspicuously coloured tails and tail movements that seem likely to help distract attention from the head and body. Conspicuous tail colouring is more frequent and often better developed in young animals, which tend to be more vulnerable than adults, and in active species from open habitats where crypsis may not always be very effective. Conspicuous tails usually have contrasting light and dark areas in nocturnal forms but are often a single bright colour in diurnal ones, probably reflecting the visual capacities of their respective predators. The predominance of blue tails in day-active species may be because this colour is striking close to but not very arresting at a distance, so it may not attract predators from far away while still drawing their attention at close quarters.

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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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Relationships of lacertid lizards were assessed on the basis of 84 primary and 112 binary characters drawn mainly from morphology, including features of the skeleton, external anatomy, various internal soft part systems and two aspects of behaviour. Among features not previously used, or not fully investigated before, are structure of the septomaxilla and nasal passages, arranged of the xiphisternal cartilages, mite pockets, kidney position, ulnar nerve arragement, thoracic fascia, aspects of the hemipenis and its associated muscles, female genitalia and jaw muscles. On the basis of parsimony analysis and compatibilty treatment of this character set, the Lacertidae fall into two main portions: A paraphyletic Palaearctic and Oriental group of primitive forms, from which is derived a holophyletic assemblage of Ethiopian and advanced Saharan and Eurasian taxa. The former group ist not fully resolvable, but Psammodromus and Gallotia appear to be sister groups and are probably related to Lacerta parva and L. fraasi and then L. brandtii, Podarcis appears to be related successively to L. andreanszkyi, the sister species L. dugesii and L. perspicillata, and perhaps L. danfordi and L. laevis. This assemblage may be related to archaeolacertas and Algyroides. The separation of Lacerta lepida, L. pater and L. princeps from the agilis group, based on chemical evidence, is weakly contradicted by morphology. Takydromus may be most closely related to L. vivipara, and L. jayakari and L. cyanura constitute the most likely sister group of the Ethiopian and advanced Saharo-Eurasian assemblage. Taxe in the Ethiopian and advanced SaharoEuroasian assemblage form a long essentially pectinate tree with relatively change between the side branches, except for a strong disjunction separating the more primitive from the more advanced taxa. Most of the former fall on two main branches, with ´Lacerta` australis and ´L.` rupicola possibly basal to them. 1. the Equatorial forest group containing Gastropholis, Bedriagaia, ´Lacerta` echinata, Adolfus, ´Lacerta` jacksoni and Holaspis. The first three of these constitute a holophyletic group and the same is probably true of the remainder. 2. Tropidosaura, Poromera and Nucras, the latter being the sister group of the more advanced forms. These include successively the Ethiopian Philochortus, Latastia, Ichnotropis and Heliobolus, Pseuderemias, Meroles and Aporosaura, and Pedioplanis, and then the Saharo-Eurasian Eremias, Acanthodactylus, Mesalina and Ophisops-Cabrita. It seems probable that the ancestors of modern Lacertidae arose in western Eurasia, where the family is known since the Palaeocene and is still represented there largely by quite primitive forms (89 species and seven nominal genera). The family later invaded Africa, perhaps first in the early or middle Miocene. Relatively primitive lacertids spread widely in largely mesic situations in the Ethiopian region, radiating to some extent (six present genera and 16 species) and producing Nucras and the related series of advaned groups (eight genera and 54 species) whoich show increasing adaptation to xeric environments. These genera tend to have heir most primitive species in the northeast and north of the Ethiopian region. The most advaned gave rise to the Saharo-Eurasian clade, now made up to Eremias, Acanthodactylus, Mesalina and Ophisops-Cabrita. This invaded the arid areas of North Africa and Eurasia, where it is presently represented by 70 species. Many morphological changes in increasingly advanced lacertids may be functionally related to the problems of survival in arid, hot, open environments. Considerable ecological parallelism exists in lacertids, with members of separate stocks occupying similar niches in different geographical areas. Morphological adaptations associated with these niches contribute significantly to the high levels of character homoplasy found in the family. There is also some correlation between the degree of niche differentiation in various groups and the quality of the phylogenies that can be produced from their physical characters. A number of morphological parallels exist between advaned lacertids and New World macroteiids. In the skull at least, advaned lacertids show a complex mixture of paedomorphosis and acceleration. Nomenclatorial changes are as follows: Cabrita is synonymised with Ophisops, necessitating a new name, Ophisops nictans, for Cabrita jerdonii. Aporosaura is synonymised with Meroles, Platyplacopus with Takydromus, and Bedriagaia with Gastropholis. ´Lacerta` (or Centromastyx) echinata is also transferred to the latter genus and Lacerta jacksoni to Adolfus. ´Lacerta` australis and ´L.` rupicola are put in a new genus, Australolacerta. It is recommended that Lacerta dugesii and L. perspicillata should not be placed in the otherwise very uniform genus Podarcis. Although clearly paraphyletic, Lacerta s. lat. Should be retained at least for the present and, if necessary putative relationships within it indicated by informal groups or subgenera.

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Estimates of phylogeny may allow historical events to be reconstructed even without a fossil record. The reliability of such interpretations depends not only on the robustness of the phylogeny but also on its topology. Changes in individual features can be traced and general histories of groups developed and compared with each other. Results are ofter surprising, for Instance the sophisticated tail shedding mechanism of lizards turns out to be a primitive feature that has been lost many times. Similarly, ecological analogues may have developed their common characaters in quite different orders. Phylogenies also provide a way of recognizing constraints and the effects of history on present ecological and behavioural patterns. When using anatomical characters the quality of the apparent phylogenies produced may be related to ecological history: expansion of a group along an ecological continuum into increasingly demanding niches ina small geographical area tends to produce a robust phylogeny (for instance in Meroles), while this is often not so for widely distributed groups that occupy a more modest range of niches (such as Pedioplanis and Podarcis). Non-morphological data may not show this tendency, but can have their own problems. Lacertids can be referred to clade with many successive branches in Africa and the Saharo-Eurasian arid zones and a less resolved probably paraphyletic complex of more primitive forms in the Mediterranean and wider Palaearctic areas. The African-Eurasian clade shows a general trend towards ground-dwelling and increasingly arid habitats but is ecologically variied. These animals are important to the study of Mediterranean forms because they provide eco-morphological parallels to them (for instance to Algyroides, Psammodromus and the archaeolacertas) and help form a basis for testing hypotheses about function. Although it is possible to recognise a number of distinct clades among the Mediterranean and Eurasian forms, relationships within and between these are often much less well substantiated. If results are available in time, current work on mitochondrial DNA sequencing will be discussed.

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Differences in surface structure (ober- hautchen) of body scales of lacertid lizards involve cell size, shape and surface profile, presence or absence of fine pitting, form of cell margins, and the occurrence of longitudinal ridges and pustular projections. Phylogenetic information indicates that the primitive pattern involved narrow strap-shaped cells, with low posteriorly overlapping edges and relatively smooth surfaces. Deviations from this condition produce a more sculptured surface and have developed many times, although subsequent overt reversals are uncommon. Like variations in scale shape, different patterns of dorsal body microornamentation appear to confer different and conflicting performance advantages. The primitive pattern may reduce friction during locomotion and also enhances dirt shedding, especially in ground-dwelling forms from moist habitats. However, this smooth microornamentation generates shine that may compromise cryptic coloration, especially when scales are large. Many derived features show correlation with such large scales and appear to suppress shine. They occur most frequently in forms from dry habitats or forms that climb in vegetation away from the ground, situations where dirt adhesion is less of a problem. Microornamentation differences involving other parts of the body and other squamate groups tend to corroborate this functional interpretation. Microornamentation features can develop on lineages in different orders and appear to act additively in reducing shine. In some cases different combinations may be optimal solutions in particular environments, but lineage effects, such as limited reversibility and different developmental proclivities, may also be important in their genesis. The fine pits often found on cell surfaces are unconnected with shine reduction, as they are smaller than the wavelengths of most visible light.

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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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A survey on the geogtraphical variation of scalation in the Sand lizard was done by means of both univariate (ANOVA) and multivariate (Canonical discriminant Analysis and cluster of the Mahalanobis distances among centroids). Our results show the existence of two clearly separated groups, in concordance with previous authors. Lacerta agilis garzoni is enough differentiated to by considered a valid subspecies. Lacerta agilis argus is a mere synonym of Lacerta agilis agilis. Lacerta agilis chersonensis despite their overall similarity in pattern and coloration to the so-called Balcanic group belongs to the Caucasic one. Data on the currently known habitat and chorology of Lacerta agilis garzoni are given.

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The most ancient report of Lacerta agilis in Pyrenees is given. The reference to its presence in Montlouis corresponds to the book about the nature of the Pyrenees written by Eugen Trutat in 1894, twenty two years before Boulenger (1916) publication, considered to be the oldest (both slope from Ariege and la Cerdanya: data from Ax-les-Thermes and Porté).

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Partial albinism and melanism cases in Iberolacerta Arribas, 1997 are reviewed, adding some new cases and photographs from other yet published.

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telomeres, the protective, terminal parts of the chromosomes erode during cell division and as a result of oxidative damage by reactive oxygen species (RoS). ectotherms rely on the ambient temperature for maintaining temperature-dependent metabolic rate, regulated through behavioural thermoregulation. their temperature-dependant metabolism, hence also the RoS production, is indirectly regulated through thermoregulation. Consequently, a potential causal chain affecting telomere length and attrition is: temperature (in particular, its deviation from a species-specific optimum) – metabolism - ROS production – anti-oxidation - telomere erosion. We measured telomere length in sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) using qPCR on blood samples from 1998–2006. Effects of climatological parameters (mean temperature and average sunshine hours) in the summer and winter preceding telomere sampling were used as predictors of telomere length in mixed model analysis. During the lizards’ active period (summer), there was a largely negative effect of mean temperature and sun on telomere length, whereas a combined measure of age and size (head length) was positively related to telomere length. During the inactive period of lizards (winter), the results were largely the opposite with a positive relationship between temperature and sunshine hours and telomere length. in all four cases, thermal and age effects on telomere length appeared to be non-linear in the two sexes and seasons, with complex response surface effects on telomere length from combined age and thermal effects.

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Kroatien ist eines der herpetologisch artenreichsten Länder Europas und daher ein beliebtes Reiseziel mitteleuropäischer Herpetologen. Aufgrund des in den letzten Jahrzehnten stetig weiter ausgebauten Autobahnnetzes ist das Land gut und schnell zu bereisen, lediglich die Grenzwartezeiten an den Urlaubswochenenden sind noch einigermaßen mühsam, da Kroatien noch nicht im Schengen-Raum aufgenommen wurde. Viele im Rahmen der ÖGH oder Herpetofauna.at durchgeführten Exkursionen führten uns in den letzten Jahren nach Kroatien.

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1. The signals that animals use to communicate often differ considerably among species. Part of this variation in signal design may derive from differential natural selection on signal efficacy: the ability of the signal to travel efficiently through the environment and attract the receiver`s attention. For the visual and acoustic modalities, the effect of the physical environment on signal efficacy is a well-studied selective force. Still, very little is known on its impact on chemical signals. 2. Here, we took a broad, phylogenetic comparative approach to test for a relationship between animals` signal chemistry and properties of their natural environment. Our study focused on lizards from the Lacertidae family. 3. We sampled 64 species across three continents and determined the lipophilic composition of their glandular signalling secretions using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For each species, an array of environmental variables of high temporal and spatial resolution was obtained from climate databases. 4. Species varied considerably in the overall richness (number of constituents) of their secretions, as well as in the relative contribution of the major chemical compound classes. Signal richness and the relative contribution of the respective compounds exhibited little evidence of phylogenetic relatedness, suggesting that chemical signals may change very rapidly. Neither insularity nor substrate use affected chemical signal composition, however, we found a strong statistical relationship between the chemistry of the lizards` secretions and aspects of the thermal and hydric environment they inhabit. 5. Species from `xeric` milieus contained high proportions of stable fatty acid esters and high molecular weight alcohols in their glandular secretions, which likely increase the persistence of secretion scent-marks. In contrast, species inhabiting `mesic` environments produced secretions of a high chemical richness comprising high levels of aldehydes and low molecular weight alcohols. This chemical mix probably creates a volatile-rich signal that can be used for long-distance airborne communication. 6. We argue that the observed variation in signal design results from differential natural selection, optimizing signal efficacy under contrasting environmental conditions.

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Die Autoren haben mittels der RAPD-Methode die genetische Variation in 5 Zauneidechsenpopulationen untersucht, wobei drei Populationen westlich der Saale bei Halle nur jeweils 700-1200 m voneiander entfernt lagen, eine weitere östlich des Flusses in 5 km Entfernung und die fünfte Population etwa 60 km entfernt bei Leipzig lebt. Mit verschiedenen multivariaten Verfahren wurde die Variation innerhalb und zwischen den Populationen analysiert. Es ergibt sich, daß die Isolationswirkung der Saale deutlicher ist als die durch eine Entfernung von 60 km und zwei Autobahnen erzeugte Einschränkung des Genflusses, so daß sich der nacheiszeitliche Einwanderungsweg anscheinend noch in der genetischen Ähnlichkeit nachweisen läßt. Auch zwischen den drei nahe benachbarten, aber durch lange bestehende Ackerflächen teilweise isolierten Populationen lassen sich kleine genetische Differenzen aufzeigen, die im Einklang mit mutmaßlichen Isolationsmustern interpretiert werden können. Leider sind die Ergebnisse nur sehr knapp und summarisch dargestellt, so daß eine eingehendere Diskussion auch der methodischen Ansätze nicht möglich ist. Die Autoren weisen insbesondere auf die Bedeutung junger Isolationsfaktoren in der intensivierten Agrarlandschaft hin, doch erscheinen mir aus Sicht des Artenschutzes die dargestellten historisch-geographischen Differenzen wesentlicher, weil sie eine Vorstellung davon vermitteln, welche Vielfalt an historisch entstanden Isolaten sich innerhalb der Arten verbergen lassen. Solche bislang kaum beachtete Vielfalt kann durch Ansiedelaktionismus zur Vermeidung genetischer Verarmung unwiederbringlich zerstört werden.

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Background. The purpose of the work is to clarify the species of turtles, lizards and snakes that P. S. Pallas noted in the Volga river basin and the Volga-Ural inter fluve. Pallas’s data on the reptile fauna of the region are compared with current data Materials an methods. The basis of the study was the analysis of Pallas’s publications. The names of reptiles used by Pallas with their modern names are identified. Results. From the Volga region, Pallas described two species of reptiles that are new to science: “Coluber melanis” (black forest-steppe form of the Vipera berus) and “Lacerta pipiens” (Alsophylax pipiens). From the interfluve of the Volga and the Ural Pallas described two species yet: “Lacerta apoda” (Pseudopus apodus) and “Lacerta mystacea” (Phrynocephalus mystaceus). The great naturalist noted in the Volga region also reptiles, whose modern names are: Emys orbicularis, Phrynocephalus helioscopus, Phrynocephalus guttatus, Phrynocephalus mystaceus, Eremias velox, Lacerta agilis, Natrix natrix, Natrix tessellata, Hierophis caspius, Gloydius halys, Vipera berus, Vipera renardi. At the beginning of the XXI century, one species of turtles, 11 species of lizards and 10 species of snakes reliably inhabit the region. Conclusions. The species of reptiles noted by Pallas, except for the Pseudopus apodus and the Gloydius halys, reliably inhabit the region at present. The data of the Pallas serve as a basis for studying the dynamics of species composition, distribution, abundance and phenology of reptiles in the Volga basin.

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In different months during 2015-2017, the abundance and sex-age structure of the Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) were studied on two transects. Parallel transects were established in the southeastern part of the cluster area «Burtinskaya steppe» of the Orenburg State Nature Reserve (Russia). The length of each transect was 3 km. The width of the mineralised plowed strip between the transects was 9-11 m. Transect 2 was located in the area burnt in August 2014, while transect 1 was situated in the area burnt in August 2016. In terms of size and external morphological traits, the captured Sand lizards were divided into three groups: juvenile individuals, adult males, and adult females. After measurements, the marked animals were put back to the places of capture. The number and sex-age structure were restored on transects in May June, after the first winter following the fire impact. We found that on transect 1, the species abundance at late April early May 2015 was almost three times higher (18.67 individuals / km) than on transect 2 (6.67 individuals / km). However, at late May 2015, the species abundance on both transects became almost the same (12.67 individuals / km in transect 1 against 11.33 individuals / km in transect 2). The juvenile individuals suffered from the fire influence more than adults. After the 2016 fire (i.e., in mid-May 2017), the proportion of one-year-old individuals was 21.2% of the total number of Sand lizards recorded in transect 1, while it counted 67.3% of the total number of Sand lizards recorded in transect 2, burnt in 2014. We believe that the rapid recovery of the abundance and sex-age structure in the Burtinskaya steppe was associated with the migration of Sand lizards through the mineralised strip separating the burnt and non-burnt transects.

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Nine reptile species inhabited on the five sites in the Orenburgsky State Nature Reserve, these are Emys orbicularis, Eremias arguta, Lacerta agilis, Zootoca vivipara, Natrix natrix, N. tessellata, Coronella austriaca, Elaphe dione, and Vipera renardi. Lacerta agilis is the only abundant species. Over the last 20-25 years, the abundance of at least three species (Emys orbicularis, Zootoca vivipara, Natrix natrix) has decreased in some clusters of the reserve.

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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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Es gibt sicherlich verschiedene Möglichkeiten, im Terrarium gehaltene Eidechsen zu überwintern. Der eine schwört auf seinen Keller, der andere auf eine laubgefüllte Grube in seinem Garten. Nun, wem beides nicht zur Verfügung steht, dem kann auch ein Kühlschrank ganz ausgezeichnete Dienste leisten. Freilich ist nicht gemeint, die Eidechsen frei zwischen Wurst und Käse zu betten, vielmehr bedarf es einiger Vorbereitungen. Im wesentlichen stellen sich zur Überwinterung von Eidechsen 4 Fragen: 1. wen? 2. wann? 3. wie? Und 4. wie lange? Auf diese 4 Fragen soll im in diesem Bericht eine Antwort gegeben werden.

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Es gibt sicherlich verschiedene Möglichkeiten, im Terrarium gehaltene Eidechsen zu überwintern. Der eine schwört auf seinen Keller, der andere auf eine laubgefüllte Grube in seinem Garten. Nun, wem beides nicht zur Verfügung steht, dem kann auch ein Kühlschrank ganz ausgezeichnete Dienste leisten. Freilich ist nicht gemeint, die Eidechsen frei zwischen Wurst und Käse zu betten, vielmehr bedarf es einiger Vorbereitungen. Im wesentlichen stellen sich zur Überwinterung von Eidechsen 4 Fragen: 1. wen? 2. wann? 3. wie? Und 4. wie lange? Auf diese 4 Fragen soll im in diesem Bericht eine Antwort gegeben werden.

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In drei Ersatzhabitaten für Zauneidechsen (Lacerta agilis), die im Rahmen von Umsiedlungsmaßnahmen in Berlin angelegt wurden, wurden Strukturelemente eingebracht, die hinsichtlich der verwendeten Materialien, ihrer Größe und ihres Aufbaus große Unterschiede aufwiesen. Im Zuge von Monitoring-Untersuchungen konnte beobachtet werden, dass nicht alle Strukturelemente von den Eidechsen besiedelt wurden. Je nach Ausstattung wurden einige völlig gemieden, während andere deutlich bevorzugt wurden. Nach den bisherigen Beobachtungen wurden strukturreiche Altholzhaufen von den Zauneidechsen am häufigsten besiedelt, während an den steindominierten Strukturen gar nicht oder nur vereinzelt Eidechsen beobachtet werden konnten. Von entscheidender Bedeutung scheint zu sein, ob die angelegten Sonderstrukturen den Eidechsen genügend Deckung bieten. Somit zeigen sich Qualitätsunterschiede bei den Anlagen, die in der Praxis unbedingt mehr Beachtung finden sollten.

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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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Im vorliegenden Bericht werden die Verbreitung der Reptilienarten, ihre Gefährdung sowie ihre Lebensräume und Förderungsmöglichkeiten in den Kantonen St.Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden und Appenzell Innerrhoden dargestellt. Die Arbeit basiert auf über 2500 weitgehend unsystematischen Beobachtungen von 1978 bis 2001. Die meisten Artnachweise stammen von rund 350 Personen als Ergebnis von Umfragen in den Jahren 1987 sowie 1998 bis 2000. In Gebieten, aus denen kaum Reptilienvorkommen gemeldet wurden, erfolgten stichprobenartige Geländebegehungen. Gegenwärtig kommen im Projektgebiet sechs einheimische Arten vor: Waldeidechse, Zauneidechse, Blindschleiche, Ringelnatter, Schlingnatter und Kreuzotter. Daneben sind sechs fremde, eingeschleppte Reptilienarten verbreitet: Mauereidechse, Ruineneidechse, Würfelnatter, Aeskulapnatter, Kaspische Wasserschildkröte und Rotwangen-Schmuckschildkröte. Die Blindschleiche ist weit verbreitet und häufig. Von der Waldeidechse konzentrieren sich Nachweise auf höhere Lagen. Tiefer gelegene Vorkommen sind oft isoliert und gefährdet. Die Kreuzotter kommt nur in wenigen alpinen Gebieten vor, ist dort aber selten gefährdet. Vorkommen von Zauneidechse und Ringelnatter sind vorwiegend isoliert und klein; die Arten sind daher überall gefährdet. Stark gefährdet ist die Schlingnatter, die nur im Rheintal noch grössere Bestandesreserven aufweist. Entsprechend der Bedeutung und dem Potenzial der Reptilien-Lebensräume wurden Kern-, Förderungs- und Vernetzungsgebiete ausgeschieden.

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Our present study is an inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles at region of Beni Aziz. The work involves the index of the presence / absence and distribution. The selected zones are: Mountainous site (Djebels) (Sd), cultivated Site (Sc) and humid Site (Oued El kebir ) (So), different methods are used: listens chants anuran, the dip netting for larvae and tadpoles, search streams, visual inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles, trapping (pot Berber) for lizards and amphibians, search under various objects for snakes. We recorded 7 Amphibians and 15 Reptiles. The results also include the biogeographic status, distribution and habitat. We have elaborated an illustrated catalog of existing species in conclusion.

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Assessments of radiation exposure of reptiles may be required in some countries as many species are protected. However, there are few data available for the transfer of radionuclides to them, especially in terrestrial ecosystems, and consequently, no specific peer reviewed reptile data have been used in the derivation of default transfer parameters in the ERICA Tool. Twenty samples of Lacerta agilis (sand lizard) and five of Natrix natrix (grass snake) were collected from two sites within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and analysed for Pu-isotopes, 137Cs and 90Sr. Corresponding activity concentrations for soil from the sampling sites were available. These data have been used to derive concentration ratios (CR) (i.e. reptile whole-body fresh weight activity concentration relative to the dry weight activity concentration in soil). CR values for N. natrix tended to be lower than those for L. agilis. The CR values derived in this paper will be used to improve the default values provided within the ERICA Tool. Whole-body activity concentrations determined in the reptile samples were broadly comparable with data available from the same sampling sites for small mammal species.

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Reptiles are target species in Dutch nature conservation. Monitoring populations serves as a tool for the evaluation of nature conservation. The Dutch reptile monitoring program started in 1993 with 170 plots where reptiles are counted at least seven times a year by volunteers. The monitoring network has been steadily growing since then. During 1999 240 plots have been searched. Plots are located in all major reptile areas over the country. About 80 monitoring trajects are situated in the dunes. Most of these habitats are inhabited by Sand Lizards. In the following text one of the volunteers describes his observations from a dune patch during 1999. Apart from just counting the lizards, he makes photographs, which enables him a recognise the lizards individually.

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The sand lizard, Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758, is a small lacertid lizard distributed across Europe and western Asia. The sand lizard also inhabits most of Croatia where two subspecies appear: Lacerta agilis argus Laurenti, 1768 (disputable by some authors) in the northern lowlands and L. a. bosnica Schreiber, 1912 in the Dinaric mountain system. In August 2012, we conducted a population study of L. a. bosnica on Dinara Mountain in Croatia. Dinara is the highest Croatian mountain stretching from Dalmatia (region in Croatia) into Southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sexual dimorphism was established in this population but focus of this study was to analyze ecological and microhabitat parameters on locations where individuals were sampled. Collected data were further analyzed to check whether males and females prefer different environmental conditions. During this research we visited high mountain grasslands between 1000 and 1400 m a.s.l. with mean habitat temperature of 25.6 °C and measured 100 individuals of sand lizard. These individuals were divided into three groups: 56 females, 40 males and 4 juveniles. For each individual a set of ecological and microhabitat preferences parameters was taken within minutes from capture: altitude, wind intensity, cloudiness, substrate temperature, air temperature measured at 5 centimeter above ground, air temperature measured at 60 centimeters above ground and cloaca temperature. Five microhabitats were recognized and all individuals were also analyzed according to differences among them. Mean body temperature of adult individuals was 27.7 °C with no significant difference between sexes. Almost 60% of captured individuals had regenerated tails, indicating high predation pressure.

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In connectivity conservation and ecological network planning, the selection of focal fragmentationsensitive species represents a priority step. Nevertheless, despite their strategic role, selection of focal species has traditionally been carried out using charismatic and/or non objective approaches. In this way, actions of planning and conservation could be ineffective. Using as a case study Italian reptiles, we apply an expert-based approach for the selection of focal species on the basis of sensitivity to components of habitat fragmentation (habitat area reduction, increase of habitat isolation, increase of edge effect and landscape matrix disturbance) and of intrinsic ecological traits of the species (trophic level, dispersal ability, body size, niche breadth, rarity). The threshold values for each component of fragmentation defined a set of 21 focal species that can be divided into the three macro-components of human-induced habitat fragmentation (HIHF) towards which they show a sensitivity, the suitable spatial scale of populations and relative suitable habitat categories. Among these species, seven can be sampled easily with standard, low-cost field protocols. The selected species largely coincide with the species known in literature as fragmentation-sensitive.

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A complete catalogue is provided for the type specimens of lacertid lizards in the herpetological collection of the Zoological Museum, Berlin, as of December, 1993. The collection contains a total of 514 type specimens, representing 63 taxa, of which 42 are currently regarded as valid at the specific or subspecific level. Types representing an additional four taxa appear to have been lost from the collection. The collections are especially rich in African lacertid types and in historically significant specimens collected early in the Nineteenth Century by Pallas, Eversmann, and Hemprich & Ehrenberg. Also present are the type series of many subspecies of Podarcis lilfordi and P. pityusensis described by Eisentraut.

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The life history of an organism is the combination of age-specific survival probabilities and fecundities it displays in its natural environment. Hence, an organism`s life history is characterised by its age and size at maturity, frequency of reproduction, clutch or litter size, size of eggs and hatchlings, and survivorship at different life stages (as embryos, neonates, immatures, adults). Variation in these traits can be studied at different levels: within a population, among populations of a single species, and among different species. I here give an overview of studies that explored life history variation in European lacertid lizards.

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Oganismal performance abilities occupy a central position in phenotypic evolution; they are determined by suites of interacting lower-level traits (e.g., morphology and physiology) and they are a primary focus of natural selection. The mechanisms by which higher levels of organismal performance are achieved during evolution are therefore fundamentally important for understanding correlated evolution in general and coadaptation in particular. Here we address correlated evolution of morphological, physiological, and behavioral characteristics that influence interspecific variation in sprint speed in a clade of lacertid lizards. Phylogenetic analyses using independent contrasts indicate that the evolution of high maximum sprinting abilities (measured on a photocell-timed racetrack) has occurred via the evolution of (1) longer hind limbs relative to body size, and (2) a higher physiologically optimum temperature for sprinting. For ectotherms, which experience variable body temperatures while active, sprinting abilities in nature depend on both maximum capacities and relative performance levels (i.e., percent of maximum) that can be attained. With respect to temperature effects, relative performance levels are determined by the interaction between thermal physiology and thermoregulatory behavior. Among the 13 species or subspecies of lizards in the present study, differences in the optimal temperature for sprinting (body temperature at which lizards run fastest) closely matched interspecific variation in median preferred body temperature (measured in a laboratory photothermal gradient), in- dicating correlated evolution of thermal physiology and thermal preferences. variability of the preferred body tem- peratures maintained by each species is, across species, negatively correlated with the thermal-performance breadth (range of body temperatures over which lizards can run relatively fast). This pattern leads to interspecific differences in the levels of relative sprint speed that lizards are predicted to attain while active at their preferred temperatures. The highest levels of predicted relative performance are achieved by species that combine a narrow, precise distribution of preferred temperatures with the ability to sprint at near-maximum speeds over a wide range of body temperatures. The observed among-species differences in predicted relative speed were positively correlated with the interspecific variation in maximum sprinting capacities. Thus, species that attain the highest maximum speeds are (1) also able to run at near-maximum levels over a wide range of temperatures and (2) also maintain body temperatures within a narrow zone near the optimal temperature for sprinting. The observed pattern of correlated evolution therefore has involved traits at distinct levels of biological organization, that is, morphology, physiology, and behavior; and trade- offs are not evident. We hypothesize that this particular trait combination has evolved in response to coadaptational selection pressures. We also discuss our results in the context of possible evolutionary responses to global climatic change.

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In this paper we provide quantitative information on the occurrence of larvae and nymphs of the tick Ixodes ricinus in populations of the lizards Lacerta agilis and L. vivipara. Levels of infestation were rather low, at least when compared with those of small mammals and sheep. Hence we suppose that lizards feed only a minor fraction of the total tick population. Differences in tick loads among lizard subpopulations are probably attributable to difference in body size and mobility among the host groups. Ticks exhibit a markedly clumped distribution on the lizards. This distribution pattern fits with the negative binomial distribution. The overdispersed distribution of tick larvae in the field and aspects of the lizards` behaviour are considered as factors which contribute to the observed infestation patterns. Tick larvae were active throughout summer, with peak levels occurring during June-July. Nymphs were most numerous during May-June but almost absent during the summer months. Almost always ticks were attached near the lizards` forelimbs. Possible mortality resulting from tick infestation does not contribute significantly to the overall lizard mortality. Hence, these ectoparasites seem to have but a minor impact on the lizard populations. Differences in tick loads among lizard subpopulations are probably attributable to difference in body size and mobility among the host groups. Ticks exhibit a markedly clumped distribution on the lizards. This distribution pattern fits with the negative binomial distribution. The overdispersed distribution of tick larvae in the field and aspects of the lizards` behaviour are considered as factors which contribute to the observed infestation patterns. Tick larvae were active throughout summer, with peak levels occurring during June-July. Nymphs were most numerous during May-June but almost absent during the summer months. Almost always ticks were attached near the lizards` forelimbs. Possible mortality resulting from tick infestation does not contribute significantly to the overall lizard mortality. Hence, these ectoparasites seem to have but a minor impact on the lizard populations.

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Im voranstehenden Aufsatz wird eine neue Form der gewöhnlichen Eidechse Lacerta agilis L . als var. Dzieduszyckii m. beschrieben. Dieselbe unterscheidet sich sehr scharf von anderen bekannten Formen dieser Art durch eine besonders charakteristische Zeichnung und Färbung der Rückenzone. Es ist nämlich das Rückenband in zwei Reihen tiefschwarzer, länglicher, hellgrün umsäumter Flecken zerlegt. Das Exemplar, ein Männchen, stammt aus der nächsten Umgebung von Lemberg (Hołosko). Auf der beigesetzten Tafel sind ausser der beschriebenen Varietät noch die ebenfalls aus der Umgebung der Stadt Lemberg bekannten Formen: v. annulata Wern, und lineata Dürigen (albo v. spinalis Wern.) dargestellt.

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Urbanisation can be dangerous to biological diversity, but on the other hand cities can enhance local and regional biodiversity by providing habitat analogues for many – sometimes endangered – species that are elsewhere excluded from natural habitats. Sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) are endangered in Germany and populations are declining. This species may colonise urban habitats to a certain degree, but the effects of urban development or urbanisation on their distribution and population densities remain unexplained. The aim of this study was to ascertain if the metropolitan area of Berlin offers secondary habitats for sand lizard populations, which environmental factors affect colonisation success and to what degree they tolerate human impacts. In 2012, sand lizard populations in 30 plots (ten urban, ten suburban, ten rural) were assessed regarding their conservation status and environmental variables. We found 15 sand lizard populations; statistical analyses showed no significant differences in individual numbers among the three urbanisation categories. Regression models revealed that the percentage of suitable nesting sites, basking places and suitable microhabitats had a positive effect on density while individual numbers responded negatively to pets and isolation. Urbanisation neither affected sand lizard population densities nor their conservation status, and optimal habitats appeared independent of urbanisation. Urban as well as metropolitan habitats can therefore serve as refuges for this endangered species and negative impacts can be mitigated by forward-looking management, which is characterised by only minimal interventions.

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Buccal swabbing was compared with other tissues as a source of DNA for microsatellite genotyping from two squamate reptiles. For both species, the lizard Lacerta agilis and the snake Coronella austriaca, buccal swabbing proved more reliable than tissues including tail tips, toe clips and ventral scale clips.

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We investigated sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) populations in Britain by genetic analysis across eight polymorphic microsatellite loci. Genetic diversity as determined by mean expected heterozygosity was high in all three distinct regions where the species occurs (Dorset, Surrey and Merseyside), though allelic diversity was lower on Merseyside than in Surrey or Dorset. There was significant genetic differentiation between populations in all three of these widely separated zones, as judged both by Fst and Rst estimators. A genetic test for population bottlenecks confirmed that in at least two of the areas currently inhabited, Surrey and Merseyside, L. agilis has undergone substantial recent declines. The significance of these findings for sand lizard conservation is discussed.

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The incidence of tick-borne diseases has increased in recent years. Studies on sand lizards have demon-strated that they carry a number of acarid species. The purpose of this study was to identify the transmissible pathogenic organisms in Ixodes ricinus removed from Lacerta agilis in the Wielkopolska National Park in 2015. The ticks were identified using a stereomicroscope and by comparing with taxonomical descriptions. Isolation of DNA was performed using a Modified Genomic Maxi AX Direct. The primers used were those used for the detection of haemoparasites transmitted by ticks. In total, 56 nymphs and 34 larvae were re-moved from 15 of 47 examined lizards (overall tick prevalence 31.9%). Larvae and nymphs of Ixodes ricinuswere found on 12 lizards. The highest tick burden was 14 (nymphs). Successful PCR amplicons were fromRickettsia spp. These mono-specific infections did not allow analysis of interactions between co-occurring pathogens. It is clearly necessary to extend this work targeting a much larger sample size of sand lizards and to combine this with concurrent sampling of blood from lizards.

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The list of amphibians and reptiles living in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur constitutes an inventory of up-to-date knowledge on herpetofauna. It contains 22 amphibian taxons and 41 reptile taxons. It also contains their regional distribution, a list of the relevant national, European, and international protection laws, as well as the conservation status of each species.

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The list of amphibians and reptiles living in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur constitutes an inventory of up-to-date knowledge on herpetofauna.

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The harmful effects of close inbreeding have been recognized for centuries and, with the rise of Mendelian genetics, was realized to be an effect of homozygosis. This historical background led to great interest in ways to quantify inbreeding, its depression effects on the phenotype and flow-on effects on mate choice and other aspects of behavioral ecology. The mechanisms and cues used to avoid inbreeding are varied and include major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and the peptides they transport as predictors of the degree of genetic relatedness. Here, we revisit and complement data from a Swedish population of sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) showing signs of inbreeding depression to assess the effects of genetic relatedness on pair formation in the wild. Parental pairs were less similar at the MHC than expected under random mating but mated at random with respect to microsatellite relatedness. MHC clustered in groups of RFLP bands but no partner preference was observed with respect to partner MHC cluster genotype. Male MHC band patterns were unrelated to their fertilization success in clutches selected for analysis on the basis of showing mixed paternity. Thus, our data suggest that MHC plays a role in pre-copulatory, but not post-copulatory partner association, suggesting that MHC is not the driver of fertilization bias and gamete recognition in sand lizards.

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Reported effects of inbreeding vary among taxa and may depend on a number of factors, including what trait is measured, temporal variability, parental effects, or life history stage. To understand the effects of inbreeding during early life history stages, we estimated the effects of individual-level heterozygosity on hatching success and first year survival in a Swedish population of sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) over a period of almost a decade, using over 4000 eggs, 400 clutches, and over 3000 juveniles. Heterozygosity had a positive effect on hatching success, in standardized laboratory conditions, but no effect on first year survival. Also, both of these measures of viability varied across the years of the study, demonstrating the importance of temporal heterogeneity in pre and post-hatching conditions. Finally, we identified both paternal and maternal identity effects on hatching success. Thus, we show that selection on heterozygosity was not consistent across developmental life stages, emphasizing the need of considering a number of ontogenic stages, as well as potential parental and environmental effects, when studying the effects of heterozygosity on viability in natural populations.

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Reptile habitats are described using various indices. The definitions of such indices are crucial, as they are applied to habitat modelling for numerous species on local to continental scales. We examined the Leaf Area Index (LAI) for its value as a tool for determining reptile habitat. During measurements carried out in spring and summer months between 2011 and 2013, LAI values were assessed and surveys were conducted on reptile fauna at 11 survey sites in the Solska Forest and Roztocze National Parks areas in Eastern Poland. In total, six Squamata reptiles occurring in Poland were found. We determined that LAI can be utilized as a reptile habitat index, with reptile species associated with LAI seasonal variability as well as LAI range. Moreover, we found that the higher the LAI median value, the greater the variety of reptile species. These findings are useful for development of spatial models of habitats based on LAI as they point to the importance of its seasonal variation.

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Four subpopulations of the Sandlizard are known. All are restricted to areas of undulating topography. Their habitat is characterized by patches of bare sand, sun-exposed during a major part of the day, and relatively open areas dominated by heather, grasses (one locality) and shrubs. This habitat occurs at a very small scale; in the form of: 1) south-facing banks of two forest tarns; 2) two small, sandy remnants of a forest fire; 3) some forest ride verges; 4) a powerline corridor; and 5) a grass-grown sandpit. The area of suitable habitat varies between the four localities from 0.1 to 1 ha. They are mainly surrounded by plantations of 20-40 year old pines, within which almost no lizards have been observed.

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The sand lizard Lacerta agilis has declined in most of north-western Europe during the last decades, mainly due to loss and fragmentation of its habitat. The species reaches the northern periphery of its range in central Sweden, with a few, isolated relict populations restricted to large, sandy areas dominated by pine forest. Six local populations within one of these areas were censused during 1984-1998. Two populations went extinct and the remaining four declined, each with less than ten adult females left in 1998. Efficient afforestation and fire suppression seem to be the most important factors behind the recent decline of the species, having reduced the amount of open, suitable habitat. Life table analysis of two populations implied an average 6% decline and 3% increase in population size per year, respectively (λ = 0.94 and 1.03). Simulations of stochastic future population growth for 20 yr with no management predicted a 39% and 8% risk of extinction, respectively. Projected risks of population extinction and decline were highly dependent on the population growth rate, which in turn was greatly affected by the estimates of juvenile survival. Elasticity analysis demonstrated that this latter demographic parameter contributed most to population growth rate under asymptotic conditions. Simulations of five different conservation management options ranked a programme of captive raising (increased juvenile survival in captivity during the first hibernation) or captive breeding (using a breeding stock from the two populations, respectively), in parallel with habitat management, potentially to be the most effective options to drastically reduce the risk of extinction and decline.

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Pine heath forests on sandy sediments occur as `biotope islands` all over Fennoscandia. An important component of the biodiversity within such pine heaths is early successional species restricted to open patches with sparsely vegetated sand. Surveys of the endangered sand lizard Lacerta agilis on a regional scale in south-central Sweden showed that populated pine heaths were significantly larger (median area 65 km²) than those where the species was absent (median area 5 km²). No effect of pine heath isolation was found. Moreover, on a landscape scale, occupied habitat patches within individual pine heaths were significantly larger than patches where the sand lizard had recently gone extinct. Patch isolation had no significant effect. Furthermore, an analysis of presence/absence of ground-nesting spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) on sandy pine heaths of different size showed that species composition was significantly nested. The highest diversity, of all species and red-listed ones, was found on the largest pine heaths, in sympatry with the sand lizard. It is argued that only the largest sandy pine heaths have provided historical continuity of suitable early successional habitat patches with exposed sand for the most dispersal-limited species. Because of forest fire suppression and afforestation since the beginning of the 20th century, many early successional species in sandy pine heath forests are now threatened due to loss of such patches. To provide habitat for these species, measures to re-create early successional patches must be taken. The sand lizard can be used as a cross-taxonomic umbrella species for red-listed spider wasps and other early successional species. However, to preserve the existing threatened biodiversity within a given pine heath (including the many pine heaths where the sand lizard is absent), a strategy of multiple umbrella species and demarcation of patches with key habitat components is needed.

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When habitat loss and fragmentation have caused local populations to become so isolated that among-population dispersal no longer occurs, habitat restoration and reintroduction at the scale of metapopulations should be considered. The potential for metapopulation establishment of the endangered sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) in a sandy pine heath reserve in central Sweden was explored by modelling the effect of differences in: 1) patch size, 2) number of patches, 3) number of introduced juveniles, and 4) among-patch dispersal. My basic model is presented as a spatially explicit, age-structured, stochastic metapopulation model, and it is parameterized with long-term demographic data from two local populations inhabiting the area subject for this study. Simulations of population growth for 50 years showed that the quasi-extinction risk (threshold < 10 females) was > 56% for patches < 1 ha; which is the average size of suitable habitat for inhabited patches during the past 10 years. The quasi-extinction risk decreased to < 6% for patches > 5 ha. Extinction risks decreased with larger propagule size of introduced juveniles and with increasing number of annual introductions. The same total number of introduced juveniles gave roughly the same extinction risk irrespective of if these individuals were placed in 1 patch or divided into several patches in highly correlated, managed metapopulation networks. Dispersal was not important to reduce extinction risks over a 50-year horizon for these types of metapopulation networks. Given that the supply of juveniles for release is limited, it seems that a wise strategy may be to introduce juveniles for three successive years into one patch in each of several metapopulation networks to minimize correlation among the initial populations. Dispersal was probably much more important in the past landscape, with a natural forest fire regime and extensive human activities like forest grazing by cattle, that created spatiotemporal variation in growth rates within sand lizard metapopulation networks. Yet, the potential for substantial dispersal also within future restored networks is important for colonization of empty patches (assuming that juveniles are not introduced into all patches in each network), and for metapopulation persistence on longer, evolutionary time-scales.

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The final part of a series of papers on the lizards of the Caucasus, that have been published in previous years. The paper reports on the life habits, capture and keeping in terraria of several lizards of Soviet Transcaucasia. In these respects the agamid Phrynocephalus helioscopus persi- cus and three species of the lacertid genus Eremias occuring in that area (i. e. strauchi, velox, pleskei) are discussed. Finally a !ist of all lizard species and subspecies actually known to occur in this region is given.

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Remarks on distribution and mode of life of Lacerta agilis. Short review of its subspecies . Critical remarks on their status.

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General remarks on Georgia as nature area and on ist herpetofauna, with discussion about ist population density. Short presentation and hints on distribution and habitats of Eremias arguta transcaucasica, E. velox caucasica, Ophisops elegans elegans, Lacerta agilis brevicaudata, L. agilis ioriensis, L. agilis grusinica, L. media media and L. strigata.

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The author gives an insight into his decade-long engagement with the sand lizard.

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The author gives an insight into his decade-long engagement with the sand lizard.

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Brief presentation of some stamps and baknotes on which Lacerta agilis is pictured.

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Brief presentation of some stamps and baknotes on which Lacerta agilis is pictured.

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Brief presentation of some stamps and baknotes on which Lacerta agilis is pictured.

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A work by the Polish teacher and natural scientist JAN ALEKSANDER BAYGER (1867-1958) from 1909 is presented that has hitherto been overlooked by experts. BAYGER describes a subspecies of the sand lizard under the name Lacerta agilis L. var. Dzieduszyckii from the area around the city of Lviv, which today belongs to the Ukraine. This name is a synonym for Lacerta agilis chersonensis. In addition, the largely unknown outside of Poland J.A. BAYGER briefly introduced.

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GEORGI FEDOROWITSCH SUCHOW (1899-1942) was one of those researchers from the former Soviet Union who has been completely forgotten. This changed with the memories of his daughter NATALIA GEORGIEVNA SUKHOVA, published in 2015. Born in Ukraine, SUKHOV went to Leningrad in 1930, but did not get the hoped-for position as a scientist in the local herpetological department of the Zoological Museum of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. He was only hired as a museum guide. In February 1942 he died as a result of the siege of Leningrad by German troops. SUCHOW’S twelve herpetological works were almost exclusively devoted to the lacertid lizards. He described five new taxa, four of which are valid (Lacerta agilis tauridica, Lacerta agilis boemica, Apathya cappadocica urmiana und Timon kurdistanicus).

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From Pallas to Darevsky: The exploration of the Caucasian herpetofauna using the example of the Saurians: The Caucasus, a wild mountain range bordering Europe and Asia, was a cue ball between the Russian, Ottoman and Persian empires up to the beginning of the 20th century. The general history of exploration was mainly initiated by the Russian governments and started at the end of the 18th century. The history of the discovery and exploration of the Caucasus, here especially of the Saurians, is documented. Our report is ending with the researches of Ilya S. Darevsky on the saxiculous lizards of the genus Darevskia in the 1960ies. From the northern and southern slopes of this mountain range (“Ciscaucasia” / “Transcaucasia”) 45 Saurian species are currently known. They belong to five families in which exactly two-thirds are members of the lacertids. These are the only ones having developed numerous species and subspecies in the Caucasian range, and among them, beside Lacerta agilis, especially the saxicolous lizards of the genus Darevskia are characteristical. 20 scientists are introduced on the basis of their most important publications and their profiles: Peter Simon Pallas (1741-1811), Samuel Gottlieb Gmelin (1744-1774), Johann Anton von Güldenstädt (1745-1781), Eduard von Eichwald (1795-1876), Edouard Ménétriés (1802-1861), Eduard Eversmann (1794-1860), Alexander von Nordmann (1803-1866), Moritz Wagner (1813-1887), Karl Kessler (1815-1881), Alexander Strauch (1832-1893), Jacques von Bedriaga (1854-1906), Gustav Radde (1831-1903), Oskar Boettger (1844-1910), Alexander Mikhailovitch Nikolsky (1858-1942), Ludwig von Méhely (1862-1953), George Albert Boulenger (1858-1937), Louis Amédée Lantz (1886-1953), Otto Cyrén (1878-1946), Ilya Sergeyevitch Darevsky (1924-2009) and Günther Peters (* 1932).

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After being voted «Reptile of the year 2020» the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) was featered extensively in the publications and on the websites of the relevant specialist organizations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg (- not least in this magazine -), and it has repeatedly served as an attractive advertising medium for the protection of our amphibians and reptiles in the daily press. Nevertheless, numerous activities and conferences fell victim to the pandemic last year. And so it seems only logical to give the sand lizard a second chance. For this reason the German Society for Herpetology and Herpetoculture (DGHT), in cooperation with the Austrian Society for Herpetology (ÖGH), the Coordination Center for Amphibian and Reptile Protection in Switzerland (karch), the Natural History Museum Luxembourg (MNHN) and the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union Germany (NABU), annouce the sand lizard «Reptile of the Year 2021».

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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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Reptiles range in the Federal Republic of Germany with the most endangered groups of animals and conservation measures are therefore of great importance for their sur- vival. The ecological requirements of all twelve native species are precisely stated: climatic and microclimatic conditions, substrate humidity, vegetation structures, animals for prey, microstructures, hiding places, hibernation quarters and oviposition sites are decisive factors for the absence or presence of the particular species. The climatic factors are most important for those xerothermic species, which usually reach the northern limit of their range in our country. According to their habitat preference the following three eco- logical groups of reptiles can be separated: (a) Species dependent on open water, (b) species of open to semi-open dry habitats, (c) ecological generalists. The species-specific data regarding the minimal population and habitat size are mostly unknown, but some experimentally obtained data are available. The indigenous species of reptiles are especially endangered through the following factors: (1) Destruction of habitats; (2) direct and indirect poisoning; (3) direct pro- secution and indirect destruction; (4) expulsion through human interference; (5) natural harmful effects (especially of climatic nature). The extent and effects of endangering and corresponding counter-measures are dis- cussed. Special attention is paid to the general aspects of habitat protection, the priorities and model representation of conservation and development measures for reptile habitats. The occurence of reptiles in xerothermic grassland can be secured only if the direct destruction of the habitat by building up, afforestation, wine growing, fertilization and other kinds of intensive use of the land are run down, however, also the secondary fac- tors must forma part of the management: natural succession of crops as in extensive agri- cultural methods, sheep grazing, mowing or combination of mowing and burning. The maintenance and reproduction of reptile populations ·of woodlands needs the provision of light woods, managed according to old methods, and additionally the pro- vision and maintenance of extended and structurally abundant forest edges. The typical reptile population in an area of intensive agriculture requires at least four hectare of extensively managed grassland per each square kilometre; chis area can be either in one part or consist of small scattered `ecological cells`. In order eo maincain ehe reptiles inhabiting wetlands, all efforcs regarding an in- creased draining of these areas must be strict!y prevented. The semi-natural fens and wet meadows need regular management: mowing and removal of mowed grass. For ehe Euro- pean pond terrapin (Emys orbicularis) and the Dice snake (Natrix tessellata) it is pos- sible eo increase ehe qualicy of ehe habitat if additional undisturbed sites for oviposition and sunbathing could be provided. This equally applies to ehe Adder (Vipera berus) and the Grass snake (Natrix natrix). The shortage of food for ehe young specimens could be obviated by establishing amphibian habitats.

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Archeological sites usually provide important information about the past distribution of small vertebrate fauna, and by extension about past terrestrial environments and climate in which human activities took place. In this context, Belgium has an interesting location in northwestern Europe between the fully studied zooarcheological records of Germany and England. We present here the revision of the late Pleistocene (Marine Isotope Stages 3 and 2) collection of the “Caverne Marie-Jeanne” (Hastière-Lavaux, Namur), studied by Jean-Claude Rage in the 1970s and the revision of the whole “indeterminate” small vertebrate materials from the “Caverne Marie-Jeanne” stored in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) Quaternary collections in search of more herpetofaunal remains. It is now by far the largest late Pleistocene collection at RBINS with more than 20,500 recognized bones of amphibians and reptiles and covering the last 60,000 years. The faunal list comprises two urodeles (Lissotriton gr. L. vulgaris and Salamandra salamandra), four anurans (Bufo gr. B. bufo-spinosus, Epidalea calamita, Rana temporaria and Rana cf. R. arvalis), three lizards (Lacerta cf. L. agilis, Zootoca vivipara and Anguis gr. A. fragilis), and three snakes (Natrix gr. N. natrix, Coronella austriaca, and Vipera berus). This study represents the first fossil record in Belgium for L. gr. L. vulgaris, R. arvalis, Z. vivipara, N. gr. N. natrix and C. austriaca. As a whole, this assemblage suggests a patchy humid landscape under colder and dryer climatic conditions in comparison with present ones. This study also underlines the necessity of a primary separation in larger taxonomical categories by the specialist itself.

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In the studied population basking sites were frequendly used by two ore more Lacerta agilis at the same time. Partly the lizards basked with direct body contact.

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Artificial refuges are often recommended as a tool in reptile surveys, especially for slow-worms and smooth snakes. In Britain the use of refuges is much more common than on the continent (with its wide spread wild pigs). Since 2004, refuges are used in two Natura 2000 sites with very poor reptile populations in Lower-Saxony (northwest Germany). Here, the refuges are used in addition to direct search in the open and beneath natural hiding places. The aims of these studies are the evaluation of management success and the monitoring of smooth snakes and sand lizards in Natura 2000 sites. In dry heathlands five wooden boards were placed in each of four sites. In each of four wet heathlands five metal sheets (‘tins’) were placed. In the first year, these 40 refuges led to 32 encounters of reptiles (only lizards) and six species records for the different sites. During the »normal« assessment, 75 encounters and 22 records of species for the eight sites were made. In 2005, the numbers of encounters were similar (110 with refuges, 111 other), but at the different sites the number of species proved beneath refuges was still lower than in the normal search (15 : 20). In the whole period, 142 observations of reptiles were made with the refuges, mainly records of slow-worms (123) and smooth snakes (10). 186 observations were made with the normal search (including 34 under »natural« refuges like tree trunks and litter). 86 observations of sand lizards and 12 of smooth snakes were made in the open. Most of the smooth snake records (26) were made under pre-existing objects (e. g. tree trunks, scrap metal) that provide refuges. The numbers of smooth snake individuals under natural refuges/pre-existing objects, artifical refuges and in the open were similar (7 each). In habitats with good structures the smooth snakes were almost found in the open, whilst they were found mainly under different types of refuges in poorer habitats. In total, 68 % of slow worm, 2 % of sand lizard, 12 % common lizard, 21 % of smooth snake, 25 % of grass snake and 13 % of adder encounters were made under/on refuges. An average of 1.78 reptile and 0.12 smooth snake encounters were made per refuge and year. There were great differences in the effectiveness of refuges in the different areas and for the different species. The literature also shows wide variation in the effectiveness of refuges. In different surveys, they are responsible for 28–99 % of slow-worm, 0–34 % of sand lizard, 0–67 % of common lizard, 0–100 % of smooth snake, 0–88 % of grass snake and 0–74 % of adder encounters.

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Reptile species naturally occurring in Lower Saxony are slow worm (Anguis fragilis), common lizard (Zootoca vivipara), sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), grass snake (Natrix natrix), smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) and adder (Vipera berus). The following paper briefly describes their biology, typical habitats, habitat requirements and outlines the legal framework. It aims at presenting management techniques to develop, preserve and maintain their habitats in Lower Saxony in a reptile-friendly way.

In principle, maintaining open landscapes is favourable for all reptile species. In practice, it depends on the specific habitat management aims and methods whether the impact on reptile populations is actually positive or not. For example, it is often assumed that reptiles inhabit very open sites with low vegetation. Instead, they are often found on ruderal sites with rather dense grass patches. Habitats consisting of purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea), wavy hair-grass (Deschampsia flexuosa) or wood small reed (Calamagrostis epigejos) possibly cause conflicts with other management aims. Furthermore, the chosen management technique itself is crucial for reptile populations, and especially the way it is applied.

Commonly used habitat management techniques like mechanical removement of shrubs and trees, mowing, cutting, controlled burning and grazing are reviewed here as to their suitability regarding reptile conservation. Reptiles are highly sensitive to grazing. In Lower Saxony, some reptile populations declined severely on grazed sites even though the overall vegetation structure still appeared favourable. Reptiles are negatively affected by the typical effects of grazing, since it is on a bigger scale, random, and often the vegetation is browsed to ground level. Mechanical removal of vegetation is preferable, especially if general measures to safeguard animals are taken (e. g. cutting height adjustment, division in subplots).

The specific recommendations given here (when, where, and how different habitat management techniques should be applied), are differentiated based on the importance of a given site for reptile conservation (special, general or little importance).

In habitats of special importance, reptile protection and conservation has top priority, considering the degree of risk to reptile species and their unfavourable conservation status. However, these sites are usually quite small (a few hundred square meters, often smaller). Whereas in (often large) areas of little importance, habitat management does not need any special requirements for reptiles.

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Im Juni 2020 wurde am MegaHub Lehrte mit dem Güterumschlag zwischen Zug und Lkw begonnen. –Auf der innovativen Schnellumschlaganlage für den Kombinierten Verkehr verteilen drei Portalkräne die Container schnell, leise, energieeffizient und umweltfreundlich zwischen Schiene und Straße sowie zwischen Zügen. Neben der Technik fand auch die Natur neuen Raum. Nicht nur in „Eidechsenhausen“, auch in weiteren Schutzzonen und in umliegenden Ausgleichsflächen vor Ort tummeln sich streng geschützte Zauneidechsen und andere seltene Arten.

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The present knowledge of the distribution of red-backed Sand Lizard in eastern Lower Saxony is presented. Of a grid corresponding to the Topographical Map 1:25.000 the `erythronotus`-mutant has been reported out of 11 grids since 1981. Populations with redbacked Sand Lizard are mainly found on railway embankments, frequently extended to several kilometer. The status (distribution, threats and conservation) of the Sand Lizard in Lower Saxony is briefly described.

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An drei Beispielen (Mobilität, Flächenbedarf und Korrekturfaktoren) werden Fehldarstellungen der Biologie der Zauneidechse in Veröffentlichungen zur Anwendung des strengen Artenschutzes bei und im Vorfeld von Eingriffen und ähnlichen Verfahren vorgestellt. Am Beispiel von CEF-Maßnahmen werden Fehlauslegungen und -darstellungen des rechtlichen Rahmens erörtert. Diese fehlerhaften Darstellungen gehen jeweils zu Lasten des Artenschutzes. Mit Ihrer Hilfe können Eingriffsfolgen und fehlende Ausgleichsmöglichkeiten verschleiert und zudem der Bedarf für Kompensationsflächen reduziert werden. Einige für die Zauneidechse nachteilige Konstrukte wurden durch Fehlbewertungen im FFH-Bewertungsschema ermöglicht. Dieses wird daher kurz vorgestellt und auf anstehende Korrekturen verwiesen.

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In the southern side of the Lipova Hills we found 11 amphibian species, 9 reptile species and 2 types of hybrid between amphibian species. The herpetofauna of the region contains lowland, hill and mountain related species. Also, in the area are present southern species in the vicinity of the northern limit of their distribution range, and related species in the mountainous areas, found at lower altitudes than usually. The mixture of mountain and lowland species is a consequence of the current aspect of the region, with wide valleys located between hill ridges, valleys that allow the advancement of these lowland species in the hill areas. The second aspect is a consequence of the history of the region. Currently the herpetofauna of the Lipova Hills is greatly advantaged by the relatively large forest covered areas.

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Im Rahmen eines Kreuzotter-Monitoring-Projektes wurden in Brandenburg gezielt phänologische Daten zur Kreuzotter (Vipera berus), aber auch zur Ringelnatter (Natrix natrix), Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis), Waldeidechse (Zootoca vivipara) und Blindschleiche (Anguis fragilis) gesammelt. Der Schwerpunkt lag vor allem auf der Ermittlung der Aktivitätszeiträume der einzelnen Arten. Im Laufe der 10 Untersuchungsjahre von 2006-2015 wurden insgesamt 220 Begehungen in den Monaten Oktober bis März durchgeführt. Um die Ergebnisse der verschiedenen Jahre besser vergleichen zu können, wurde aus dem Aktivitätsbeginn und dem Aktivitätsende der einzelnen Jahre der Median berechnet. Das Ergebnis zeigt, dass die Kreuzotter (Vipera berus) den mit Abstand längsten Aktivitätszeitraum mit einem Median von 256 Tagen hat. Es folgt die Waldeidechse mit 223Tagen und dahinter die Zauneidechse mit 277 Tagen. Die Ringelnatter verzeichnet dagegen nur noch 202,5 Tage und die Blindschleiche 188 Tage. Der Vergleich mit Literaturangaben aus Deutschland zeigt weitgehende Übereinstimmungen für die Ringelnatter, Zauneiclechse und Waldeidechse. Bei der Kreuzotter und Blindschleiche gibt es hingegen erhebliche Abweichungen. Speziell der ermittelte Wert für das Aktivitätsende der Kreuzotter liegt mit dem 14. November als Median deutlich später im Vergleich zu den Literaturangaben. Ausschlaggebend für lange Aktivitätszeiträume scheinen vor allem geschützte Winterquartiere möglichst nahe an mikroklimatisch begünstigten Sonnenplätzen zu sein.

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Kühnelt`s principle of regional stenoecy and its bearing on the subspecies problem: a theoretical approach 1. The subspecies concept as defined by Mayr (1975) and generally accepted at the present time is arbitrary, subjective and lacking a precise theoretical basis. 2. This concept may be improved if the subspecies is recognized as a phenomenon not only in space but also in time. 3. The term subspecies must be restricted only to those situations in which intra-specific evolutionary divergence can potentially give rise to new species. 4. Characters expressing these intra-specific divergences should be adaptive characters necessary for the evolutionary process. This is true for physiological and ecological characters rather than for morphological ones. 5. Theriological and herpetological examples demonstrate that Kühnelt`s principle of regional stenoecy is such an ecological criterion. This principle srates that individuals of a species can occupy a greater variety of habitats in the center of the species range (euryoec) than towards the periphery (stenoec). The discussed examples suggest however that this principle is a constant phenomenon not at the species level, but at a lower level. 6. Therefore it is proposed to bring the category subspecies in coincidence with the really existant level of Kühnelt`s principle, thus making the category less arbitrary. 7. The application of this proposed concept is illustrated by several examples. Those species which are comprised of demonstrably divergent subspecific populations should be named “polycentric” rather than “polytypic”. 8. The proposed concept is apparently applicable only to widely distributed mainland forms and not to insular forms. When discussing montane populations, insular and ecotypic forms can however be better distinguished. 9. The interesting parallelism of adaptation and compensation to similar climatic conditions of both poikilotherm and homoiotherm species is pointed out. It is suggested that peripheral isolares are most often relictual and in process of extinction because of environmental change. Therefore it is nor generally possible to interpret every isolate as a “beginning species”. The raxonomic applicability of the theoretical approach presented here must be tested by ecological and experimental research.

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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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In the herpetological collection of ZFMK 528 scientific species group names are represented by type materi- al. Of these, 304 names are documented by primary type specimens (onomatophores) while for 224 further names sec- ondary type specimens (typoids) are available, ranging chronologically from 1801 to 2010. The list is a shortened pred- ecessor of a comprehensive type catalogue in progress. It lists name bearing types with their catalogue numbers includ- ing information on further type series members also in other institutions, while secondary types are listed only by pres- ence, both in ZFMK and other collections including holotype repositories. Geographic origin and currently valid names are also provided.

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The paper presents data on the variability of basic morphological characters of the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) inhabiting the vicinities of the cities Tyumen (Western Siberia) and Sterlitamak (Southern Urals). Five subtypes of back coloration were identified. Typical and atypical variants of the coloration pattern are described. A high level of the genetic variability of the ISSR markers of sand lizards was revealed. It was significantly lower in the group of mature individuals as compared to juveniles. Key words: Lacerta agilis, morphology, exterior signs, color polymorphism, genetic variability, DNA markers, Western Siberia, Southern Urals.

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Ecosystem engineering is among the most important factors shaping ecosystems; however, it remains largely unstudied. Here, we present observations on three lizard species, the common lizard Zootoca vivipara, the sand lizard Lacerta agilis, and the slow worm Anguis fragilis, which use habitats created by the great capricorn beetle, Cerambyx cerdo. These galleries are heavily used by the common lizards and young sand lizards. We discuss the possible advantages of such beetle-created habitats for reptiles: antipredator refuges, hibernation sites, thermoregulatory behaviour, and preying activities. Since previous studies have reported numerous invertebrate species as well as vertebrates (including bats and snakes) in these refugia, we find the great capricorn beetle-inhabited oaks as potentially important microhabitats for a variety of animals.

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Sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) exhibit a clear pattern of sexual dimorphism, both in coloration and body proportions, where males have larger heads and are longer-legged at a given snout-to-vent length (SVL). In this study we analyse allometry of skull growth with SVL and skull length (SL) as references. The sand lizard skull is basically sexually size dimorphic and there are only minor shape differences. When SVL is used as a reference point, it generates differences in all traits to be measured, presumably because SVL is subject to different and strong selection pressures in both sexes. When skull length is taken as a reference point, differences in skull shape are restricted only to the postorbital region, which is wider in males. This may reflect selection pressure on stronger bite force in males.

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Reptiles show a positive correlation between age and body size and it is common practice to infer the age of an animal from its size. However, the growth rate often differs between individuals, thus such practice may lead to false conclusions. Because age of an animal is a very important factor in many ecological studies, it should be determined with a minimum of error. Here, we compare the body size distribution among different age classes of the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) to infer if it is possible to correctly determine their age on the basis of the body length. Our results show that the average error in age estimation on the basis of the lizard size is 1.36 year which is approximately 1/3 the average sand lizard life span.

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UNCOMMON COLOUR VARIETY OF THE SAND LIZARD (Lncertn agilis) During an excursion ro Wolfl1eeze (rhe Nerherlands} in June 2002, some members of rhe Anmedam chaprer of rhe Sociery found a female Sand Lizard wirhout any colour parrern. NEt-lES (2002) described rhis variery as `immaculara`. Th is kind of variery is somcrimes seen more ofren, bur is considered rare.

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COMMON KESTREL CATCHES LIZARD In 1994 in rhe village of Zwaanshoek, muni- cipality of Haarlemmermeer, a female Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) was caught bij research-workers of rhe regional society for birds of prey and owls. The bird carried a female sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), rhat was obviously pregnant. After a few hours rhe lizard was presented ro one of rhe authors, which instantly removed rhe eggs, nine in total. None of the eggs turned out to be viable, probably due ro lack of oxygen in the hours after the lizard died. Common Kestrels mainly catch field-mice (Microtus arva!is) in this area, only in years when field-mice are less abundant, like in 1994, they switch over ro other prey, most ofren birds, especially young starlings (Sturnus vuLgaris). T he capture of a lizard is remarkable, since their hunringarea is in the near surroundings of their nest, the nearest place where it could possibly find lizards being ar a distance of three miles.

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The book summarizes studies related to the herpetofauna of Kazakhstan that were carried out in the 18th century. The first fragmentary information on this topic refers to the middle of this century (J.G. Gmelin, P.I. Rychkov). The greatest scientific value were the results of the academic expeditions (P.S. Pallas, I.I. Lepekhin, S.G. Gmelin, J.P. Falk, J.G. Georgi, N.P. Rychkov) between 1768 and 1774, especially the field data obtained by P.S. Pallas. This information served as a basis for the inclusion of data on amphibians and reptiles inhabiting the territories of present-day Kazakhstan (mainly the western Caspian region) into foreign herpetological reviews on a global scale as well as the zoological manuals established by West- European naturalists (e.g., P.L.S. Müller, G.H. Borowski, B.-G.-É. Lacepède, P.-G. Bonnaterre, J.F. Gmelin, F.A. Меyer, J.A. Donndorff, G.A. Suckow, I. Schneider, J.M. Bechstein, W. Тurton). Тhese studies concluded with the first summaries of the herpetofauna of the Russian Empire compiled by J.G. Georgi (1801) as well as by P.S. Pallas in his “Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica” (1814). Short biographies of all mentioned authors are presented in this volume, and annotated lists of species they noted for Kazakhstan as well.

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The hybrid Rana esculenta (diploid) is first recorded for Moldavia. Bombina variegata was previously confused with B. bombina, as well as Rana dalmatina was confused with the long-legged R. arvalis. The first confirmed locality of Lacerta vivipara is given. The occurrence of Eremias arguta in Moldavia is mentioned. The check-list of 12 species of amphibians and 15 species of reptiles of Moldavia is published.

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Die Eidechsen im Lahn- und Rheintal gelten als seit Jahrzehnten gut erforscht: Neben der weit verbreiteten Blindschleiche sind Wald-, Zaun- und Mauereidechse und die westliche Smaragdeidechse zu finden. Wichtige, aktuelle Daten enthalten insbesondere die zweibändige Studie der Gesellschaft für Ornithologie und Naturschutz Rheinland.-Pfalz e.V über die Amphibien und Reptilien von Rheinland-Pfalz (1996, Britz et al. (Hrsg.)), die für Rheinland- Pfalz, und die Broschüre der Eheleute Braun (1995), die für den Naturpark Nassau, insbesondere den Rhein-Lahn-Kreis, die Beobachtungen der Vergangenheit zusammenfasst und den aktuellen Stand der Verbreitung wiedergibt. Dennoch erschließt die langjährige Beobachtung vor Ort, wie sie meine über fünfzigjährige Ferienasässigkeit in Bad Ems ermöglicht hat, zusätzliche Erkenntnisse. Das Gebiet der Beobachtungen umfasst im wesentlichen das Lahntal flußab von Limburg und die angrenzenden Mittelgebirge von Westerwald (nördlich) und Taunus (südlich) sowie das rechte Mittelrheintal, vor allem das obere Mittelrheintal (von Koblenz bis Bingen/Rüdesheim), und den angrenzenden Rheingau (von Rüdesheim bis Wiesbaden) (Abb. 1).

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The emerald lizard reaches the northern limit of its distribution in the upper Middle Rhine Valley and has stringent, narrow requirements for its habitat. In the last years, habitats, populations, and the number of individuals have been in decline, mainly because of eutrophy and suboptimal grazing in the protected areas as well as an increasing civilization pressure (including domestic cats, tourists, and presumably poachers), less by the rationalized viticulture. The mere protection of the few remaining habitats is not sufficient. It is necessary to restore the historical habitats and to release captive-bred specimens there. A special initiative for the protection of the green lizards in the upper Middle Rhine Valley is required.

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For the improvement and the recreation of lizard habitats, the habitat requirements are is of foremost importance. The habitats of today for the West German lizards (the Slow Worm, the Common Lizard, the European Wall Lizard, the Sand Lizard, and the Emerald Lizards) are analysed and shown in photos for clarity. On this basis, the planning and the realization of habitats as well as typical mistakes are discussed.

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The eastern Pre-Pyrenees were prospected using 5x5 UTM square from 1974 to 1986. Nineteen reptiles were found. Their geographical and altimetric distribution is given, and its corology discussed taking into account other data from the Pyrenees. The topoclimatical effects and the particular disposition of the mountain range, are the key factors to understand the corology and the altimetric distribution of herpetofauna. The study area shows mediterranean elements as well as Pyrenean and mid-european ones. Cerdaña basin acts as a bndge between the herpetofauna from France and the more meridional species from Spain. The Segre nver divides the Pre-Pyrenees in two big biogeographical areas: the eastem one very close to axial Pyrenees and characterized by boreal and the western one with a more mediterranean faunistic elements.

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Many regions of the former USSR still re- ceive little attention from Western visitors, herpetologists not excluded. For the Cau- casus Mountains this is all the more sur- prising since the area forms a zone where northern and Middle Eastern flora and fauna meet, and which is thus of considera- bly zoogeographical interest. Presently we find three larger states in the Caucasus: Georgia, Azerbaijan and Arme- nia. Turkey borders to the southwest, Iran to the southeast, and in the north it is the Russian federation. Various smaller parts claim independence. The Black Sea forms the natural western boundary, the Caspian Sea the eastern one. Herpetologically the Caucasus is historically well-known because of the work of Darev- sky and collaborators on the rock lizards (at the time still in the large genus Lacerta, now in Darevskia) and the discovery of the first case of parthenogenesis in vertebrates (DAREVSKY, 1967; DAREVSKII, 1978; DAREVSKY & KULIKOVA, 1961). Below we will concentrate on the results of our field trip to Georgia during the last two weeks of June 2003. Predictably, because of our common interest in the group, the lacertids will receive the most attention.

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The interspecific relationships among female size, clutch size, egg size, and hatchling size were examined for 64 European lacertids. The eggs of all species increased linearly in both linear dimensions and mass during incubation. Across species initial egg mass was positively correlated with juvenile mass, with an allometric relationship exponent of 0.87. Initial egg mass across species increased proportionally with female mass to the power of 0.57. Moreover, an increase in maternal mass was also accompanied by an increase in clutch size. The number of eggs per clutch across species scaled with female mass to the power of 0.39. Removing the effect of female mass resulted in a negative correlation between egg mass and clutch size. Species for which the average egg size was lower than expected on the basis of female mass, tended to have larger relative clutch size. The total egg mass per clutch was about one third of female mass (exponent 0.94).

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Dispensation for the Dutch Flora and Fauna Act: noncommittal? In the Netherlands, many species of reptiles, amphibians and shes are protected by law. One of the clauses of this law is that habitat lost due to, for example, human habitation or industrial expansion at locations where such species occur, has to be compensated for. In this context, compensation means creating new habitat values comparable with the values lost as a consequence of human activity. One has to ask the government for dispensation by submitting a report for all the activities carried out and a plan for compensation. Thirty-one projects were selected for which the Dutch government gave dispensation with a compensation obligation and evaluated them on: timeline and quality of implementation and availability of monitoring data. Field visits revealed that in eleven projects there was no visible activity, so we evaluated the 20 remaining cases. Species should be allowed to colonise a new habitat before the old one disappears. In three cases, compensation was created before other activities started. In three other cases, in which was compensated, this was not done. In seven cases, it was unclear when compensation was carried out. In all other cases, no compensation was detected, also not before the project was implemented. Only in 10% of the cases evaluated, was compensation fully carried out as described in the dispensation contract. In all other cases, compensation was partially or not carried out (table 3). No monitoring data were available from any project. We have to conclude that although the Dutch government permits dispensation due to contracts, there is hardly any check on whether or how the compensation is carried out. This must lead to losses of occupied habitats of Habitats Directive II species or Red List species, as for example the Great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) and European weather loach (Misgurnus fossilis). And this is against European legislation.

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Im Rahmen der lokalfaunistischen Bearbeitung von 184 überwiegend aktuellen Angaben zum Vorkommen von Kriechtieren im Gebiet der Stadt Erfurt liegen für fünf Arten faunistisch-ökologische Daten vor. Auf das zunehmende Problemfeld bezüglich illegal in die Natur gelangter ursprünglich nicht einheimischer Reptilien, insbesondere Wasserschildkröten, wird eingegangen.

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Species may respond to climate change by redistributing their distribution areas, but because they do not share the same climatic affinities, they should not respond in the same way. Consequently, distribution shifts of species that are currently found in sympatry may change the extent of the area of sympatry and therefore interspecific interactions at the local scale. In Western Europe, the green lizards Lacerta agilis and Lacerta bilineata live in partial sympatry, share morphological similarities, and can locally compete for resources. In this study, we used a correlative species distribution model (SDM), Maxent, to explore the effects of climate change on the distribution of suitable areas for each species and also within their sympatric area under future scenarios. Our simulations showed that all L. agilis subspecies are more likely to lose suitable habitats throughout their distribution areas whatever the scenario. Conversely, even if L. bilineata should lose less suitable areas, gains may be more restricted. In addition, when looking within the areas both reachable for L. a. agilis and L. bilineata to identify where sympatric areas will occur, we find that they should be spatially restricted. Climatic refugia potentially shared for both lizards may therefore be limited. Consequently, competitive exclusion expected in areas suitable for both species (i.e., the potential area of sympatry) could decrease in the future as climate changes likely lead L. agilis subspecies and L. bilineata to follow different species range shifts trajectories over the 21st century.

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The following work summarizes and updates the current knowledge on the reptile and amphibian species of the landscape protection area »Wetland of international importance Steinhuder Meer« by numerous original distribution maps and analysis of all available observations. The results show that the landscape protection area is of important significance for the herpetofauna. A total of eleven amphibian and six reptile species were confirmed, and their distribution within the landscape protection area is shown on grid maps. The species are: Triturus vulgaris, T. cristatus, Bufo bufo, B. calamita, Pelobates fuscus, Hyla arborea, Rana temporaria, R. arvalis, R. esculenta, R. lessonae, R. ridibunda, Anguis fragilis, Zootoca vivipara, Lacerta agilis, Natrix natrix, Coronella austriaca and Vipera berus. The species with the largest distribution range within the amphibians and the reptiles, respectively, were Rana arvalis and Natrix natrix. Hyla arborea has disappeared from the area. The preferred habitat distribution of each species in the main habitats is presented and discussed, as well as the decrease or increase of particular species, and the underlying causes. Finally, conservation measures for the herpetofauna of the area are considered.

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In 2000, an isolated population of sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) was discovered on an island in the Netherlands. The population-size was estimated at 57 adult individuals. Subsequently, the area has been improved to make the habitat more suitable for sand lizards. After 5 years of monitoring the population-size was estimated again. There are no indications for major population-size changes, for the population-size is estimated at 59 adult individuals. There is no signifi cant difference in the population structure, although males were more abundant in 2005 than in 2001. Males outnumbered females in both years. The newly made dunes are populated by males, females and sub-adults. Gulls do not seem to conduct a predator stress, as there were no lizards seen there with autotomy. Nevertheless, gulls are believed to negatively infl uence habitat quality for the lizards. On the short term, cats seem to be the biggest threat to the sand lizards as there are strong indications that they have killed 10 % of the whole population within six weeks.

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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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In dit artikel worden gegevens over de verspreiding op uurhokbasis van de in Limburg aangetroffen amfibieën en reptielen kort samengevat.

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The average and maximum life intervals, the age of sexual maturity attaining, the age structure and peculiarities of growth are studied by the longitudinal thin sections of cortical bones with the help of polarized light in nine populations of sand (Lacerta agilis) and common (Zootoca vivipara) lizards of the south-east territories of Western Siberia. The influence of abiotic factors to the main demographical structure characteristics of both populations are shown.

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In this study, it was given the locality record of the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) from Yeşilköy Village, Pazar District of Rize Province of Turkey. This new record revealed the second locality for L. agilis from the eastern Black Sea coast of Anatolia. The metric and meristic features of the adult, subadult and juvenile specimens were compared to the features of the specimens of the species, L. agilis in the literature.

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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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From the perspectives of biodiversity conservation and management, there is an urgent need to have at hand current synopses of classification and distributions of species. In this paper, we review and summarize the classifications, Chinese and English names, type specimens, type localities and distributions of China’s lizard fauna to promote scientific exchange and species conservation among relevant people in China and internationally. As of December 31, 2020, a total of 230 species of lizard, belonging to 44 genera and 12 families, have been recorded from China, including 4 invasive species: 2 in the family Gekkonidae, 1 in Iguanidae and one in Dactyloidae. There are 115 endemic species, accounting for 50% of this group. The proportion of endemic species to China was the highest in the family Eublepharidae (84.62%), and the number of endemic species to China was the highest in the family Agamidae (42 species). The species distributions and classification in the “Fauna Sinica (Reptilia 2): Squamata (Lacertilia)” were updated. Among the provincial administrative units, there is a larger number of species in the southern provinces, such as Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Taiwan. Sichuan, Yunnan, and Taiwan harbour relatively more endemic species than others. A total of 154 species of lizards were first discovered in China, and the type localities of these species are concentrated in Yunnan, Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Sichuan.

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Age structure and longevity in 47 museum specimens (31 females and 16 males) of Lacerta agilis from two different populations in Turkey were skeletochronologically studied. The mean SVL of males was not significantly different from those of females, although intersexual differences in body size are female-biased. The age structure ranged from 3 to 6 years in male individuals, and 3 to 8 years in females. Age at sexual maturity was 2 years for males, while females reached sexual maturity after the third year of life. The age did not significantly differ between the sexes. Additionally, age structure and SVL did not significantly differ between the two populations. A significant positive correlation between SVL and age structure was present for the Kars population, although there was a weak correlation for the Ardahan population. Considering sex, there was a significant difference in terms of SVL for the Ardahan population, while age structure significantly differed for the Kars population.

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Die beiden Autoren beschreiben kurz die bisherige Situation, daß die Zauneidechse bislang nur von einem Punkt in NW-Italien (Piedmont) und von zwei Punkten in NO-Italien (Friuli) nachgewiesen wurde. Aufgrund von Artenschutzgedanken werden die genauen Fundorte jedoch verschwiegen. Die Autoren haben von den jeweiligen Fundorten zusammen drei (3) Tiere gefangen und als Belegexemplare an italienische Museen gegeben. Damit ist die Zauneidechse als Faunenelement Italiens abgesichert. Für taxonomisch-systematische Fragestellungen hingegen wäre es nach Einschätzung des Rezensenten sicherlich notwendig, eine höhere Zahl von Individuen in den Sammlungen zu haben. Die gefangenen Individuen entsprechen der Nominatform Lacerta agilis agilis, wobei die Autoren offenlassen, welche diagnostischen Merkmale Berücksichtigung fanden. Im zweiten Abschnitt der Arbeit folgt eine kurze Beschreibung des Lebensraumes und seiner Vegetation (Nartedum strictae-Assoziation), wobei die Tiere an Wegrändern und Brachen mit Buschvegetation mit günstiger Sonnenexposition vorkommen. Den hier vorgestellten Funden ist gemeinsam, dass sie alle in mehr oder minder direktem Zusammenhang mit bereits bekannten Vorkommen in den Nachbarländern Frankreich, Österreich und Slowenien stehen. Entsprechend erwarten die Autoren weitere Funde an der Nordgrenze Italiens. Das diese Vermutung richtig ist, bestätigte sich bereits in einer Publikation in der Salamandra (27/3: 181-186), die während der Drucklegung der hier besprochenen Arbeit erschien.

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We discuss three aspects of the thermal biology of lacertid lizards. First, we provide an overview of the available data on field body temperatures (Tb), the thermal sensitivity of various performance functions and selected body temperatures in different species of lacertid lizards. We also briefly summarise information on the mechanisms of thermoregulation. Second, we discuss recent developments to estimate the »precision« of thermoregulation, and the contribution of distinct behavioural mechanisms. Finally, we revise available evidence for the existence of evolutionary adjustments of thermal characteristics in lacertid lizards. Existing studies have mainly dealt with within- and among-species differences in thermoregulatory behaviour (selected temperatures) and thermal physiology of adults (optimal temperatures, heating rates). Available data provide only limited evidence for clear-cut evolutionary shifts in thermal physiology characteristics along climatic gradients.

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An inventory of the herpetofauna of the Gauja National Park, located in the north-cen- tral part of Latvia, was carried out in 1999-2000. Its objectives were to determine species composition, status, and habitat preferences. The main attention was focussed on reptiles. Data were collected along transects located throughout the territory of the Park. The total length of transects was 166.2 km, and numerous separate observations of various species were also recorded. Common and widespread species were Lacerta vivipara, Bufo bufo, Rana temporaria, and Rana synklepton esculenta. Anguis fragilis was found mostly in a dry pine, pine-spruce forest on the terrace of the ancient valley of Gauja River. A large population of Natrix natrix was found in the southern part of the Park in deciduous and coniferous forests. A few populations of Lacerta agilis were found in dry pine forests, and on the banks of the Gauja River. Rana arvalia was a rare species, more frequently found in high moors. There were also several records of Triturus crista- tus and T. vulgaris in the Gauja National Park. The required conservation activities are discussed.

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The role of large-scale factors in influencing reptile abundances in temperate-zone lowland Europe is relatively obscure. Data on relative abundances of reptiles were collected in various regions of Latvia. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between reptile abundance and climate and habitat predictors. For lizards, habitat was a more important regional-scale factor than climate, although warmth of summer was important in Lacerta agilis. For snakes, however, climate was a highly significant factor. Natrix natrix in Latvia is common only in areas with mild winter climate at elevations below 50 m a.s.l., while Vipera berus is frequent in upland areas with relatively harsh winters. Potentially, the latter species could be negatively affected by global warming.

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The role of large-scale factors in influencing reptile abundances in temperate-zone lowland Europe is relatively obscure. Data on relative abundances of reptiles were collected in various regions of Latvia. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between reptile abundance and climate and habitat predictors. For lizards, habitat was a more important regional-scale factor than climate, although warmth of summer was important in Lacerta agilis. For snakes, however, climate was a highly significant factor. Natrix natrix in Latvia is common only in areas with mild winter climate at elevations below 50 m a.s.l., while Vipera berus is frequent in upland areas with relatively harsh winters. Potentially, the latter species could be negatively affected by global warming.

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The role of large-scale factors in influencing reptile abundances in temperate-zone lowland Europe is relatively obscure. Data on relative abundances of reptiles were collected in various regions of Latvia. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between reptile abundance and climate and habitat predictors. For lizards, habitat was a more important regional-scale factor than climate, although warmth of summer was important in Lacerta agilis. For snakes, however, climate was a highly significant factor. Natrix natrix in Latvia is common only in areas with mild winter climate at elevations below 50 m a.s.l., while Vipera berus is frequent in upland areas with relatively harsh winters. Potentially, the latter species could be negatively affected by global warming.

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Th e aim of the paper was to summarize the data on distribution and habitats of Lacerta agilis in Latvia. Data on distribution of Lacerta agilis was collected by the author and other observers in 1990 - 2006. Records were made more frequently in the Coastal Lowland, in stretches of valleys of large rivers, and in South-Eastern Latvia. Habitats were described in the fi eld on circular plots with a radius of 1.5 m for herbs, 5 m for shrubs, and 10 m for trees using a modifi ed Braun-Blanquet method; a total of 32 plots were established. Principal Component Analysis was used to detect natural groups of habitats. Vegetation composition in all the plots was similar, in about 75 % dominated by grasses, and in 25 % by Calluna vulgaris. Detailed vegetation description is given.

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Vegetation characteristics for reptile microhabitats were described in circular plots using modified Braun–Blanquet method. The total number of all plots was 280, and they covered the whole territory of Latvia. Microhabitat use among reptile species was examined using Discriminant Function Analysis. The first dicriminant function indicated gradient from mesic to xeric sites, and the second—from disturbed sites to intact dry pine forest sites. Group centroids showed good separation among species. Lacerta agilis preferred xeric sites, and, at the other end of the gradient, both snake species preferred mesic sites with tall herb layer and shrubs. Anguis fragilis often was associated with relatively intact pine forest, while other reptiles—with mainly disturbed sites with grass cover. Important vegetation characteristics for reptile microhabitats are given in an appendix.

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Data on the spread of the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758) in the southeast area of its habitat, in the adjacent parts of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China have been generalized. Cadastral maps with the exact location of 217 occurrences have been compiled. The habitat boundary of the sand lizard in the Southern Balkhash region has been refined. The mountains in the east and southeast of Kazakhstan are an important focus of L. agilis in the country. The maximum limit of the vertical distribution of the species (2,084 m above the sea level) was recorded in the Central Tien Shan. The most typical habitats of L. agilis are grass and sagebrush steppes with mosaic bushes of spirea, caragana and ferrule to promote the penetration of lizards into the mountains along wide river valleys and gorges. In the plains of the southeastern part of its habitat, the sand lizard is a mesophilic species. Its settling over the desert occurs mainly along rivers and manmade landscapes (roadside afforestations, the embankments of roads and railways, irrigation ditch systems, and irrigation canals).

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208 specimens of Lacerta agilis exigua from 11 localities of Western, Central and Eastern Kazakhstan have been studied, and compared in respect of their body proportions and scalation. The sexual dimorphism of some characters (Ventr., L.ta/L.a) is shown. Maximum body length (SVL) and anal index (L.ta/L.a) is recorded for the specimens from the southern populations (Taldy-Kurgan, Aktyubinsk). A maximum number of scales around the mid-body (Sq) has found in Semipalatinsk, Aktyubinsk, and Uralsk localities. The increasing of Ventr. in two directions: from west to east and from south to north is shown. A cline variation is shown for scale correlation in the postnasal region. The frequency of 2/1 combination increases from east to west, while 1/2 and 1/1 combinations change in opposite direction. The variation of preanals with an additional shield between two enlarged ones is shown for 10 (except of Ayaguz) localities.

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Wir haben die bekannten Daten zur Verbreitung der Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis) an ihrem östlichen Arealrand (Xinjiang, China) zusammengefasst, einschließlich der Informationen, die bei Forschungsexpeditionen in den Jahren 2013-2014 gesammelt wurden. Die Grenze des Lebensraumes der Zauneidechse in China schließt sich eng an die Ausläufer des Altai-, des Saur-Tarbagatai- sowie des Borochoro- und des östlichen Tien-Shan-Gebirges an. Über interzonale Lebensräume dringt die Art bis in das semi-aride Tiefland vor.

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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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A new tandemly repeated (satellite) DNA family namely Agi160, from Lacerta agilis and Lacerta strigata (Lacerta sensu stricto (s. str.), Linnaeus 1758) have been cloned and sequenced. Agi160 is found in the above two species, as well as two other representatives of the same genus, L. viridis and L. media. DNA hybridization did not reveal it in Darevskia, Podarcis, Zootoca, Eremias, Ophisops, and Gallotia - the other genera of the family Lacertidae. The results suggest that Agi160 is a Lacerta s. str. specific family of tandem DNA repeats. However, a comparison between sequences of Agi160 and CLsat repeat units revealed 60 bp regions 62-74% identical. The latter is a satellite DNA family typical for Darevskia (syn. L. saxicola complex) (Grechko et al., Molecular-genetic classification and phylogenetic relatedness of some species of Lacertidae lizards by taxonoprint data. Mol Biol 32:172-183, 1988.). Both Agi160 and CLsat tandem repeats share several common features (e.g., the same AT content and distribution of multiple short A-T runs, internal structure of repeated units, the presence of conservative regions). These data are indicative of their common origin and a possibly strong selective pressure upon conserving both satellites. A comparative analysis of structure, organization, and abundance of these two families of satDNA reveals evolutionary pathways that led to their formation and divergence. The data are consistent with the hypotheses of the concerted evolution of satellite DNA families. The possibility of use of Agi160 as a phylogenetic tool, defining relationships within Lacerta s. str., as well as within the whole family of Lacertidae is discussed.

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Despite the fact that numerous reptile species are widely studied by the researchers, information describing the detailed structure of particular organs in many reptiles is missing. The tongue of the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) was examined under the light and scanning electron microscope. It is divided into bifurcated apex, corpus and bifurcated radix. The tip of the lingual apex is devoid of lingual papillae. The remaining dorsal surface of the tongue bears either fused papillae in the form of caudally directed ridges or individual papillae represented by mushroom like or semilunar prominences (lingual apex) or fish scale-like papillae (lingual corpus) and horizontally laid ridges extending in the form of lobulated prominences (lingual corpus, lingual radix). Regardless of the shape, lingual papillae contain numerous muscle fibers and they are all considered to be mechanical. The lingual epithelium changes from the simple squamous into stratified squamous in the caudal direction. No salivary glands or sensory structures were recognised. This description is to be used mainly for comparative studies. It could also help to understand how different lizards capture the pray.

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Understanding the climatic factors influencing a species behavior is important for a multitude of reasons including conservation planning. Climate ecology of Lacerta agilis has been studied thoroughly at the edges of its distribution range and at high elevations but hardly in the central parts. As preferences between populations living in extreme conditions can vary considerably from those of populations in more moderate conditions, in order to properly conserve central populations of Lacerta agilis, we cannot rely on studies conducted in extreme conditions. We therefore use a visual encounter study on a sand lizard population in a heathland near Cologne over two years and combine it with the corresponding data of a nearby weather station. Our aim is to determine climatic preferences within the population and identify which factors influence activity in sand lizards using among other methods CART models and analysis of variance. Furthermore, we aim to deliver a method which can easily be included in any visual encounter based fieldwork.

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Weather conditions are important factors determining the activity, and consequently detection probability of animals. Especially in ectotherms from temperate habitats, activity can vary strongly depending on weather. The sand lizard Lacerta agilis is a wide-ranging lizard that is often subject to environmental impact assessments due to its proximity to humans and prevalence as a candidate for compensatory measures according to the Flora and Fauna Habitat Directive of the European Union. Lacerta agilis has been studied extensively at certain edges of its distribution, but studies focusing on the core range have been rare. We use Bayesian models in order to identify the best explaining weather variables out of a large variety of available variables for a population of Lacerta agilis in western Germany. We furthermore depict their interactions with an easy-to-understand regression tree model. Sand lizards have shown to be more active during dry conditions with low windspeeds. They further are best found after sunny weather with temperatures around 20°C. Rainfall in the previous 24 hours also increases the detection probability. An unpruned regression tree reaffirms the results while giving concrete variable values and exploring how the values influence each other. Overall, the method delivers a decision tree based on easy-to-obtain weather variables that allows for post-survey analysis and for determination of the best survey conditions.

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Understanding animal space use and habitat needs is a vital requirement for effective conservation and manage ment measures. Considering the multiple instances in which landscapes are anthropogenically altered, it becomes increas ingly important to understand what the spatial requirements of an animal are. However, smaller animals, like lizards, require finer-scale assessments, which cannot always be easily made. Therefore, we calculated home ranges of Lacerta agilis using data collected by radio tracking. We then studied microhabitat preference using high-resolution maps generated from photographs taken by unmanned aerial vehicles. Overall, lizards in the selected area seem to favour home ranges that include blackberry brush while avoiding high vegetation and sand. They use other structures according to individual preferences or unstudied factors. Our study portrays an efficient method with high spatial resolution to assess small-vertebrate habitat preferences, which can in turn be used in planning population-specific habitat management or compensatory measures.

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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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The sand lizard in Britain is well on the way to extinction, thanks to the destruction of its favoured habitats – sand dunes and dry heath. The author, who has been engaged in full-time research on the surviving populations, has started breeding sand lizards in captivity, using animals taken from sites that are being destroyed, and hopes to reintroduce them in protected areas.

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In the researched area, we identified a total of 16 species for the herpetofauna. Among these, 11 belong to the amphibians (Triturus vulgaris, Triturus cristatus, Triturus dobrogicus, Bombina bombina, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Rana ridibunda, Rana lessonae, Rana dalmatina) and 5 to the reptiles (Emys orbicularis, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Podarcis taurica, Natrix natrix). Aside these 16 species, we also identified populations of Rana kl. esculenta, a hybrid form between Rana ridibunda and Rana lessonae.

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In the Moca stream basin from Valea lui Mihai town we identified 9 amphibian species (Lissotriton (Triturus) vulgaris, Triturus dobrogicus, Bombina bombina, Pelobates fuscus, Hyla arborea, Epidalea (Bufo) viridis, Pelophylax (Rana) ridibundus, Rana dalmatina, Rana arvalis), 5 reptile species (Emys orbicularis, Lacerta agilis, Zootoca vivipara, Podarcis taurica, Natrix natrix) and populations of Pelophylax (Rana) kl. esculentus). The herpetofauna of the region is characteristic to the northwestern plain areas from Romania, including beside typical plain species, glacial relicts connected to a colder and moister climate together with postglacial immigrants specific to the warmer and dryer areas. The herpetofauna diversity is determined by the habitat diversity, in the area being present wide marshes together with sand dunes. In addition, endangered species, which are protected at a national and European level, are present in the area. The most distinct herpetofauna lies in the marsh upstream of the town, the sector situated in the locality being heavily affected by man. The authors recommend the conservation of the marshes both upstream and downstream of the town, and the limitation of any interventions upon the stream strictly to the town sector, which is presently degraded.

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We studied the composition and the geographic spreading of the herpethofauna from Tasnad Hills, between the years 2000 and 2003. In this region, we have identified 12 Amphibian species (Triturus vulgaris, Triturus cristatus, Triturus dobrogicus, Bombina bombina, Bombina variegata, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Pelobates fuscus, Rana ridibunda, Rana dalmatina and Rana arvalis), 8 Reptile species (Emys orbicularis, Lacerta viridis, Lacerta agilis, Zootoca vivipara, Anguis fragilis, Natrix natrix, Coronella austriaca, Vipera berus) and 3 species of hybrids between some amphibian species (Triturus cristatus X Triturus dobrogicus, , Bombina bombina X Bombina variegata and Rana Kl. esculenta). We also found numerous Zootoca vivipara populations in the swamps from the plain region, the species being well represented at altitudes of about 150 m. What is also important to mention is the fact that we found Triturus dobrogicus, hybrids between this species and Triturus cristatus, or the first ever discovery of Vipera berus in Tasnad Hills, at about 200 m altitude.

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In the studied region we encountered 7 species of amphibian (Triturus dobrogicus, Triturus vulgaris, Bombina bombina, Pelobates fuscus, Pelobates syriacus, Epidalea (Bufo) viridis, Pelophylax (Rana) ridibundus) and 4 species of reptiles (Emys orbicularis, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Natrix natrix). The herpetofauna of the studied region is one typical for the plain areas from Romania. Pelobates syriacus was recorded for the first time in Ialomiţa County.

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In the studied area we encountered 14 species of amphibians (Salamandra salamandra, Triturus vulgaris, Triturus cristatus, Triturus dobrogicus, Bombina bombina, Bombina variegata, Pelobates fuscus, Hyla arborea, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Rana ridibunda, Rana lessonae, Rana dalmatina, Rana arvalis) and 9 species of reptiles (Emys orbicularis, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Zootoca vivipara, Anguis fragilis, Natrix natrix, Coronella austriaca, Elaphe longissima and Vipera berus). Hybrids between Triturus cristatus and Triturus dobrogicus, Bombina bombina and Bombina variegata and Rana kl. esculenta are also present in this region. The herpetofauna of this reservation from the inferior course of the Tur River stands out through the glacier relicts that live here, in the woody swamps from the plains (R. arvalis, Z. vivipara and V. berus). Population of Salamandra salamandra and Bombina variegata can be found here at altitudes of no more than 140 m. In this reservation, all the three forms of the Rana green complex that live in Romania are present. The most important sectors of the reservation, from what the herpetofauna is concerned, are the afforested areas. These shelter most of the species and the biggest population of the protected species. The results of our study show the necessity to include into the reservation the forests from Livada.

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In western Maramures county we encountered 13 species of amphibians (Salamandra salamandra, Triturus montandoni, Triturus cristatus, Triturus vulgaris, Bombina bombina, Bombina variegata, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis Hyla arborea, Rana ridibunda, Rana dalmatina, Rana temporaria), 7 species of reptile (Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Zootoca vivipara, Anguis fragilis, Elaphe longissima, Coronella austriaca, Natrix, natrix), as well as hybrids between Bombina bombina and Bombina variegata and also populations of Rana esculenta. The hybrids between the 2 species of Bombina are present at the same altitude as in the rest of western Romania in general. In this region are present plain species as well as species prone to higher areas. The Carpathian newt descends to a more reduced altitude then in general in Romania, but comparable to those at which it was noticed in the Oas region.

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The south-western part of Mehedinţi County comprises many herpetofauna species, compared to most regions in Romania. This is how we managed to encounter 14 amphibian species (Salamandra salamandra, Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus cristatus, Triturus dobrogicus, Bombina bombina, Bombina variegata, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Pelophylax ridibundus, Pelophylax lessonae, Rana dalmatina, Rana temporaria) plus Pelophylax kl. esculentus and 15 reptile species (Emys orbicularis, Testudo hermanni, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Lacerta agilis, Lacerta viridis, Podarcis muralis, Podarcis taurica, Darevskia praticola, Anguis fragilis, Zamenis longissimus, Dolichophis caspius, Coronella austriaca, Natrix natrix, Natrix tessellata, Vipera ammodytes). Salamandra salamandra, Bombina variegata and Rana temporaria were identified at very low altitudes, lower than any other indication from Romania up to present. This is explained by the fact that mountain valleys, bearing here a typical aspect, reach all the way to the Danube, carrying with them the occurring species. In Blahnita Plain, Darevskia praticola appears in cleared areas, being present in the vegetation girdles bordering the canals found between agricultural fields.

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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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Herpetofauna is of interest in protected areas because of the large number of protected species. We studied the herpetofauna of Cozia National Park (CNP) between 2016 and 2018. CNP is situated in the central part of the Southern Romanian Carpathians. We recorded 10 species of amphibian (Salamandra salamandra, Triturus cristatus, Lissotriton vulgaris, Bombina variegata, Hyla arborea, Bufo bufo, Bufotes viridis, Pelophylax ridibundus, Rana dalmatina and R. temporaria), and 11 reptile species (Lacerta agilis, L. viridis, Podarcis muralis, Darevskia praticola, Zootoca vivipara, Anguis colchica, Natrix natrix, N. tessellata, Coronella austriaca, Zamenis longissimus and Vipera ammodytes). Reptiles dominate in number of species, number of individuals and distribution records. CNP is situated at the northern limit of the distribution range of some of these reptiles, notably D. praticola and V. ammodytes. Mountain species associated with a colder, moist climate are very rare or even absent. Zootoca vivipara is restricted to the highest areas of Mount Cozia, above 1 350 m. Although mountain species are well represented in other Carpathian regions, the warmer, drier climate of CNP and its surroundings has limited their distribution in the area, pushing Z. vivipara to higher and higher altitudes. Lacerta agilis is syntopic with all the other lizard species. In some areas, as many as four lizard species cohabitate. The distribution of the herpetofauna in CNP has been negatively influenced by past human activity. The dams on the River Olt have favoured species related to large, stagnant bodies of water, in a region where such habitats were naturally missing. In addition, massive deforestation has decreased the abundance of herpetofauna in many areas of CNP.

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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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The dietary habits of a population of the sand lizard Lacerta agilis were studied in the Alpine valley Stura di Demonte, Northwestern Italy. The faecal contents of 33 adults (16 females and 17 males) and 8 juveniles were analysed. There were negligible sexual differences in terms of trophic diversity and of the overall diet based on taxonomic prey categories. Juveniles had a lower prey diversity value in comparison with females but not with males. There was a positive relationship between the total number of prey items found in individual faecal contents and lizard body size, and this result may explain the more diverse diet of adults in comparison to juveniles. When the adult trophic strategy was analysed by means of the relativized electivity index, that takes into account prey availability, it was observed that the main taxonomic prey groups were eaten according to their proportion in the environment, with the only exception of ants (Formicidae) that were highly avoided by lizards.