2006. Volume 13. No. 3. Contents

A NEW SPECIES OF Eremias (SAURIA: LACERTIDAE) FROM CHOLISTAN DESERT, PAKISTAN

Khalid Javed Baig and Rafaqat Masroor

A new species of Eremias has been described from the Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. It constitutes the first record of the genus Eremias from the Oriental (Indian) region. The species has been named Eremias cholistanica, after the Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. This striped desert lacerta is not only different from all its congeners in several morphological characteristics but has been collected from an area distant from the previous known range of Eremias.

Keywords: Lacertidae, Eremias, cholistanica, new species, Pakistan, taxonomy

FIRST RECORD OF THE LATE CRETACEOUS DUROPHAGOUS MOSASAUR Carinodens belgicus (SQUAMATA, MOSASAURIDAE) FROM VOLGOGRADSKAYA OBLAST’ (RUSSIA) AND CRIMEA (UKRAINE)

Anne S. Schulp, Alexander O. Averianov, Alexander A. Yarkov, Filip A. Trikolidi, and John W. M. Jagt

Two new late Maastrichtian (Cretaceous) occurrences of the highly specialized, durophagous mosasaur Carinodens are recorded, one from Russia (Volgograd Region), the other from Crimea (Ukraine). Its dietary specializations and geographic distribution are briefly discussed.

Keywords: Carinodens, Mosasauridae, Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian, paleobiogeography, Volgogradskaya Oblast’, Russia, Crimea, Ukraine

THE STRUCTURE OF POSTCRANIAL SKELETON IN Xenopus laevis (ANURA: PIPIDAE) AT UNDERDEVELOPMENT OF PELVIC GIRDLE

E. E. Kovalenko and Yu. I. Kruzhkova

The unique structure of postcranial skeleton under the condition of underdeveloped pelvis in Xenopus laevis is described. The specimen under analysis demonstrates the absence of both left and right iliac processes, the sharp bend of the posterior part of the axial skeleton and sacral processes, reduction of the intervertebral spaces and fusion of some of vertebrae. Such peculiarities of structure suggest that ilium is an essential factor for normal growth and development of the axial skeleton (especially of its coccygeosacral part) in Anura. The existing points of view on the cause-and-effect relations between sacrum, pelvis and hindlimbs during development are analyzed.

Keywords: Anura, Xenopus, sacrum, pelvis, malformations, development

ALLOZYME AND GENOME SIZE VARIATION IN TREE FROGS FROM THE CAUCASUS, WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SUBSPECIES Hyla arborea gumilevskii, FROM THE TALYSH MOUNTAINS

Spartak N. Litvinchuk, Leo J. Borkin, Jury M. Rosanov, and Dmitry V. Skorinov

The genome size and allozyme (20 loci) variation in the European (Hyla arborea) and Middle Eastern (H. savignyi) tree frogs in the Caucasus was studied. Additional samples of these species from eastern Europe and Turkey, as well as a sample of the Far Eastern H. japonica, were used for comparison. According to genome size and allozyme data, three geographically distinct groups were revealed among the Caucasian tree frogs. The main territory of the Caucasian region, including the Great Caucasian Range, is inhabited by H. arborea, the Caucasus Minor — by H. savignyi, whereas the Talysh Mountains (Azerbaijan) situated in the extreme south-east of the region harbor another tree frog with reduced inguinal loop. The highest genetic difference was found between the Talysh tree frog and H. savignyi (D = 0.42), the middle one — between H. savignyi and H. arborea (D = 0.27 – 0.38), and the lowest value between the Talysh tree frog and H. arborea (D = 0.13). The genetic distances between these West Palearctic species and H. japonica were relatively high (D = 0.43 – 0.59). Additionally, we found high genome size differences between the Talysh tree frog and H. arborea, as well as between the former one and H. savignyi. Based on these data, we recognized the Talysh tree frogs as a new subspecies, Hyla arborea gumilevskii, subsp. nov. Hyla arborea schelkownikowi was treated as a junior synonym of H. a. arborea.

Keywords: Amphibia, Hylidae, genome size, nuclear DNA content, flow cytometry, allozymes, Hyla arborea, Hyla savignyi, Hyla japonica, Hyla arborea gumilevskii, subsp. nov

A NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS Cophotis (SQUAMATA: AGAMIDAE) FROM SRI LANKA

V. A. M. P. K. Samarawickrama, K. B. Ranawana, D. R. N. S. Rajapaksha, Natalia B. Ananjeva, Nikolai L. Orlov, J. M. A. S. Ranasinghe, and V. A. P. Samarawickrama

A new species of the genus Cophotis from Sri Lanka is described. Summary of phylogenetic studies of the position of the genus Cophotis within Draconinae subfamily is provided. Distribution of both species of the genus Cophotis in Sri Lanka is shown.

Keywords: Reptilia, Agamidae, Draconinae subfamily, Cophotis, a new species, Sri Lanka

DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS Cyrtodactylus GRAY, 1827 (SQUAMATA: SAURIA: GEKKONIDAE) FROM SOUTHERN VIETNAM

Nguyen Ngoc Sang, Nikolai L. Orlov, and Ilya S. Darevsky

Two new species of the gekkonid lizards genus Cyrtodactylus are described from South Vietnam. C. nigroocularis sp. nov. is distinguished from other species of the Indochina by the combination of characters: depressed head with wide and depressed snout; body moderately slender, elongate with developed ventrolateral folds; limbs moderately long, digits long; tail longer than snount-vent length, with large undivided subcaudals; 13 – 14 upper labials, 13 – 15 lower labials, 17 – 21 narrow subdigital lamellaes fourth toe, around the midbody is 119 – 145 row of scales; femoral large scales absent. C. badenensis sp. nov. is distinguished from other species of the Indochina by the combination of characters: enlarged femoral scales and femoral pores absent; 8 – 10 lower labials, 10 – 13 upper labials, 2 internasal scales; 25 – 28 row of the scales across the belly in the middle of body; 18 – 22 subdigital lamellae on the fouth toe of the hind limb.

Keywords: Gekkonidae, Cyrtodactylus, two new species, Ba Den mountains, southern Vietnam

A NEW REVISION OF SEA KRAITS OF FAMILY LATICAUDIDAE COPE, 1879 (SERPENTES: COLUBROIDEA)

Vladimir E. Kharin and Vladimir P. Czeblukov

The erection of the family Laticaudidae for sea kraits is substantiated. New classification for sea kraits (Laticaudidae Cope, 1879) is proposed: Laticauda Laurenti, 1768 (3 species) and Pseudolaticauda Kharin, 1984 (2 species). Validation is provided of the genus Pseudolaticauda for the sea kraits Laticauda semifasciata and L. schistorhynchus. Key for identification of Laticaudidae species is given. New data on the distribution of Laticauda colubrina and L. laticaudata is given. Lectotypes and paralectotypes for L. laticaudata and P. schistorhynchus is given.

Keywords: Laticaudidae, Hydrophiidae, taxonomic status, Laticauda, Pseudolaticauda, descriptions, distribution, key for identification, lectotype of Laticauda laticaudata and lectotype and paralectotypes of Pseudolaticauda schistorhynchus

CAPTIVE BREEDING OF Theloderma gordoni TAYLOR, 1962

Ivan Yu. Arinin and Sergei A. Ryabov

Theloderma gordoni distributed in South-East Asia (Thailand, Vietnam), is one of the most poorly known species of the genus. The methods of keeping and successful captive breeding of T. gordoni are described. New information on its reproductive biology and behavior is presented.

Keywords: Theloderma gordoni, Vietnam, Thailand, captive breeding, reproductive biology

INDEX OF VOLUME 13

Author's Index

Keywords' Index