Статьи

The paper presents data on reproduction of Lataste’s toad, Bufotes latastii, in laboratory conditions. Dur- ing the summer, such animals  were  kept at  temperatures  within 26 – 30°C and a  daylight duration of  16 hours in a horizontal terrarium with its ground made of shredded bark. Laboratory-bred two-spotted crickets, Grillus bimaculatus, were food for adult toads. Within 28 days (from early February till early March) the animals were kept at temperatures within 9.4 – 15.8°C, humidity within 20 – 48%, and under natural lighting.

Based on field surveys in 2013 – 2015 of four local populations of Bombina bombina and Pelophylax ridibundus in spawning lakes in the Medveditsa river valley (Saratov region) it was found that the body length (SVL) and weight of mature females of B. bombina and P. ridibundus ranged from 31.1 to 49.7 mm and from 63.1 to 138.1 mm; from 2.64 to 8.43 g and from 25.4 to 181.0 g, respectively.

The intrapopulation variability of 20 morphometric characteristics and 26 indices of the body proportions of Karelin’s newt Triturus karelinii (Strauch, 1870) in the Burchu-Gol’ Lake (the Crimea, Chatyrdagh massif, 870 m a. s. l.) was estimated by employing standard statistical methods and discriminant analysis. The studied specimens demonstrated absolute discrimination into two groups, males and females, respectively.

Additional material collected in a type locality of Pelias magnifica (Tuniyev et Ostrovskikh, 2001) ex- pands our current understanding of the external morphology of the species (including its color polymor- phism), its preferred habitats and daily activity. A rapid assessment of the current population status was done.

The present paper studies Zootoca vivipara populations from the low, medium and alpine zones of the Kuznetsky Alatau. By using skeletonchronology, the age of animals was determined, and the life longev-ity, sex -age structure, growth rate of bone and body were estimated. Males and females had the highest growth rates of bone and body until their second wintering, and then they decreased. Slow-growing specimens reach older ages.

The paper presents analysis of the distribution of Darevskia praticola praticola, D. praticola loriensis, D. p. hyrcanica, and D. pontica in the Caucasus. GIS modeling (Maxent 3.3.3k) was used. Analysis of the obtained GIS maps of distribution has allowed us to locate territories with maximum occurrence probabilities of these taxa.

An overview of the cases of introduction (both accidental and intentional) of amphibians and reptiles in the Caucasus and Crimea is provided. The introduction cases are systemized in accordance with the goals and ways of introduction and with regards to the expected scale of the impact and its nature. No negative consequences of the introduction of amphibian and reptile species in the Crimea and Caucasus are currently observed on any of the known examples.

The venom yield of the eastern steppe viper Vipera renardi (Christoph, 1861) was shown to be higher in the summer than in the spring and autumn. No seasonal variability of the venom toxicity (the average lethal dose DL₅₀ for banana crickets Gryllus locorojo Weissman et Gray, 2012) and the enzyme activities therein (proteases and L-amino acid oxidase) was detected.

The leukocytic formulae of the peripheral blood of Vipera berus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Samara region (Samara City) and Vipera renardi (Christoph, 1861) from the Saratov region (Khvalynsk district) were studied. Some features of the leukocytic blood composition of the species studied were revealed, manifested by the predominance of a specific component in the immune reactions of Vipera berus, in comparison with Vipera renardi.