Статьи

Molecular genetic analysis of 28 marsh frogs Pelophylax ridibundus complex from 12 localities of the Crimean peninsula was conducted by two molecular markers, namely, COI, the gene of the first subunit of cytochromeoxydase mtDNA, and SAI-1, the first intron of the serum albumin gene nDNA. It has been found that the mtDNA type specific for the “eastern” form (the Anatolian P. cf. bedriagae) prevails for the Crimean marsh frogs, while the mtDNA type of the “western” form (the Central-European P.

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.

Our study of the peripheral blood leukogram of grass snake and dice snake females (Samara region) has revealed changes in the blood of these snakes before and after their laying eggs, associated with the natural immunity activation in these animals. Natural, innate immunity reactions were mediated by mononuclear cells (monocytes and lymphocytes). An increase in the lymphocyte fraction in the dice snake female blood is shown to reduce the leukogram shift index.

Molecular-genetic analysis of green frogs (67 individuals of Pelophylax ridibundus and 63 ones of hybridogenic P. esculentus) from Mari El Republic (15 localities) and the Kirov Region (one locality) was performed by two (mitochondrial and nuclear) markers. Some part of the material (66 individuals) was studied by means of DNA flow cytometry. It is shown that in the green frogs living in the northern Middle Volga region, the genetic markers specific for the «western» (the Central European P. ridibundus) form are predominant.

Field research was conducted on the Kerzhensky Nature Reserve territory (the Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia) in 2012-2013 to analyze the influence of the 2010 forest wildfires on the populations of amphibians and reptiles and to reveal features of their post-wildfire recovery. The recovery of the herpetocomplexes on the territories subjected to surface/crawling and controlled fires was found to occur during no more than two years, whereas crown/canopy fires with complete vegetation destruction required three years for recovery.

The Central Asian tortoise distribution in Uzbekistan is described on the basis of our analysis of findings at 287 localities. All these localities with their locations have been mapped. The history of the propagation and formation of the habitat of the species is provided. It has been revealed that the tortoise is widely settled in desert landscapes. The area of its habitat is 67% of the territory of the republic (about 300,000 sq. km).

Data on the age and growth of the Talysh toad in the Lenkoran Lowland are provided from sceletochronological analysis. Females are larger than males by body size. The reproductive part of the population is mainly composed by animals aged 3 - 6 years. The maximum age of females and males in the studied group was 9 and 8 years, respectively. Males and females reach their sexual maturity after 1 - 2 and 3 winters, respectively.

The results of our first short-term study of a unique Rana temporaria population in May, 2015, are reported. This population was formed in the southern Kamchatka as a result of releasing 150 immature frogs in the spring of 2005. The numbers of breeding females was 2,648 in 2015. The activity season duration at the release locality (4 months) is 2 months shorter than that at the original locality of the translocated frogs in Moscow district.

In the Volga region and adjacent territories, 263 specimens of green toads from 63 localities were studied. Genome size analysis by means of flow DNA cytometry allowed the specimens from 16 localities to be identified as the “western” (= viridis) form and the green toads from 20 localities as the “eastern” form (= variabilis or sitibundus). In the other localities studied, specimens with an intermediate genome size predominated.