Статьи

Lantz’s newt, or the Caucasian smooth newt (Lissotriton lantzi), is an endemic species of the Caucasus. The distribution and abundance of this species are decreasing, especially on the periphery of its habitat. The paper presents the results of our study of reproduction, growth and development of Lantz's newt in artificial conditions. Eight couples of animals were caught on the Strizhament Mountain (the Stavropol region, Russian Federation) in 2015 and 2016.

The results of our study of the hemoparasites of the lake frog inhabiting the North-Western Ciscaucasian reservoirs are presented. It was found that the parasites are represented by three species, namely: the sporozoa Hepatozoon magna and Dactylosoma ranarum, and Microfilaria. Differences in the erythrocyte morphology of the lake frog when infected by sporozoa were identified. Dactylosoma ranarum does not alter the size of the erythrocytes affected.

The present study was conducted to research the herpetofaunal in the Bagh area (the central part of State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan). It lasted from May 2015 till November 2016. As a result, 5 specimens of the Western-Himalayan endemic wolf-snake species Lycodon mackinnoni were recorded by visual encounter. These findings were new for the habitat of the species and for the specific composition of the ophidian fauna of both the Azad Kashmir area and Pakistan in the whole.

Morphological features of the dorsal (DS), throat (TS) and tail skins (caudal skin, CS) were examined in the aquatic- and terrestrial-morphotype females of Salamandrella keyserlingii. Using histological and statistical methods, the presence of the stratum corneum of the epidermis, the fullness degree of the mucous glands, and the development of the subdermal connective tissue were estimated.

The data on the thermal biology and daily activity of the Central Asian tortoise Agrionemys horsfiedii have been generalized on the basis of our own research and literature information. A description of the daily activity cycles with the body and environmental temperatures characterized is proposed. There are 8 periods of the daily activity and thermoregulatory behavior.

The Alpine newt, Ichthyosaura alpestris, is widely distributed in Central Europe. This species is common for most part of its habitat. I. alpestris is rare in Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria, Austria and Denmark. In the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg the Alpine newt is endangered. A large number of publications on the keeping and breeding of this species in captivity is known. This allows the Alpine newt to be saved in artificial conditions, as well as to carry out projects on its reintroduction.

The paper deals with hematological indices of lake frogs from two biotopes with different pollution types. The first biotope is the Chibi Canal, which receives water from rice bays, it is contaminated with pesticides. The second biotope is a reservoir near the old river-bed of the Kuban River near the forest park Krasny Kut. In both biotopes, no significant differences in the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in the blood of lake frogs were observed.

This paper describes new methods for obtaining viable ovulated oocytes and testicular sperm from the carcasses of females and males of the common frog Rana temporaria, stored at +4ºС for 1–7 days. In addition, a new approach to delayed collection (1 to 30 days) of ovulated oocytes from live female frogs of the same species is given. Part of the frog testicular spermatozoa is shown to retain motility (21.0±1.5%) and fertilizing ability (13.2±1.9%) even after 6 days of storage at +4°C in the carcasses of males.

The characteristic is given and the taxonomic structure of the modern bathrachological collection of the Zoological Museum of the Saratov National Research State University named after N. G. Chernyshevsky is analyzed. Currently, it has 1903 specimens of amphibians belonging to 46 species of 13 families. The Ranidae family is the most fully presented one (43.3% of the total number of storage units). In total, the Ranidae collection contains 711 specimens of 10 frog species, of which 2 species (569 specimens) account for Saratov regional collections.

Lantz’s newt, or the Caucasian smooth newt, Lissotriton lantzi, is an endemic species of Caucasian forests. It was included in the Red Data Books of the Russian Federation and Republic of Azerbaijan. The design of a technology for keeping and reproducing this species in captivity will help its conservation. The paper discusses the results of larval growing of Lantz's newt at several temperatures. Newts were obtained from reproduction in artificial conditions.