Краткие сообщения

Our study of the Phrynocephalus mystaceus mystaceus (Pallas, 1776) intrapopulation group on the Sarykum sand massif was carried out during the breeding seasons (1^st ten days of May) in 2021 – 2024. In this part of the habitat, the species forms local groups with a very high population density (from 72.9 to 95.7 ind. / ha). Apparently, this is due to the island position of the population on the Sarykum.

Our sex ratio analysis of mature individuals in populations of 5 lizard species, genus Eremias (Lacertidae) and genus Phrynocephalus (Agamidae), during the breeding season has shown that males predominate in the genus Eremias in most cases, while females predominate in the genus Phrynocephalus. This fact is confirmed by data collected by other researchers on 14 more species of the indicated genera. The authors believe that this difference is due to some ecological features of the noted systematic groups.

The article provides information on the distribution of Zamenis hohenackeri in the North Caucasus, mainly in Dagestan and the adjacent territory of Chechnya, and analyzes literature data on the distribution of the species in the republics of Ingushetia and North Ossetia-Alania. Based on the literature and original data of the authors, as well as collection specimens, the most complete map and cadastre of the species findings in the North Caucasus have been compiled, which include 43 locations of the species.

Natural polyploidy cases in reptiles are analyzed. They are characterized by spontaneous autotriploidy, non-hybrid mixoploidy (2/3n), hybrid biotypes (2 and 3n), polyploid species, and tetraploid hybrids obtained from crossing triploids with diploids. Polyploid species are always triploid and parthenogenetic. Neither gynogenesis nor various types of hemiclonal inheritance have been observed among them. In all cases studied, reticulate speciation in reptiles stops at the stage associated with tetraploidy.

The paper presents new data on the distribution of Pelodytes caucasicus, Bufo verrucosissimus and Pelias tuniyevi in South Ossetia. The research was carried out on the Dzau district territory in the first decade of July 2023 and in the third decade of April 2024. In the Patsa River gorge (a right tributary of Bolshaya Liakhva River), P. caucasicus, B. verru-cosissimus, and P. tuniyevi were discovered for the first time, and P. caucasicus and B.

The results of our laboratory hybridization of green-bellied (Darevskia chlorogaster) and Caspian (Darevskia caspica) lizards are presented. When crossing D. chlorogaster females and D. caspica males, 7 hybrid individuals were obtained. The newborn lizards had body lengths of 24.59–27.11 mm and masses of 0.32–0.37 g. Incubation lasted 57–61 days. After the first period of hibernation (286–357 days after leaving the eggs) the hybrids had their first attempts at mating and laying eggs.

Abnormal activity of Pelophylax ridibundus in the cooling pond of the Balakovo NPS (Saratov region) was detected during the winter period of 2003. The temperature range within which this activity was observed corresponds to that for the exit of individuals of this species from wintering during the spring period.

A third specimen of Psammophis lineolatus (Brandt, 1836) from the Caucasus (near the Anabad village, Ordubad district, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan) is described.

We describe a case of temporary transfer of a striated lizard, Lacerta strigata Eichwald, 1831 to eating winged individuals of the cornfield ant, Lasius alienus (Foerster, 1850) registered in the territory of the Staropavlovskaya village, Stavropol region.

The paper describes a first case of successful hunting of a Parasteatoda tepidariorum (C. L. Koch, 1841) spider for a juvenile individual of Pontic Lizard, Darevskia pontica (Lantz et Cyrén, 1919), recorded in the territory of Slavyansk-on-Kuban town (Krasnodar Region, Russia).