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Zoology in the Middle East Volume 56, 2012 ISSN 0939-7140 Kasparek Verlag, Heidelberg Covered in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). Admitted to ISI Master Journal list and covered by the BioSciences Information Service (Biosis Previews) and Biological Preview (abstract/cover page), the Zoological Record and many other review organs. Price per article: Euro 10.00 (plus Euro 2.00 postage/handling) |
Shirin Aghanajafizadeh, Mahmoud R. Hemami, Gholamreza Naderi, Fatholah Heydari
Estimation of Houbara Bustard, Chlamydotis macqueenii, population density in the central Iranian steppes
Abstract. Iran hosts both resident and migratory populations of the vulnerable Houbara Bustard, Chlamydotis macqueenii, especially in the region of Yazd where resident birds occur. For investigation of its density and abundance, 8000 ha of the Harat area in Yazd province were studied from February to March 2006. The distance sampling method (line transect) in different plant communities, with a completely randomized sampling design, was used. In total, 766 km of transects were surveyed and 147 individuals were counted. Based on distance sampling analysis we found that the Houbara Bustard density is 0.87 individual per km². The highest density was recorded in Seidlitzia rosmarinus and Artemisia sieberi plant communities.
Key words. Distance sampling, line transect, Harat, density estimation, Asiatic Houbara Bustard.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 3-8. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Sàlim Javed, Shahid B. Khan, Christophe Tourenq, Frederic Launay, Jorge Merritt
Nesting, distribution and conservation of the Crab Plover, Dromas ardeola, in the United Arab Emirates
Abstract. We studied the nesting and distribution of the Crab Plover, Dromas ardeola, in the United Arab Emirates through regular monitoring of colonies during the breeding season and counts at other key waterbird sites throughout the country during the non-breeding season. Based on counts of active nests, we estimate 1400-1500 breeding pairs of Crab Plovers in the United Arab Emirates at the two active colonies, accounting for over 30% of the Arabian breeding population. Discovery of a newly formed colony in 2004 and abandonment of the old colony on Abu Al Abyad demonstrate the potential of expansion of colonies in other areas. With breeding confirmed at only two islands in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, from a conservation perspective this species is one of the most important breeding birds in the United Arab Emirates. Outside the breeding season, Crab Plovers congregate at few coastal sites in the country. Long-term conservation of Crab Plovers in the Emirates depends on the continued protection of the few breeding sites and urgent protection of the key sites used outside the breeding season.
Key words. Crab Plover, seabird colonies, breeding, islands, conservation, United Arab Emirates.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 9-18. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Pierangelo Crucitti, Federica Emiliani
Morphological variability of the Spur-thighed Tortoise, Testudo graeca, in the Nemrut Volcano (Eastern Turkey) (Testudines: Testudinidae)
Abstract. Morphological variation among a population of Testudo graeca from two neighbouring sites of the Nemrut Volcano has been analysed, and six morphometric characters have been assessed in 305 specimens, mainly adults. This population shows remarkable morphometric differences. Macrohabitat differences among sites have been involved to explain this variability in the light of the huge morphological plasticity of this wide-ranging taxon.
Key words. Morphology, size, Testudo graeca, Nemrut Volcano, Eastern Turkey Middle East.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 19-26. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Stephen R. Goldberg
Reproduction in the Desert Lacerta, Mesalina guttulata, from Israel (Squamata: Lacertidae)
Abstract. Mesalina guttulata follows a seasonal reproductive cycle in Israel which commences in autumn and concludes in spring. Mean clutch size (n = 16) was 4.2±1.3 SD, range 1-6. One is a new minimum clutch size for this species. Males and females of M. guttulata reach maturity at 36 mm and 43 mm snout vent length, respectively. Mature females were larger than males. There was no suggestion that females produce multiple clutches. The correlation between female body size and clutch size was not significant.
Key words. Spermiogenesis, oviductal eggs, maturity size, clutches.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 27-38. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Yehudah L. Werner, Oren Gajst, Roy Talbi, Amos Bouskila
Acanthodactylus opheodurus Arnold, 1980 in the Levant revisited, and the striped patterns of Levantine Acanthodactylus (Reptilia: Lacertidae)
Abstract. The distribution of the Arabian desert lizard Acanthodactylus opheodurus Arnold, 1980 in the Levant is re-examined. West of Jordan it is almost limited to the ‘Arava Valley, absent from most of the Negev and from Sinai. This correction of an earlier report derives from re-identification of specimens, relying on the colour pattern difference from the syntopic sibling A. boskianus asper (Audouin, 1829). The vertebral dark stripe is simple in A. opheodurus but forked in A. boskianus. The vertebral stripe is forked but light-colored in two geographically adjacent related taxa, A. b. boskianus (Daudin, 1802) of northern Egypt and A. schreiberi syriacus Boettger, 1878 of coastal Israel.
Key words. Colour-pattern, distribution, Egypt, Israel, Sinai.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 31-38. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Savvas Zotos, Chloe Adamopoulou, Bassilis Chondropoulos, Costas Kadis, Andreas Ch. Hadjichambis, Anastasios Legakis
Evidence of sperm storage in Schreiber’s Fringe-fingered Lizard, Acanthodactylus schreiberi schreiberi, from Cyprus (Reptilia: Lacertidae)
Abstract. Four females of Schreiber’s Fringe-fingered Lizard, Acanthodactylus schreiberi schreiberi Boettger, 1878, from the Troodos Mountains in Cyprus were captured after mating in the field and moved into isolated terraria in the laboratory. Three of them laid two clutches and the fourth one laid four clutches without any further mating with males. The last oviposition was observed 90 days after capture in the field. This indicates that females of this species are capable of storing functional sperms for at least a period of three months. This ability may have played an important role in the distribution of the lizard into the inner island and the Troodos Mountains where it can be found in sparse populations.
Key words. Captive observation, functional sperm storage, reproduction, clutch characteristics, multiple clutches.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 39-48. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Asghar Abdoli, Saeedeh Allahyari, Rahman Patimar, Bahram H. Kiabi
Feeding strategies of three Neogobius species in the Gomishan Wetland of Iran, South-east Caspian Sea (Osteichthyes: Gobiidae)
Abstract. For an analysis of the food habits of three Neogobius species in the Gomishan wetland, south-eastern Caspian Sea, 1335 stomachs were examined using a modification of the graphical Costello method to analyse stomach contents data. Based on this method, Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) and Neogobius fluviatilis (Pallas, 1814) preferred Chironomidae, bivalves and amphipods while Neogobius syrman (Nordmann, 1840) mainly fed on Chironomidae, amphipods and fish. N. melanostomus fed on bivalves in summer more than other items, and in winter most of the diet consisted of arthropods. The most frequent food item in the stomach contents of N. fluviatilis was Chironomidae. N. syrman preferred fish in autumn and summer while Chironomidae were the most abundant food item in spring and winter.
Key words. Neogobius melanostomus, Neogobius fluviatilis, Neogobius syrman, food habits, Gomishan wetland, Iran.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 49-54. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Cahit Kasimoglu, Fevzi Yilmaz
Feeding habits of the Thin-lipped Grey Mullet, Liza ramada, in Gökova Bay in the southern Aegean Sea (Osteichthyes: Mugilidae)
Abstract: We analysed the stomach contents of 240 Thin-lipped Grey Mullets, Liza ramada, in Gökova Bay in the southern Aegean Sea, to study their feeding habits. The diet comprised species belonging to 32 genera, with 25 of them belonging to plants and 7 to animals. The diet consisted of 97.41% of Bacillariophyta, 0.24% of Chlorophyta, 0.16% of Cyanophyta and 2.17% animal organisms.
Key words. Liza ramada, mullet, stomach contents, Gökova Bay, Turkey.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 55-62. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Ebrahim Ebrahimi, James M. Carpenter
Distribution pattern of the hornets Vespa orientalis and V. crabro in Iran (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)
Abstract. Two species of hornets are present in Iran: Vespa orientalis Linnaeus, 1771, has a widespread distribution in most parts of Iran, except for the Caspian coast in northern Iran, but V. crabro Linnaeus, 1758, is present only on the Caspian coast. The ambiguity regarding these two species in Iran, their distribution patterns, diagnoses and agricultural aspects are discussed.
Keywords. Vespa orientalis, V. crabro, hornets, distribution, Iran, Middle East.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 63-66. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Andrew D. Liston, Hans-Joachim Jacobs
Review of the sawfly fauna of Cyprus, with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera: Symphyta)
Abstract. Four species of Hymenoptera Symphyta are recorded for the first time in Cyprus: one Cephidae, Calameuta pygmaea (Poda, 1761), and three Tenthredinidae; Euura atra (Jurine, 1807), Heterarthrus vagans (Fallén, 1808) and Pristiphora calliprina sp. n. The genus Periclista is also newly recorded, but the species remains unidentified. Identifications of three species previously recorded in Cyprus are revised: Calameuta nigricarpus (André, 1881) comb. nov. (from Cephus) (= Calameuta filiformis: misidentification), Allantus ariadne sp. n. (= Allantus laticinctus: misidentification), Strongylogaster cypria Benson, 1954 stat. nov. (= S. multifasciata: misidentification). Alnus orientalis is a new hostplant record for Heterarthrus vagans. Of the 43 species of Symphyta now recorded in Cyprus, six are at present only known from there: Allantus ariadne, Calameuta festiva, Heterarthrus cypricus, Macrophya aphrodite, Pristiphora calliprina and Pristiphora schedli. Rather than being endemic to Cyprus, most of these species may also occur in the relatively poorly investigated neighbouring mainland eastern Mediterranean countries such as Lebanon, Syria and Israel.
Key words. Cephidae, Tenthredinidae, new records, new species, new combination, new status, new host.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 67-84. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | OPEN ACCESS (free download)
Doreen Werner, Helge Kampen
Simulium (Boophthora) erythrocephalum (De Geer, 1776) – a subgenus and species new to Armenia (Diptera: Simuliidae)
Abstract. Distributional records and ecological data for the black fly Simulium erythrocephalum (De Geer, 1776) of the subgenus Boophthora Enderlein, 1925 (Diptera: Simuliidae) are reported for the first time from Armenia. Developmental stages and adults were found at six sites in 2010. The Armenian populations were characterized morphologically, cytogenetically, and by DNA sequence, revealing close similarities to European populations.
Key words. Simuliidae, Simulium, Boophthora, erythrocephalum, Palaearctic, Armenia, distribution, Caucasus.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 85-90. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | OPEN ACCESS (free download)
Jean-Luc Gattolliat, Laurent Vuataz, Michel Sartori
First contribution to the mayflies of Jordan (Insecta: Ephemeroptera)
Abstract. Up to now, the mayfly fauna of Jordan has been completely unknown. Based on material recently collected at approximately 30 localities, a first contribution is provided. At least seven species of Ephemeroptera belonging to three different families occur in Jordan. With four species, the Baetidae is by far the most common and diversified family. Two new species, Nigrobaetis vuatazi Gattolliat & Sartori n.sp. and Baetis monnerati Gattolliat & Sartori n.sp., are described in both larval and imaginal stages. The association of the ontogenetic stages was based on mitochondrial DNA (COI gene). Nigrobaetis vuatazi is closely related to Nigrobaetis arabiensis Gattolliat & Sartori, 2008, recently described from United Arab Emirates, but differs notably from European species especially Nigrobaetis niger (Linnaeus, 1761) and Nigrobaetis digitatus (Bengtsson, 1912). Baetis monnerati belongs to the buceratus species-group, which is known to be very common in the Levant but less frequent in Central Europe. The two other baetid species, Cloeon dipterum (Linnaeus, 1761) and Procloeon pennulatum (Eaton, 1870), are widely distributed in the Western Palaearctic and have already been reported from the Levant. Caenidae are represented by Caenis antoniae Malzacher, 1992 and Caenis parabrevipes Malzacher, 1992, and Leptophlebiidae by Choroterpes (Euthraulus) ortali Sartori, 1992. These three species were originally described from Israel and have not been reported since then. These reports increase their geographic range to the east and are of significant importance for conservation purposes as their former distribution was extremely restricted.
Key words. Systematics, faunistics, Levant, new species, Baetidae, Caenidae, Leptophlebiidae.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 91-110. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | OPEN ACCESS (free download)
Yuri M. Marusik, Francesco Ballarin, Mikhail M. Omelko
On the Pardosa monticola-species group from Iran (Araneae: Lycosidae)
Abstract. A survey of species belonging to the Pardosa monticola species group from Iran is presented. A new species, P. persica sp. n., from Fars Province is described on the basis of both sexes. Two species, P. buchari Ovtsharenko, 1979 and P. pontica (Thorell, 1875), are reported from Iran for the first time. All the three species are illustrated. Earlier records of P. agrestis (Westring, 1861), P. agricola (Thorell, 1856), P. monticola (Clerck, 1757) and P. palustris (Linnaeus, 1758), from Iran appear to have been based on misidentifications of P. buchari and P. pontica.
Key words. Iran, spider, new species, new record, Pardosa monticola-group.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 111-124. | OPEN ACCESS (free download)
Raşit Urhan
Two new species of Zercon C. L. Koch, 1836 from Turkey (Acari: Zerconidae)
Abstract. Two new species of zerconid mites, Zercon bulancakensis sp. n. and Z. imperfectsetosus sp. n., collected from Giresun Province in Turkey are described and illustrated on the basis of adult females.
Key words. Acari, Zerconidae, Zercon, taxonomy, Turkey.
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 125-132. | Preview (abstract/cover page) (PDF) | Order article...
Short Communications
Mahdieh Tourani, Ehsan M. Moqanaki and Bahram H. Kiabi
Vulnerability of Striped Hyaenas, Hyaena hyaena, in a human-dominated landscape of Central Iran
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 133-136. | Order article...
Mounir R. Abi-Said, Boris Krystufek
First record of the Forest Dormouse, Dryomys nitedula (Pallas, 1799), in Lebanon (Mammalia: Rodentia)
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 137-139. | Order article...
Laith A. Jawad, Juma M. Al-Mamry, Haithem K. Al-Busaidi
First reliable record of the Sicklefin Chimaera, Neoharriotta pinnata (Schnakenbeck, 1931), from the northern Arabian Sea (Chondrichthyes: Rhinochimaeridae)
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 139-141. | Order article...
Canan Hazır, Nevin Keskin, Erwin Scheuchl
First record of four species of Andrena sand bees in Turkey (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae)
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 141-143. | Order article...
Shalva Barjadze, Hans-Jürgen Schulz, Ulrich Burkhardt, Mikhail B. Potapov, Maka Murvanidze
New records for the Georgian springtail fauna (Collembola)
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 143-146. | Order article...
Tahir Özcan, Halil Erdogan, Christopher Ashelby
First record of Palaemonetes mesopotamicus Pesta, 1913 (Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from Turkey
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 146-147. | Order article...
Cem Cevik, Levent Cavas, Deniz Erguden, Cemal Turan
A second observation of Dendrodoris fumata (Rüppell & Leuckart, 1830) from the Mediterranean Sea (Nudibranchia: Dendrodorididae)
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 148-149. | Order article...
Fethi Bengil, Murat Özaydinli, Sebnem Kuscu, Kemal Can Bizsel
Morphometric study on the brittlestar, Amphiura chiajei Forbes, 1843 (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), in the Aegean Sea
Zoology in the Middle East 56, 2012: 149-152. | Order article...