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Zoology in the Middle East Volume 60, Issue 3, 2014 0939-7140 (Print), 2326-2680 (Online) © Taylor & Francis 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. ZME is published by Taylor & Francis Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig |
Population status, distribution, and conservation of the Chinkara, Gazella bennettii, in Iran (Mammalia: Bovidae)
Hassan Akbari, Hosein Varasteh Moradi, Jalil Sarhangzadeh, Bahman Shams Esfandabad
The Chinkara (Gazella bennettii) population in Iran has been experiencing a serious decline in the last few decades. The current population is estimated at 2,818 individuals in 32 reserves and additionally at least 500 individuals outside protected areas. The number of Chinkaras ranges from 10 to more than 500 head per protected area. The main population with a total of more than 1500 individuals (or 45% of the entire Iranian population) is concentrated in three protected areas: Khabr National Park, Naibandan Wildlife Refuge, and Kavir National Park. The Department of Environment of Iran launched a captive breeding programme for the species in 1996 and now there are four captive breeding centres for Chinkara throughout the country. These face two major problems: first, all centres were established with only a few founders; second, each centre consists of one herd and only one dominant male can mate in each herd. Both of these problems apparently lead to low genetic diversity.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 189-194. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Patterns of sexual dimorphism in the Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) and implications for sex differentiation
Mohammad S. Farhadinia, Mohammad Kaboli, Mahmoud Karami, and Hamid Farahmand
Extant felids show a high degree of inter-sexual dimorphism, meaning significant size differences between males and females. Such a differentiation may have various ecological, behavioural and evolutionary implications, at both species and subspecies levels. We have investigated the sexual size differences in one of the most dimorphic felids, i.e. the Leopard (Panthera pardus), based on 63 craniometric and 55 morphometric samples from Iran which belong to the subspecies Persian Leopard (P. p. saxicolor). In order to explore patterns of sexual dimorphism, multivariate statistical analysis on 24 skull variables as well as univariate approaches for two body measurements were applied. We found significant inter-sexual differences in skull size whereas it was not meaningful after removing the effect of size to address skull shape. Moreover, inter-sexual differentiation was also remarkable when comparing morphometric body measurements in adults, showing that the males possess a larger head mass and longer body, but sub-adults did not show any remarkable differentiation between sexes. A combination of craniometric and morphological features is proposed for sex differentiation in Leopards.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 195-207. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Modelling the potential distribution of the Bridled Skink, Trachylepis vittata (Olivier, 1804), in the Middle East
Razieh Fattahi, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani, Aziz Avcı, Yusuf Kumlutaş, Çetin Ilgaz, Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani
The Bridled Skink, Trachylepis vittata, is widespread in the Middle East and eastern coastal Mediterranean areas and inhabits foothills throughout the arid regions of the Middle East. With the help of more than 146 distribution records from Iran, Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon and Libya, we analysed the influence of climate on the distribution pattern. According to the Maximum Entropy model, the most influential factors that determined T. vittata distribution are: precipitation of coldest quarter, Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and precipitation in the warmest quarter. The model suggests that the western slopes of the Zagros Mountains in Iran and slopes in the southern regions of Anatolia around the Mediterranean Sea are suitable for this species. The species is associated with areas with intermediate NDVI (150-180) (a measure of primary productivity), high winter precipitation (>300 mm) and dry summer (<50mm). The association with rainy winter limits the presence of the species in lowlands. The Zagros Mountains may act as a biogeographic barrier that limits the species dispersal eastward, because of their scarce precipitation.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 208-216. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
A contribution to the Mesochorinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Turkey
Matthias Riedel, Janko Kolarov, Saliha Çoruh, and Hikmet Özbek
We present a first account of the species of the subfamily Mesochorinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) found in Turkey and give distributional records for 5 genera and 23 species. Among them, 3 genera (Cidaphus Förster, 1869; Mesochorella Szepligeti, 1911; Stictopisthus Thomson, 1886) and 20 species are new for the fauna of Turkey.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 217-221. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
A new species of Onychopterochelius Blüthgen (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from Turkey
Erol Yıldırım
Onychopterocheilus sarikamisensis sp. n. is described and illustrated from eastern Turkey. The species is related to O. hellenicus (Morawitz, 1885) but differs by the shape of the clypeus and antennae, and by the pale colouration of the maculations.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 222-225. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Morphometric characterisation of the native Honeybee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758, of Saudi Arabia
Yehya Alattal, Ahmad Al Ghamdi, Mohamad Al Sharhi, Stephan Fuchs
The morphometry of native honeybees from Saudi Arabia was analysed and compared with 7 Apis mellifera subspecies, based on 198 colony samples from 36 locations. Twenty five standard morphological characters were evaluated, and samples were compared with seven reference honeybee subspecies (Apis mellifera carnica, A. m. ligustica, A. m. meda, A. m. syriaca, A. m. lamarckii, A. m. litorea and A. m. jemenitica) obtained from the Oberursel Data Bank (Institut für Bienenkunde, Frankfurt University, Germany). Results confirmed that samples from Saudi Arabia are very similar to samples from the subspecies A. m. jemenitica (Ruttner, 1967), previously described from Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Samples were well-separated from the other subspecies, but the distinction was less in relation to A. m. litorea. While locally kept bees were well-separated, samples from migratory beekeeping showed broader variation and were less clearly separated, indicating the influence of ingression and hybridization with introduced honeybee subspecies.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 226-235. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Contribution to knowledge of the leafroller fauna (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) of Turkey
Mustafa Özdemir and Selma Seven Çalışkan
A total of 75 species of leafrollers of the family Tortricidae belonging to 41 genera were found in northern and Inner Anatolia between 1999 and 2003. Cochylidia moguntiana (Rössler, 1864) is newly recorded for Turkey, and the first detailed records of Aphelia viburniana (Fabricius, 1787), Epiblema turbidana (Treitschke, 1835), Eucosma conterminana (Guenée, 1845) and Cochylidia rupicola (Curtis,1834) are communicated.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 236-245. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
The genera Philhammus and Cnemeplatia (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Cnemeplatiini) in the Arabian Peninsula, with taxonomic and faunistic remarks on additional species
Wolfgang Schawaller, Hathal M. Al Dhafer, Ali A. Elgharbawy
The genus Philhammus (Tenebrionidae, Cnemeplatiini) is recorded for the first time from the Arabian Peninsula with the species P. aharonii (Reitter, 1910). Comparative species of Philhammus from Africa and Asia are listed, with taxonomic remarks and figures. Philhammus villiersi Ardoin, 1976 and Philhammus villiersi katanganus Ardoin, 1976 are considered to be new junior synonyms of Philhammus ferenczi Kaszab, 1967; Philhammus triplehorni Medvedev, 2005 is considered to be a new junior synonym of Philhammus brincki Ferrer, 1995. A checklist of the nine known Philhammus species is presented. In addition, new records of Cnemeplatia atropos from Saudi Arabia are given.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 246-250. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Redescription of Plutomurus kelasuricus Martynova, 1969 (Collembola: Tomoceridae) from Georgian caves
Shalva Barjadze and Revaz Djanashvili
The collembolan species Plutomurus kelasuricus Martynova, 1969 is redescribed and illustrated based on material sampled in Georgian caves. Differences from the morphologically similar P. abchasicus Martynova, 1969 are discussed. A key to species of the genus Plutomurus found in the Caucasus is provided.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 251-254. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
First data about cave spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Iran
Yuri M. Marusik, Ahmad Nadimi, Mikhail M. Omelko, Seppo Koponen
This paper reports seven species found in Shirabad Cave located in the western part of Golestan Province and two species found nearby. Three families: Anyphaenidae, Segestriidae and Theridiosomatidae, and one species, Metellina merianae (Scopoli, 1763) are recorded from Iran for the first time. Two species are described as new: Tegenaria zamanii Marusik & Omelko, sp. n. (♀) and Segestria mirshamsii Marusik & Omelko, sp.n. (♀). Four species: Lepthyphantes iranicus Saaristo & Tanasevitch, 1996, Metellina merianae, Octonoba yesoensis (Saito, 1934) and Pholcus sp. are illustrated. Uloborus georgicus Mcheidze, 1997 from Eastern Georgia is synonymized with Octonoba yesoensis. The distribution of all species treated in the paper is briefly discussed, with emphasis on the easternmost records.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 255-266. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
A new species of the genus Chaetopelma Ausserer, 1871 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from Turkey
Aydın Topçu, Nurcan Demircan
A new species of Chaetopelma Ausserer, 1871 is described from Hatay province, Turkey. Differences between the new species and related species are discussed. The characteristic features of this species are described and illustrated.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 267-271. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Redescription and remarks on the species Minniza persica (Pseudoscorpiones: Olpiidae) from Iran
Mahrad Nassirkhani and Reza Vafai Shoushtari
Minniza persica, which has been described briefly by Beier in 1951 on the basis of specimens from Hormozgan and Mazandaran provinces of Iran, was recently collected again from Hormozgan and Fars provinces and is described and illustrated here. The subspecies M. persica deminuta Beier is regarded as synonymous with the nominate subspecies.
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 272-277. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Short Communications
A new sighting of the Mediterranean Monk Seal, Monachus monachus (Hermann, 1779), in the Marmara Sea (Turkey)
Özgür Emek Inanmaz, Özgür Değirmenci, Ali Cemal Gücü
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 278-280. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
A new record of the Blue-Barred Parrotfish, Scarus ghobban (Actinopterygii: Scaridae), from the coastal waters of Cyprus
Halit Filiz and Nail Sevingel
Zoology in the Middle East 60(3), 2014: 281-282. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
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