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Zoology in the
Middle East Volume
61, Issue 1, 2015 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 Group. Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
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Tattoo-like skin disease in the endangered
subpopulation of the Humpback Whale, Megaptera
novaeangliae, in Oman (Cetacea:
Balaenopteridae)
Marie-Françoise Van Bressem, Gianna Minton, Tim
Collins, Andrew Willson, Robert Baldwin and Koen Van Waerebeek
The presence of tattoo-like
skin disease is reported in an endangered, non-migratory subpopulation of
Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Oman. We examined 522
images taken during small-boat surveys in the Gulf of Masirah and in Dhofar in
2000-2006 and in 2010-2011. Tattoo-like lesions were detected in regular, good
and outstanding images. They appeared as irregular or rounded, light grey marks
often showing a whitish outline, and were located on the flanks, dorsum, dorsal
fin and caudal peduncle. They could be relatively small to very large and cover
up to an estimated 40% of the visible body surface. Over the whole study period
disease prevalence reached 21.7% in 60 whales and 16.7% in 36 adults. In this
category, prevalence was higher in males (26.7%, N=15) than in females (9.1%,
N=11), but the difference was not significant. Lesions appeared larger in males
than in the positive female and progressed in two males. Disease prevalence
increased significantly from 2000 through 2011 (r2 =0.998). Advanced tattoo
skin disease, with lesions extending over more than 10% of the visible body
surface seemed to occur more frequently in 2010-2011 than in 2000-2006, but
samples were small. This is the first confirmed report of tattoo-like disease
in the Balaenopteridae family and the first time it is documented in the
Arabian Sea. The disease high prevalence, its increase over time and its
progression in some individuals are of concern.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 1-8.
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Morphometric and morphological differentiation of the
subspecies of Phasianus colchicus (Linnaeus, 1758) on the
Iranian Plateau (Aves: Galliformes)
Nasrin Kayvanfar, Mansour
Aliabadian and Seyed Mahmoud Ghasempouri
The Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, Linnaeus, 1758 (Aves: Galliformes), occurs in the
Iranian Plateau in three nominal subspecies. Fourteen morphometric and three
morphological characteristics were examined in 114 individuals. The three
nominal subspecies of the Common Pheasant could be distinguished from each
other based exclusively on morphological characteristics such as the variation in
body size, plumage patterns, the presence/absence of the white wing bar and
morphometric data such as bill depth and width. Our field observations and conclusions
from morphological analysis showed evidence for natural hybridisation between introduced
Ring-necked and autochthonous pheasants in the northern belt of Iran.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 9-17.
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The male reproductive cycle of the Dice Snake, Natrix tessellata (Serpentes: Colubridae), in northern Iran
Reza Babaei Savasari, Abdolhossein
Shiravi and Vida Hojati
The Dice Snake, Natrix tessellata, is a non-venomous oviparous and diurnal snake whose distribution extends
across Iran except for the south-eastern regions. We studied the spermatogenic
cycle of this species in Mazandaran Province between April and November 2012.
The specimens were collected from four stations in Sari where 57 adult males
were investigated morphometrically
and histologically. The testes included 24–192 seminiferous tubules. The length
of the testes varied between 8.07 and 36.70 mm and the diameter of the tunica
albuginea between 7 and 42 microns. The results indicated that spermatogenesis is
composed of three phases: an active phase from May to September, a transitional
phase in October, and a silent and regenerative phase from November to March.
Spermatogenesis began in late May and increased in mid-August and early
September, reduced in late September and October, and stopped in early November
completely. The spermatogenic cycle can be characterised as aestival.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 18-25.
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Distribution and status of sea turtle nesting and
mortality along the North Sinai coast, Egypt (Reptilia: Cheloniidae)
Basem Rabia and Omar Attum
We assessed in 2012 the
distribution of Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Green (Chelonia mydas) Turtle
nesting sites and mortality along North Sinai, Egypt, the most important
nesting area along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, and compared the results with
those from a survey carried out in 1998. We observed a similar number of Loggerhead
(N=66) and Green Turtles nests (N=7) as recorded in 1998 (Loggerhead N=67,
Green Turtle N=7). We confirmed successful nesting for 47 Loggerhead and five Green
Turtle nests, with a high nesting success (>90% for both species). We found
68 dead Loggerhead Turtles, which is a significant increase compared to 1998,
when only 16 individuals were found. The numbers of dead Green Turtles
increased from five in 1998 to 9 in 2012. Despite the similar number of sea
turtle nests in 1998 and 2012, the large increase in mortality of sea turtles
is very concerning.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 26-31.
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Rediscovery of Maynard’s Longnose Sand Snake, Lytorhynchus maynardi, with the geographic distribution of the genus Lytorhynchus Peters, 1863 in Iran
Soheila Shafiei, Hadi Fahimi,
Mohammad Ebrahim Sehhatisabet and Naeim Moradi
An adult male of Maynard’s Longnose
Sand Snake (Lytorhynchus maynardi) was collected on 24 July 2009
from the east of Sistan and Baluchistan Province in south-eastern Iran. The new
locality is the westernmost record of this species in western Asia, and the
first record for 42 years from Iran. Information on the geographic distribution
of the genus Lytorhynchus Peters,
1863 in Iran, comparative morphology and some ecological data are presented
here.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 32-37.
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Diet composition of the Thornback Ray, Raja clavata
Linnaeus, 1758 (Elasmobranchii: Rajidae) in the Turkish Aegean Sea
Elizabeth Grace Tunka Eronat
and Okan Özaydın
The diet of Raja clavata
(Thornback Ray) was studied in 2008–2009 in Sığacık Bay in the
eastern Mediterranean, based on 187 stomach contents obtained by commercial
trawl operations. 40 different prey species were found. Mysidacea, Parapenaeus
longirostris and Plesionika sp. were the most abundant prey items. The results
indicate that the main prey varies considerably depending on the ecological
characteristics of the habitat.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 38-44.
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Ooencyrtus
ferdowsii sp. n. (Hymenoptera:
Encyrtidae), an egg parasitoid of Osphranteria
coerulescens (Coleoptera:
Cerambycidae) in Iran
Ebrahim Ebrahimi, Gholam-Reza
Tavakoli Korghond, Kamal Mianbandi, Hadi Mahmoodi, Kazem Mohammadipour and John
Noyes
Ooencyrtus ferdowsii sp. n. is described from Iran. It has been reared from
eggs of the cerambycid Osphranteria coerulescens that were collected on Prunus
amygdalus in Ferdows in the eastern province of Khorasan-e Jonoobi, Iran. The
new species is compared with the closely related Oencyrtus pityocampae. A list
of species of the genus Ooencyrtus recorded from Iran is provided.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 45-49.
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First description of the queen of the ant Solenopsis saudiensis Sharaf & Aldawood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from
Saudi Arabia
Mostafa R. Sharaf, Shehzad
Salman and Abdulrahman S. Aldawood
The queen of the ant Solenopsis saudiensis Sharaf & Aldawood, 2011 is described for the first
time from Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A provisional key to the two Saudi
Arabian species of the genus is presented based on the queen caste. Brief
ecological and biological notes are also given.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 50-54.
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Descriptions of little-known and unknown morphs of Zelkovaphis caucasica (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Eriosomatinae), with an analysis
of its phylogenetic position
Masakazu Sano, Shalva Barjadze
and Shin-ichi Akimoto
Zelkovaphis caucasica is a little-known Caucasian species of leaf-rolling
aphids on Zelkova carpinifolia, and was not included in a
previous morphological phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Eriosomatini. We
redescribe little-known emigrants of Z. caucasica
and describe first instars borne by the emigrants, with keys to species for
these morphs of the genus Zelkovaphis.
Based on the present specimens and a previously published description, we added
Z. caucasica to a published data
matrix for Eriosomatini species, and re-analysed the phylogenetic relationships
of the tribe Eriosomatini. Successive weighting analysis indicated that Z. caucasica branched off at the base of
the Eriosomatini phylogeny, as well as other leaf-rolling species on Zelkova. It is therefore suggested that,
like other leaf rollers on Zelkova, Z. caucasica is a relict that has
survived in glacial refugia.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 55-63.
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Review of the genus Catomus Allard, 1876 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in Iran
Maxim Nabozhenko
Five species of the genus Catomus Allard, 1876 are known from
Iran. Catomus fragilis (Ménétriés, 1848) is recorded from Iran for the first
time. Lectotypes of C. persicus Allard,
1876 (type species of the genus) and C.
semiruber Allard, 1876 are designated. These species are also redescribed
and figured. A key to the species of Catomus
in the Iranian fauna is given.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 64-68.
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Gylippus
(Hemigylippus) bayrami sp. n. from Turkey with comparative remarks on the species
of the subgenus Gylippus (Hemigylippus) Birula (Solifugae:
Gylippidae)
Melek Erdek
Gylippus (Hemigylippus)
bayrami n. sp. from northeast Turkey
is described and illustrated. Differences between the new species and related
species are discussed.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 69-75.
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New records of the huntsman spider genus Olios (Araneae: Sparassidae) from Iran,
Iraq and Afghanistan
Majid Moradmand, Omid
Mirshamsi Kakhki and Vladimir Hula
Two species of the spider
genus Olios are recorded for the
first time from the Middle East, namely O.
sericeus (Kroneberg, 1875) from Afghanistan and Iran, and O. iranii (Pocock, 1901) from Iraq.
Previously recorded species of Olios are
shown to be misidentifications. A comparative diagnosis is provided for these
two newly recordedspecies.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 76-80.
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Three new mites of the genus Pseudolaelaps Berlese, 1916 (Acari: Mesostigmata, Pseudolaelapidae)
from Iran, with an updated key to known species
Peter Mašán, Jalil Hajizadeh
and Sara Ramroodi
Three new gamasid mites
belonging to the genus Pseudolaelaps
Berlese, 1916 are described from Guilan Province, Iran. The descriptions of Pseudolaelaps laevidorsatus sp. n., Pseudolaelaps semiduplicans sp. n. and Pseudolaelaps
venustulus sp. n. are based on females collected from different kinds of soil
substrate and decomposed plant detritus in deciduous forests and some
non-woodland habitats in cultivated lowland landscapes. An updated key to 15
species of the genus Pseudolaelaps,
widely distributed mainly in Europe, is presented.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 81-90.
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Short Communications
Some new aphid records for the Turkish aphidofauna
(Hemiptera: Aphidoidae)
Özhan Şenol, Hayal
Akyıldırım Beğen, Gazi Görür and Gizem Gezici
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 91-92.
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First record of Capparimyia
savastani (Martelli, 1911) in Lebanon
(Diptera: Tephritidae)
Zinette Moussa and Dany
Yammouni
Zoology in the Middle East 61(1), 2015: 93-94.
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