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Zoology in the Middle East Volume 61, Issue 2, 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 |
South-Eastern Lesser Caucasus: the most important landscape for conserving the Leopard (Panthera pardus) in the Caucasus region (Mammalia: Felidae)
Elshad Askerov, Tariel Talibov, Karen Manvelyan, Nugzar Zazanashvili, Alexander Malkhasyan, Parviz Fatullayev and Aurel Heidelberg
Between January 2013 and October 2014, camera-trapping and field tracking monitoring of the Leopard (Panthera pardus) in the southern part of the Caucasus resulted in 220 photos and 26 videos depicting leopards, and 4 verified leopard scat samples identified by mtDNA analysis. Based on unique coating markings, 5-6 individuals were identified. The main reasons for the increased visibility of the leopard include the rapid establishment of new protected areas during last 10 years in the southern Caucasus, as well as a hunting ban in the Nakhchyvan Region of Azerbaijan since 2001 and anti-poaching activities conducted in southern Armenia since 2003. The South-eastern Lesser Caucasus has been identified as a priority landscape for leopard conservation in the Caucasus.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 95-101. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
First confirmed record of the Corsac Fox, Vulpes corsac, from Iran and considerations on its status (Mammalia: Canidae)
Leili Khalatbari, Fariborz Heidari, Ali Turk Qashqaei and Kaveh Faizolahi
The occurrence of the Corsac Fox, Vulpes corsac, is replete with ambiguity and uncertainty in the literature. We present the first confirmed record of the species from Iran. In the course of a survey, we found two Corsac Fox furs in Tehran Market in 2013 and separately recorded one adult and a group of three young in semi-arid steppes in central Turkmen Sahra, Golestan Province, in June 2014. Great Gerbil (Rhomobomys opimus), Libyan Jird (Meriones libycus), and Long-eared Hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus) are among prey items. The Corsac Fox has a limited range in Iran and is threatened by habitat fragmentation and road kill.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 102-108. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Ecological niche of the Asiatic Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) in the arid environment of Iran (Mammalia: Felidae)
Jalil Sarhangzadeh, Hassan Akbari and Bahman Shams Esfandabad
The Asiatic Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, is a species of global conservation concern and a small population occurs in Iran in fragmented habitats located in the central parts of the country with a continental, arid climate. Naybandan Wildlife Refuge (NWR) holds the largest population in Iran. To understand better the factors which determine the occurrence of cheetahs in these areas, we applied an Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) to assess the relationship between occurrences of cheetahs across the NWR and topographic, biological, and anthropogenic factors. ENFA analysis results suggested that cheetahs have a tendency to inhabit areas different from the mean conditions of the study area and live in a narrow set of conditions. They prefer mountainous habitats far from flat areas, habitats near to water resources, and habitats with high prey densities. 13% of the NWR can be classified as suitable habitat for the cheetah, indicating a high conservation value of this reserve for the species.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 109-117. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Taxonomic reevaluation of Eremias strauchi strauchi Kessler, 1878 and Eremias strauchi kopetdaghica Szczerbak, 1972, based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences (Reptilia: Lacertidae)
Eskandar Rastegar-Pouyani, Seyyed Saeed Hosseinian Yousefkhani and Michael Wink
Strauch’s Racerunner, Eremias strauchi, is represented by two subspecies, Eremias strauchi strauchi Kessler, 1878 and Eremias strauchi kopetdaghica Szczerbak, 1972, occurring in opposite margins on the northern Iranian Plateau. We sequenced 3926 base pairs of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from 16 samples of Eremias strauchi, Eremias lalezharica and Eremias velox collected from northeastern, northwestern and southern Iran. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that Eremias lalezharica is sister to Eremias strauchi kopetdaghica and caused the currently recognised species Eremias strauchi to be paraphyletic. According to the estimated genetic distances in the mitochondrial fragments among the lineages, E. s. strauchi diverged from E. s. kopetdaghica and E. lalezharica with a mean genetic distance of 14.0% and 13.9% respectively. Our data indicate enough molecular divergence between the two currently recognised subspecies of E. strauchi and justify upgrading them to full species level as Eremias strauchi (for the north-western clade) and Eremias kopetdaghica (for the north-eastern clade).
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 118-124. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Genetic evidence for human-mediated introduction of Anatolian water frogs (Pelophylax cf. bedriagae) to Cyprus (Amphibia: Ranidae)
Jörg Plötner, Çiğdem Akın Pekşen, Felix Baier, Thomas Uzzell and C. Can Bilgin
We found in two water frogs captured in Cyprus, the distribution area of P. cypriensis, nuclear alleles and mitochondrial haplotypes that are characteristic of Anatolian water frogs, Pelophylax cf. bedriagae. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data strongly indicate that the ancestors of these two frogs did not arrive on Cyprus via a land bridge or overseas dispersal but were unintentionally introduced by humans, most probably together with carp fingerlings. Both individuals exhibited recombined nuclear genomes characteristic of backcross hybrids. Further investigations are needed to estimate the amount of introgression of allochthonous alleles into the gene pool of P. cypriensis.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 125-132. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Spatial and temporal dynamics of the rock-pool ichthyofauna on Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf
Asma Daryanavard, Asghar Abdoli, Mohammad Sharif Ranjbar, Mohammad Reza Shokri and Bahram H. Kiabi
A survey of the intertidal rocky pool fish community and some environmental conditions was carried out on Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf, from August 2010 to May 2011. In total, 1038 fishes belonging to 13 species and 5 families were caught, mainly permanent intertidal residents of the families Blenniidae and Gobiidae. The most abundant species were Antennablennius variopunctatus and Istiblennius pox (Blenniidae). The number of individuals and species differed significantly among the rock-pools, apparently in response to variation in rock-pool volume, intertidal height and substrate complexity.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 133-138. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Description of two new species of Pseudamnicola from southern Turkey (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae)
Peter Glöer, M. Zeki Yıldırım and Ümit Kebapçi
New material of freshwater molluscs in the Mediterranean region of Turkey revealed two new species of the genus Pseudamnicola Paulucci, 1878, i.e., P. kayseriensis n. sp., and P. gullei n. sp.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 139-143. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
First records of species of the Hesperinidae and Cylindrotomidae (Diptera: Nematocera) from Turkey
Okan Özgül
Hesperinus imbecillus (Loew, 1858) is recorded from Turkey and this represents the first record for this dipteran family in the country. From the family Cylindrotomidae, Cylindrotoma distinctissima distinctissima (Meigen, 1818) is reported from Turkey for the first time and Diogma dmitrii Paramonov, 2005 for the second time.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 144-147. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Occurrence of Chrysochus asclepiadeus (Pallas, 1773) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Turkey: two distinct subspecies or the same taxon with slightly different populations?
Ali Nafiz Ekiz, İsmail Şen, Ali Gök and Ergin Turantepe
According to the literature, Chrysochus asclepiadeus (Pallas, 1773) is represented by two subspecies in the western Palaearctic, including C. asclepiadeus asiaeminoris De Monte, 1948, which was described from south-western Turkey but has not been recorded since 1948. Recently collected specimens from the provinces of İzmir and Isparta (not far from the type locality of C. asclepiadeus asiaeminoris) were compared with specimens of the nominate subspecies from Kiev (Ukraine). It is concluded that C. asclepiadeus asiaeminoris is a synonym of the nominate subspecies (syn. n.). The distribution of the species in Turkey is discussed.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 148-152. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
A new species of Tetartopeus Czwalina, 1888 from Turkey, and some additional records from the West Palaearctic region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae)
Sinan Anlaş
Tetartopeus frischi sp. n. from the Uşak Province in western Anatolia, Turkey, is described and illustrated. Additional records of ten species of Tetartopeus are reported from the West Palaearctic region, among them several new country records. An updated key to the Turkish species of Tetartopeus is presented.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 153-160. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Metaphycus parthenolecanii sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a parasitoid of Parthenolecanium corni (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in Iran
George Japoshvili, Khatereh Jalilvand, Hassan Ali Vahedi and Majid Fallahzadeh
Metaphycus parthenolecanii Japoshvili sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae), a parasitoid of the European fruit lecanium Parthenolecanium corni (Bouché, 1844) (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Coccidae) in Iran, is described and illustrated.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 161-165. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
A new species of plume moth (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) from Jordan
Peter Ustjuzhanin, Vasily Kovtunovich and Anna Ustjuzhanina
The species Hellinsia jordanica Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. n. is newly described from Jordan.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 166-167. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Northern Iran
Shabnam Moradloo, Reyhan Nafisi Fard, Shahrokh Pashaei Rad and Brian Taylor
The results of ant collecting in two hitherto unsampled areas of Iran, the north eastern province of Khorasan Razavi and the north western Zanjan Province are reported. Both areas fall within lacunae of knowledge on previous distribution. Species previously not known from Iran are Aphaenogaster holtzi, Camponotus (Myrmentoma) rebeccae, Cataglyphis albicans, Cataglyphis rockingeri, Lasius himalayanus and Proformica ferreri.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015:168-173. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
A new species of the genus Prozercon Sellnick, 1943 (Acari: Mesostigmata: Zerconidae) from Turkey
Elif Hilal Duran and Raşit Urhan
A new species of zerconid mites, Prozercon sultani sp. n., is described from İstanbul province, Turkey. This species was found in moss, litter and soil under Pinus halepensis, P. brutia and Quercus frainetto. The description of the species is based on adults of both sexes. Illustrations of female and male are provided.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 174-178. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
A new species of the harvestmen genus Rilaena (Opiliones: Phalangiidae) from Turkey
Kemal Kurt
A new harvestman species, Rilaena artvinensis sp. n. (Opiliones: Phalangiidae), is described and illustrated based on males collected in north-eastern Anatolia, Turkey. The new species is similar to R. buresi (Šilhavý, 1965) and R. lenkoranica Snegovaya, 2007. The differences between these species are elaborated.
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 179-183. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Short Communications
The first record of the White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus, in Iran (Aves: Rallidae)
Thomas Stalling, Raffael Ayé and Tobias Roth
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 184-185. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
A newly established population of the Indian Ocean Twospot Cardinalfish, Cheilodipterus novemstriatus (Rüppell, 1838), in the Northern Levantine Sea (Osteichthyes: Apogonidae)
Erhan Irmak and Semih Engin
Zoology in the Middle East 61(2), 2015: 186-188. | Access Options: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tzme20/current#.UZ8U1Z3wCig
Comment, Response and Rejoinder
The Basra Reed Warbler Debate: Introduction
Max Kasparek - 189
Towards a better understanding of Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis (Aves: Passeriformes: Acrocephalidae) ecology? A comment on Al-Sheikhly et al. (2013)
Richard Porter*, Leo Batten, John Burton, Jon M. Collinson, Peter Cowan, Peter Kennerley, Guy M. Kirwan, R. G. Newell, David Pearson, Roger Riddington, Mudhafar Salim, Robert Sheldon, Derek Scott, and Martin Woodcock - 190
A response to the comment of Porter et al. (2015) on “Breeding ecology of the Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis (Hartlaub, 1891) in Iraq (Aves: Passeriformes: Acrocephalidae)”
Omar F. Al-Sheikhly, Iyad Nader, and Filippo Barbanera - 193
Rejoinder to the Response of Al-Sheikhly et al.
Richard Porter, Leo Batten, John Burton, Jon M. Collinson, Peter Cowan, Peter Kennerley, Guy M. Kirwan, R. G. Newell, David Pearson, Roger Riddington, Mudhafar Salim, Robert Sheldon, Derek Scott, and Martin Woodcock - 200
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