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Zoology in the
Middle East Volume
63, Issue 2, 2017 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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Reconstructing
historical baselines for the Persian/Arabian Gulf Dugong, Dugong dugon
(Mammalia: Sirena)
Dalal Al-Abdulrazzak and Daniel Pauly
Retrospective estimates of historic abundances and
distributions of marine organisms are crucial to understanding the
anthropogenic impacts on the structure and species of coastal ecosystems,
especially in the case of vulnerable species such as the Dugong (Dugong dugon). The Persian/Arabian Gulf
is home to the second largest Dugong population in the world, yet little is
known about their current or past abundance, distribution, and ecological role.
Here, we examine historical changes in dugong distribution and estimate
perceived changes in their abundance. We create a ‘dugong discovery curve’ and
compile global density estimates as proxies for the overall health of the
population in the Gulf. We find that since 1950 dugong range may have
contracted by one quarter, and despite their large population, their overall
densities in the Gulf are far lower than in other areas within their range.
Basic understanding of historical trajectories for Dugongs is needed in order
to develop appropriate management plans and conservation targets, particularly
in light of large and wide-spread coastal development projects in the region.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 95-102.
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Autumn migration of
the White Stork, Ciconia ciconia, and the Black Stork, C. nigra, over the Bosphorus (Aves:
Ciconiidae)
Zeynel Arslangündoğdu, Ergün Bacak, Vedat
Beşkardeş, Cem Dalyan, Luke Smith, Margaret R. Payne and Ümit
Yardım
The Bosphorus is one of the main migration routes for
soaring birds in Europe. Migrating White Storks and Black Storks have been
counted at Büyük Çamlica hill in the four autumn seasons of 2006, 2007, 2008
and 2009 for 78 days each year. The numbers recorded are significantly lower
than those counted in the1970’s, and it is discussed whether this decline could
be related to a change in migration routes caused by an increase in the size of
the urban area of the City of Istanbul. The population of Istanbul has
increased from 3.0 million in 1970 to 13.2 million in 2010.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 103-108.
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Description
of a new species of Lytorhynchus
(Squamata: Colubridae) from Iran
Farhang Torki
A new species of the genus Lytorhynchus is
described from the Kabir-Koh Mountains, southwestern Iran. Known from a single
specimen, it is readily distinguished from its congeners by the form of the
rostrum, the number of scales, and the colouration and colour pattern.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 109-116.
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Taxonomy and
distribution of sand boas of the genus Eryx
Daudin, 1803 (Serpentes: Erycidae) in Iran
Mohammad Zarrintab, Konstantin D. Milto, Naeimeh
Eskandarzadeh, Bahman Zangi, Mohammad Jahan, Haji Gholi Kami, Nasrullah
Rastegar-Pouyani, Eskandar Rastegar-Pouyani and Mahdi Rajabizadeh
We review the distribution, morphology and taxonomic
status of Eryx elegans, E. jaculus, E.
miliaris, E. tataricus and E. johnii
in Iran and examine four metric and 10 meristic characters of 94 specimens from
different parts of the country. There are significant morphological differences
between Eryx tataricus, E. jaculus and E. elegans, mainly in snout vent length, tail
length, and number of ventrals, subcaudals and dorsal scales. Eryx jayakari
and E. johnii can easily be distinguished based on their morphological
traits and limited distribution in Iran. The occurrence of E. miliaris in
Iran was not confirmed. The Iranian populations of Eryx jaculus are
assigned to the subspecies E. j. turcicus. E. jaculus specimens from southwestern
Iran had higher ventral scales than other populations, so evaluating their
taxonomic status needs genetic studies in the future. A distribution map and a
revised key to the genus Eryx in Iran are presented.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 117-129.
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Food composition of
the Near Eastern Fire Salamander, Salamandra
infraimmaculata Martens, 1885
(Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae) from Eastern Anatolia
Kerim Çiçek, Mustafa Koyun and Cemal Varol Tok
This study presents data on the food composition of
the Near Eastern Fire Salamander, Salamandra
infraimmaculata,
from Bingöl, eastern Turkey. A total of 139 prey items was determined in the
food content of 28 individuals (14 juveniles, 7 males, and 7 females). Insecta (N%=
37.4), Gastropoda (27.3%), and Isopoda (25.9%) constitute together 91% of the food
items. The most frequent prey groups in the diet are Coleoptera (F%=50.0%),
Isopoda (57.1%), and Gastropoda (46.4%). Coleoptera (V%= 34.6%), Gastropoda (28.0%),
and Isopoda (23.5%) had the highest prey volumes. No significant difference
was found between the sexes in food composition. The species
generally feeds upon poorly flying or slow-moving invertebrates, but is
opportunistic in taking up more mobile prey species as well. Diptera, Odonata
and Hemiptera were found
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 130-135.
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First record of Pristipomoides multidens (Day, 1871) from the Gulf of Aqaba, with a note on the species
of Pristipomoides in the Red Sea (Actinopterygii: Lutjanidae)
Avi Baranes,
Nir Stern and Menachem Goren
The snapper Pristipomoides
multidens is reported for the first time from the Gulf of Aqaba. A
comparison of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) with
available data revealed a high similarity with a sample from Mauritius and a
lower similarity with samples from the China Sea. The status and distribution
of the Red Sea species of Pristipomoides are summarised.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 136-140.
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A new genus and
species of galeommatoid bivalve (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Montacutidae) from Kuwait
Bay, Arabian Gulf
P. Graham Oliver, Valeriy A. Skryabin and Aws Y.
Al-Ghunaim
Larissamya comta gen. n., sp. n., is described from
Kuwait Bay, northern Arabian Gulf. The hinge is identical to that seen in Kurtiella and Montacutona but the spined dorsal margin is unique. Anatomically Larissamya differs from Kurtiella in retaining both gill
demibranchs and from both Kurtiella
and Montacutona in having greatly
unequal adductor muscles. Co-occurrence and density data suggest that L. comta may be associated with the
ophuroid Amphiura fasciata.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 141-146.
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Additions to the
Pipunculidae fauna of Iran, with the description of a new species of Tomosvaryella (Insecta: Diptera)
Farzaneh Kazerani, Samad Khaghaninia and Christian Kehlmaier
We present new records of Pipunculidae from western
and north-western Iran, including the description of Tomosvaryella subsylvatica
sp. n. and another eleven species new to the national fauna, which currently
comprises 33 species.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 147-153.
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Records of bees
(Hymenoptera: Apoidea) new to both Georgia and Transcaucasia revealed by DNA
barcoding
Giorgi Kirkitadze, Martin Husemann, Robert J. Paxton,
Rita Radzevičiūtė and George Japoshvili
Community composition of local pollinator assemblages,
population dynamics and distribution patterns of many species are still poorly known,
especially in little studied regions like Transcaucasia. We generated a total
of 189 DNA barcodes from bees collected in 14 apple orchards in central and
eastern Georgia to extend our knowledge of their distribution. Sequences (ca.
700 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene) were compared to the
NCBI nucleotide database. Using a threshold of 98% similarity, analyses
suggested that the sampled bees belong to 36 species of Apidae, Andrenidae,
Halictidae, and Megachilidae. We report five bee species for the first time for
Georgia: Andrena alfkenella Perkins,
1914, Halictus cochlearitarsis Dours,
1871, Nomada goodeniana (Kirby,
1802),
Nomada
ruficornis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Eucera
nigrescens Pérez, 1879, four of which are also new for the Transcaucasia
region. With these additions, the number of bee species known to occur in
Georgia increases to 371.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 154-160.
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A new species of Limnia Robineau-Desviody, 1830 (Diptera:
Sciomyzidae) from Iran
Mohammad Seddighi Sadr and Saeed Mohamadzade Namin
A new species of the dipteran family Sciomyzidae is
described from Iran: Limnia kassebeeri sp. n., which is similar to L.
unguicornis (Scopoli, 1763) and L. paludicola Elberg, 1965, but
differs from them by the reticulate pattern on the anal cell, the presence of one
small seta on the anepisternum, in addition to fine hairs and the features of the genitalia.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 161-165.
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Taxonomic notes
about Paropta Staudinger, 1899
(Lepidoptera: Cossidae)
Roman V. Yakovlev and Thomas J. Witt
In this study we allocate lectotypes for Cossus l-nigrum Bethune-Baker, 1894, Paropta pharaonis Bang-Haas, 1910 and Cossus frater Warnecke, 1929. New synonymies are established: Paropta Staudinger, 1899 = Alcterogystia Schoorl,
1990, syn. n.; Cossus l-nigrum Bethune-Baker,
1894 = Paropta paradoxus
(Herrich-Schäffer, [1851]), syn. n.; Paropta pharaonis Bang-Haas, 1910 = Paropta paradoxus (Herrich-Schäffer,
[1851]), syn. n. It has been proved that Cossus frater Warnecke, 1929 belongs to
the genus Paropta Staudinger, 1899.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 166-171.
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A new Palliduphantes Saaristo &
Tanasevitch, 1996 from the Elburz Mountains, Iran (Araneae: Linyphiidae)
Andrei V. Tanasevitc
A new linyphiid spider, Palliduphantes elburz,
sp. n., is described, based on material of both sexes taken from high altitudes
in the Elburz Mts, northern Iran. The male of the new species is easily
distinguished not only from the single Iranian congener, P. sbordonii (Brignoli,
1970), but also from other species of the genus by the strongly modified palpal
tibia, the peculiar shape of the lamella characteristica, as well as the form
and armature of the embolus. The epigyne of P. elburz, sp. n. seems to be most similar to P. stygius (Simon, 1884) from the western Mediterranean, but
differs well by the much longer stretcher.
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 172-175.
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Short Communications
Breeding biology of
the Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, at natural nesting sites in
the north of Iran (Aves: Falconiformes)
Sina Anushiravani and Zahra Sepehri Roshan
Zoology in the Middle East 63(1), 2017: 176-177.
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First record of Aequorea vitrina Gosse, 1853 (Hydrozoa) from the Sea of Marmara: a potential
invader for the Mediterranean Sea
I. Noyan Yilmaz, Melek Isinibilir, Denizhan Vardar and
Fuat Dursun
Zoology in the Middle East 63(2), 2017: 178-180.
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