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Zoology in the
Middle East Volume
64, Issue 2, 2018 0939-7140 (Print), 2326-2680 (Online) © Taylor &
Francis All articles,
both print and online versions, are fully copyright-protected. Covered in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). ZME is published
by Taylor & Francis Group. For Access
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The breeding
biology of the White-spectacled Bulbul, Pycnonotus
xanthopygos, at the northwestern edge
of its distribution range
Aziz Aslan, Bekir Kabasakal, Matteo
Griggio and Ali Erdoğan
The White-spectacled Bulbul, Pycnonotus xanthopygos, is an
abundant and possibly invasive
species in Turkey, where it has gradually
expanded its distribution and breeding range in both western and southeastern directions. This study
focused on its breeding biology, which is
still poorly known. The breeding activity
extends from February until September. The preferred nesting areas are mainly
gardens and maquis groves, where 24
different nesting tree species have been identified. The clutch size is 3.3±0.8
eggs per pair, nesting success 68%,
hatching success 94%, fledgling success
95%, and overall breeding success 89%. While nesting success differs
significantly between the years, we found no significant differences in
hatching, fledging, and overall breeding
success between the years studied. Despite favourable climatic conditions in
the Mediterranean region, the species makes only one brood per year in a
relatively extended breeding season extending over seven months, and has a
relatively a high reproduction rate per nest.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 95–101.
Characteristics
of Capoeta oguzelii, a new species of
cyprinid fish from the Ezine Stream, Black Sea basin, Turkey (Teleostei:
Cyprinidae)
Mahmut Elp, Mustafa İbrahim
Osmanoğlu, Ali Eslem Kadak and Davut Turan
Four species of Capoeta (C. baliki, C. banarescui, C. sieboldii
and C. ekmekciae) have been reported
from Black Sea drainages, to date. We recognised an additional species in the
Ezine Stream in the Southern Black Sea basin. Based on the analysis of 21
metric and 8 meristic data, we concluded that the Ezine Stream population forms
a distinct, unnamed species, which we have described as Capoeta oguzelii sp. n. This species can be
distinguished from all other Capoeta
species by the following combination of characteristics: small size, presence
of only one pair of barbels, absence
of a keratinised edge of the lower jaw, a weakly ossified last simple dorsal
fin ray, 7–10 gill rakers on the first gill arch and 7½ branched dorsal fin
rays.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 102–111.
The taxonomic
status of the Black Sea and Marmara Sea populations of the Broadnosed Pipefish
Syngnathus cf. argentatus Pallas (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) based on morphological
and molecular characters
Adnan Çağlar Oruç and Semih Engin
As the Black Sea and Marmara Sea population of the
Broadnosed Pipefish Syngnathus cf. argentatus show some morphological
differences from the Mediterranean Sea populations, some authors regard it as
an endemic species Syngnathus argentatus
Pallas, 1814, while others consider it as a synonym of S. typhle Linnaeus, 1758. The aim of this study is to compare the
populations of the Black Sea and Sea of Marmara with the Aegean Sea population,
using a combination of morphological and molecular characters, in order to
clarify their taxonomic status. Sampling was carried out at three stations in
the Black Sea, two in the Sea of Marmara and three in the Aegean Sea, and a
total of 24 morphometric and 6 meristic characters were examined. Metric data
were analysed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and phylogenetic relationships
between the populations were analysed using both cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene
and cytochrome b (cyt-b) gene sequences.
Although constant differences were observed in snout depths between the Black
Sea/Marmara Sea and the Aegean Sea populations, other morphological features
and genetic analysis did not enable these populations to be differentiated.
These findings indicate that S.
argentatus is a synonym of S. typhle.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 112–123.
Molecular
confirmation of the occurrence of Elysia
cf. tomentosa (Mollusca:
Heterobranchia) in the Persian Gulf
Mahshid Oladi, Ali Nasrolahi, Faraham
Ahmadzadeh, Omid Alizadeh and Patrick J. Krug
The molluscan fauna of the Persian Gulf has recently
been relatively well documented, yet there are few records of heterobranch sea
slugs (opisthobranchs) from the Arabian parts and no report from the Iranian
waters. Here we report for the first time the occurrence of one of these molluscs
in the northern Persian Gulf (Bandar Abbas, Iran). Sacoglossan specimens were
collected in association with the seaweed, Caulerpa sertularioides.
Since morphological attributes were not adequately reliable for species
identification, molecular approaches were carried out. Maximum-likelihood and
Bayesian Inference analysis of partial DNA sequences of the mitochondrial
cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) locus were used for DNA barcoding
of large-bodied specimens of Elysia.
All Persian Gulf specimens were genetically confirmed as Elysia cf.
tomentosa sp. 5, one of at least five morphologically similar but
genetically distinct species in the taxonomically challenging and unresolved E. tomentosa complex. This species has
previously been recorded only from Australia and Thailand and our finding adds
another distant point to the geographic distribution of this species.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 124–130.
Description
of a new species of Hyadaphis
Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Aphididae) from Turkey
Shalva Barjadze and Işil Özdemir
Apterous and alate viviparous females of Hyadaphis
bupleuriphila sp. n. living on Bupleurum
sp. (Apiaceae) and further
undetermined Apiaceae are described from the Ankara province in central Turkey.
The new species is morphologically similar to Hyadaphis coerulescens (Narzikulov, 1965), H. ferganica
Mukhamediev & Akhmedov, 1979 and H.
foeniculi (Passerini, 1860). A key to the apterous viviparous females of Hyadaphis spp. in Turkey is given.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 131–136.
Which species
of the genus Scaurus Fabricius
(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) occurs in the Caucasus and the border areas of
Anatolia?
Maxim Nabozhenko, Yakov Kovalenko and Mark Kalashian
A redescription of the male of Scaurus araxinus Richter, 1945 is given and the female is described
for the first time. The species occurs in Azerbaijan (Nakhichevan Republic),
Armenia (Tigranashen and Yeghegnadzor) and Eastern Turkey (first record in
Iğdır province). It had been regarded as conspecific with S. syriacus Reitter, 1914 and S. puncticollis Solier, 1838 but clearly
differs from both these species and is close to S. rugicollis Reitter, 1914 from the Mediterranean region. The
female genital tubes of S. araxinus
are figured, the first such illustration for the tribe Scaurini. The genus Scaurus has a small secondary bursa
copulatrix, separated glandular, moderately short, spermatheca and a relatively
short accessory gland, similar to those found in some genera of the tribe
Helopini.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 137–144.
Further
records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran
Shahrokh Pashaei Rad, Brian Taylor, Roshanak Torabi,
Ebrahim Aram, Giti Abolfathi, Rezvan Afshari, Fatemeh Borjali, Maryam Ghatei, Fouzihe Hediary, Farzaneh
Jazini, Vala Heidary Kiah, Zeynab Mahmoudi, Fatemeh Safariyan and Maryam Seiri
Wide ranging surveys of the
ant fauna of Iran have enabled us to add a further 30 named species to the country list. A review of almost all the
published literature and of photographs of unidentified specimens within the
public domain gives a grand total of 248 species, from seven subfamilies and 37
genera. In the majority of instances, our own specimens were compared with type
images available from antweb.com. This has led us to propose new or revised
status for Cataglyphis turcomanica
Crawley 1920, Lepisiota integrisquama (Kuznetsov-Ugamsky,
1929), Lepisiota surchanica (Kuznetsov-Ugamsky,
1929) and Messor obscurior Crawley 1920.
We note that the total includes a number of what may be misidentifications and
a small number of named species that seem unlikely to occur in Iran.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 145–159.
Long-term
effects of fire on ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Pinus brutia forests of south-western
Turkey
Burçin Yenisey Kaynaş, Kadri
Kıran and Celal Karaman
We studied how forest fire affects the structure of
ant communities in the long term and how microhabitat variables that influence
communities of ants in different succession stages change. For this purpose, we
selected five sites burnt 3 to 26 years prior to the study and a control site
unburnt for at least 50 years. Sampling of ants was conducted in four pit-fall
traps in four transects in three replication plots at every successional site
and in two plots at the control site. Microhabitat variables regarding the
vegetation structure and litter layers were recorded and related to the
abundances of ants. The results show that subshrubs, leaves, and needles were
the most important microhabitat variables that affected the ant communities. In
certain ant genera, significant changes depending upon successional gradient
were determined. While the genera
Aphaenogaster and Cataglyphis had
non-linear relationships with successional gradient, negative linear
relationships were found in Crematogaster
and Prenolepis. Messor is the
only genus caught in high numbers in the earliest successional stage. It showed
a decrease with successional gradient. Significant changes in ant communities
along the successional gradient were associated with the characteristics of
vegetation and the litter layer.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 160–168.
Limited
polymorphism in two spittlebugs, Philaenus
spumarius (Linnaeus) and P. signatus Melichar (Hemiptera:
Cercopidae), in island populations from Western Turkey
Selçuk Yurtsever
Two colour polymorphic spittlebug species, Philaenus spumarius and Philaenus signatus were recorded for the
first time in Gökçeada, Turkey. Three non-melanic – POP (populi), TYP (typicus),
and VIT (vittata) – and three melanic
MAR – (marginellus), FLA (flavicollis), and LCE (leucocephalus) – colour/pattern
phenotypes of P. signatus were found.
Philaenus spumarius was represented
only by POP and TYP, which are expressed by a single pigmentation allele. The
other six alleles were absent on this island, although they are found in most
populations throughout the world. Stochastic events such as random genetic
drift may be the reason for shaping the polymorphism of these two sympatric
species in Gökçeada. Thus, the absence of pigmentation alleles possibly
indicates the founder effect.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 169–173.
Identification
key to the species of Amblyolpium Simon
(Pseudoscorpiones: Garypinidae), with first record of Amblyolpium bellum
Chamberlin from Iran
Mahrad Nassirkhani
A key based on bibliographic sources is given for
identifying the 15 extant known pseudoscorpion species of the genus Amblyolpium
recorded from different localities throughout the world. Species of Amblyolpium
mostly occur in the Mediterranean basin, the Near to Far East, and the genus is
only recorded with one species from South America. Amblyolpium bellum
is redescribed and illustrated based on four males and two females collected
for the first time from southern Iran.
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 174–181.
Short
CommunicationS
Evidence of
seed germination in scats of the Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus in Iran (Mammalia: Carnivora)
Hadi Fahimi, Ali T. Qashqaei, Mehdi Chalani, Zeinab Asadi, Siamak
Broomand, Nahid Ahmadi and Gholam Hosein Yusefi
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 182–184.
The first
record of the Southwest Asian Badger Meles
canescens (Mammalia: Mustelidae) from
Afghanistan
Nasratullah Jahed and Stéphane Ostrowski
Zoology in the Middle East 64(2), 2018: 185–186.
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