Latest Articles from Herpetozoa Latest 2 Articles from Herpetozoa https://herpetozoa.pensoft.net/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:04:46 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://herpetozoa.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from Herpetozoa https://herpetozoa.pensoft.net/ On the stability of the dorsal pattern of European cave salamanders (genus Hydromantes) https://herpetozoa.pensoft.net/article/39030/ Herpetozoa 32: 249-253

DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e39030

Authors: Enrico Lunghi, Daniele Romeo, Manuela Mulargia, Roberto Cogoni, Raoul Manenti, Claudia Corti, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Michael Veith

Abstract: Photographic identification is an emerging method for recognising wild animals. This harmless methodology allows researchers to identify “naturally marked” individuals and therefore study their specific ecology and behaviour. However, before incurring potential data loss, it is recommended to test the methodology on the target species and evaluate the pros and cons. We assessed the reliability of photographic identification in adult Hydromantes salamanders from three species. Specifically, we assessed whether the dorsal pattern of adult salamanders changed over time, thus evaluating its potential use as a reliable marking methodology. We used capture-mark-recapture and controlled conditions (i.e. individuals kept in fauna boxes) to evaluate potential changes in the dorsal pattern of Hydromantes through time. We did not observe any change in the dorsal pattern in the three species during the study period. Photographic identification might be a useful marking technique for these endangered species. However, these animals are usually found in environments generally lacking light and thus, researchers must be careful in setting up proper light conditions to produce suitable pictures for individual identification of Hydromantes.

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Short Communication Tue, 22 Oct 2019 09:03:35 +0300
Early onset of breeding season in the green toad Bufotes viridis in Western Poland https://herpetozoa.pensoft.net/article/35825/ Herpetozoa 32: 109-112

DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e35825

Authors: Mikołaj Kaczmarski, Klaudia Szala, Janusz Kloskowski

Abstract: Amphibians are highly sensitive to environmental changes such as climate warming. Here, we report unusually early oviposition in two spatially isolated urban subpopulations of the green toad Bufotes viridis Laurenti, 1768, in Poznań, Western Poland. To our knowledge, we report the earliest breeding date for Central and Eastern Europe, for areas of similar latitude. We ascribe the early onset of B. viridis reproduction to an exceptionally warm spring in Western Poland in 2017. B. viridis shows flexibility in the timing of reproductive activity, however, shifts in breeding phenology may have both beneficial and detrimental population consequences.

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Short Communication Wed, 22 May 2019 11:49:06 +0300