Abstract
References
- Amr, Z. S. S., Egan, D. M., Nilson, G., Kumlutaş, Y., Baha El Din, S., Sadek, R., Lymberakis, P., Uğurtaş, İ. H., Werner, Y. L., Tok, V., Sevinç, M., Hraoui-Bloquet, S., Crochet, P. A., Kaska, Y. & Avcı, A. (2012). Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus. The IUCN red list of threatened species 2012. e.T164637A1062839. Accessed on 03 March 2022. google scholar
- Avcı, A., Ilgaz, Ç., Kumlutaş, Y., Olgun, K. & Baran, İ. (2007). Morphology and distribution of Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus satunini (Nikolsky, 1899) in Turkey. Herpetozoa, 20(1/2), 82-86. google scholar
- Avcı, A., Dinçaslan, Y. E., Ilgaz, Ç. & Üzüm, N. (2008). Contributions to the distribution and morphology of Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus melanocephalus (Jan 1862) (Reptilia, Colubridae) in Turkey. North-Western Journal of Zoology, 4(1), 161-166. google scholar
- Avcı, A., Üzüm, N., Ilgaz, Ç. & Olgun, K. (2009). A new finding of Rhynchocalamus barani, Baran’s black-headed dwarf snake (Reptilia: Colubridae) in the Mediterranean region of Turkey widens its distribution range. Acta Herpetologica, 4(2), 177-182. google scholar
- Avcı, A., Ilgaz, Ç., Rajabizadeh, M., Yılmaz, C., Üzüm, N., Adriaens, D., Kumlutaş, Y. & Olgun, K. (2015). Molecular phylogeny and micro ct-scanning revealed extreme cryptic biodiversity in Kukri snake, Muhtarophis gen. nov., A new genus for Rhynchocalamus barani (Serpentes: Colubridae). Russian Journal of Herpetology, 22(3), 159-174. google scholar
- Baran, İ., Avcı, A., Kumlutaş, Y., Olgun, K. & Ilgaz, Ç. (2021). Türkiye Amfibi ve Sürüngenleri. Ankara (Turkey): Palme YayınEvi. google scholar
- Franzen, M. & Bischoff, W. (1995). Erstnachweis von Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus melanocephalus für die Türkei. Salamandra, 31(2), 107-122. google scholar
- Olgun, K., Avcı, N., Ilgaz, Ç., Üzüm, N. & Yılmaz, C. (2007). A new species of Rhynchocalamus (Reptilia: Serpentes: Colubridae) from Turkey. Zootaxa, 1399, 57-68. google scholar
- Reed, C. A. & Marx, H. (1959). A herpetological collection from northeastern Iraq. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, 62, 91-122. google scholar
- Sm^d, J., Martmez, G., Gebhart, J., Aznar, J., Gallego, J., Göçmen, B., Pous, P. D., Tamar, K. & Carranza, S. (2015). Phylogeny of the genus Rhynchocalamus (Reptilia; Colubridae) with a first record from the Sultanate of Oman. Zootaxa, 4033(3), 380-392. google scholar
- Tamar, K., Sm^d, J., Göçmen, B., Meiri, S. & Carranza, S. google scholar
- (2016). An integrative systematic revision and biogeography of Rhynchocalamus snakes (Reptilia: Colubridae) with a description of a new species from Israel. Peer Journal, 4,e2769. google scholar
- Tamar, K., Wiedl, H. J., Maza, E., Jablonski, D. & Meiri, S. (2020). Discovery of the Black-headed Ground Snake Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus (Jan, 1862) in Cyprus (Reptilia: Colubridae). Zoology in the Middle East, 66(2), 118-123. google scholar
- Yaşar, Ç., Çiçek, K., Mulder, J. & Tok, C. V. (2021). The distribution and biogeography of amphibians and reptiles in Turkey. Nort-Western Journal of Zoology, 17(2), 232-275. google scholar
Abstract
Objective: The black-headed ground snake, Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus, has a very narrow distribution area in the Hatay province of Turkey. A limited number of reported populations of this snake species is known. The present study aims to show that the distribution area of the species in Turkey can include different parts of the Hatay province or the surrounding provinces.
Materials and Methods: One adult individual (1 ♂) was caught from Gözlüce, Yayladağı-Hatay (GPS Data, N: 36° 00ˈ 54.1ˈˈ and E: 35° 58ˈ 51.6ˈˈ, 66 m a.s.l.). Sex was identified by the absence/presence of palpable hemipenis pockets. The morphometric features of the individual were measured to the nearest 0.01 mm using a digital caliper.
Results: According to the literature, the known records of the species in Turkey were only limited to four localities in the Hatay province. The present study provided a new locality (Gözlüce) of the species in the Yayladağı district of the Hatay province. The number of supralabial plates (SRL) is 6-6 and the number of sublabial plates (SL) is 7-7 in the male specimen of Gözlüce. The number of ventral plates (V) is 182 and the number of longitudinal dorsal scale rows at mid-trunk between ventrals (LDS) is 15. Snout-vent length (SVL) is 231.84 mm and tail length (TL) is 50.73 mm. Pholidolial characteristics and morphometric measurements of the Gözlüce specimen were found similar to the other Turkish specimens given in the literature.
Conclusion: The new locality record (Gözlüce-Yayladağı) of Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus revealed that the species can also be found in different parts of the Hatay province or in the surrounding provinces. In order to reveal the distribution area of this snake species in Turkey, it is necessary to conduct further field studies in the surrounding areas where the species can potentially spread.
References
- Amr, Z. S. S., Egan, D. M., Nilson, G., Kumlutaş, Y., Baha El Din, S., Sadek, R., Lymberakis, P., Uğurtaş, İ. H., Werner, Y. L., Tok, V., Sevinç, M., Hraoui-Bloquet, S., Crochet, P. A., Kaska, Y. & Avcı, A. (2012). Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus. The IUCN red list of threatened species 2012. e.T164637A1062839. Accessed on 03 March 2022. google scholar
- Avcı, A., Ilgaz, Ç., Kumlutaş, Y., Olgun, K. & Baran, İ. (2007). Morphology and distribution of Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus satunini (Nikolsky, 1899) in Turkey. Herpetozoa, 20(1/2), 82-86. google scholar
- Avcı, A., Dinçaslan, Y. E., Ilgaz, Ç. & Üzüm, N. (2008). Contributions to the distribution and morphology of Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus melanocephalus (Jan 1862) (Reptilia, Colubridae) in Turkey. North-Western Journal of Zoology, 4(1), 161-166. google scholar
- Avcı, A., Üzüm, N., Ilgaz, Ç. & Olgun, K. (2009). A new finding of Rhynchocalamus barani, Baran’s black-headed dwarf snake (Reptilia: Colubridae) in the Mediterranean region of Turkey widens its distribution range. Acta Herpetologica, 4(2), 177-182. google scholar
- Avcı, A., Ilgaz, Ç., Rajabizadeh, M., Yılmaz, C., Üzüm, N., Adriaens, D., Kumlutaş, Y. & Olgun, K. (2015). Molecular phylogeny and micro ct-scanning revealed extreme cryptic biodiversity in Kukri snake, Muhtarophis gen. nov., A new genus for Rhynchocalamus barani (Serpentes: Colubridae). Russian Journal of Herpetology, 22(3), 159-174. google scholar
- Baran, İ., Avcı, A., Kumlutaş, Y., Olgun, K. & Ilgaz, Ç. (2021). Türkiye Amfibi ve Sürüngenleri. Ankara (Turkey): Palme YayınEvi. google scholar
- Franzen, M. & Bischoff, W. (1995). Erstnachweis von Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus melanocephalus für die Türkei. Salamandra, 31(2), 107-122. google scholar
- Olgun, K., Avcı, N., Ilgaz, Ç., Üzüm, N. & Yılmaz, C. (2007). A new species of Rhynchocalamus (Reptilia: Serpentes: Colubridae) from Turkey. Zootaxa, 1399, 57-68. google scholar
- Reed, C. A. & Marx, H. (1959). A herpetological collection from northeastern Iraq. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, 62, 91-122. google scholar
- Sm^d, J., Martmez, G., Gebhart, J., Aznar, J., Gallego, J., Göçmen, B., Pous, P. D., Tamar, K. & Carranza, S. (2015). Phylogeny of the genus Rhynchocalamus (Reptilia; Colubridae) with a first record from the Sultanate of Oman. Zootaxa, 4033(3), 380-392. google scholar
- Tamar, K., Sm^d, J., Göçmen, B., Meiri, S. & Carranza, S. google scholar
- (2016). An integrative systematic revision and biogeography of Rhynchocalamus snakes (Reptilia: Colubridae) with a description of a new species from Israel. Peer Journal, 4,e2769. google scholar
- Tamar, K., Wiedl, H. J., Maza, E., Jablonski, D. & Meiri, S. (2020). Discovery of the Black-headed Ground Snake Rhynchocalamus melanocephalus (Jan, 1862) in Cyprus (Reptilia: Colubridae). Zoology in the Middle East, 66(2), 118-123. google scholar
- Yaşar, Ç., Çiçek, K., Mulder, J. & Tok, C. V. (2021). The distribution and biogeography of amphibians and reptiles in Turkey. Nort-Western Journal of Zoology, 17(2), 232-275. google scholar
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Structural Biology, Zoology |
| Journal Section | Research Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | September 9, 2022 |
| Submission Date | March 7, 2022 |
| Acceptance Date | June 3, 2022 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2022 Volume: 6 Issue: 2 |
