The paper presents the results of age and growth studying of the Tajikistan toadhead agama Phrynocephalus sogdianus by skeletochronology. A total of 29 adult individuals (14 females and 15 males) from the vicinity of Uchkyzil (Termez district, Surkhandarya region, Uzbekistan) were studied. All animals, on the section of tubular bones had a birth (hatching) line appearing shortly after the lizards hatching. The majority of the sample consisted of one-year-old and two-year-old specimens (89.7%). The age of females and males varied between 1–3 years, averaging 1.53 and 1.71 years, respectively. The expected calculated life expectancy for females after one wintering was 2.25 years, for males 2.06 years. Females and males did not differ in body length. The length of the males’ body depended on their age. Males aged one and two years statistically significantly differed in size among themselves. The authors note that P. sogdianus has very high growth rates (growth coefficient k is 2.84 in females and 1.40 in males), exceeding that of other toadhead agamas.
The paper presents the results of using multiplicative indices for species identification of polyploid green toads of Central Asia. Live adult individuals of Bufotes baturae (24 females and 17 males) from the territory of Tajikistan and B. pewzowi (14 females and 24 males) from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were studied. The animals were caught in nature, measured and immediately released. The species belonging of the studied green toads was established by cytogenetic methods. According to the results of discriminant analysis, six proportionality indices were significant for the species identification of females. The females of B. batura and B. pewzowi formed separate non-overlapping clusters in the discriminant function space, and the level of their reliable classification was 100%. For the identification of B. batura and B. pewzowi males, four significant body proportionality indices were identified using discriminant analysis. The clusters of these two species in the space of discriminant function touched, and the level of correct classification was 97.6%. As a result of our research, one multiplicative index common to males and females was identified for highly reliable identification of B. baturae and B. pewzowi, as well as one multiplicative index separately for males and females of the studied species. The authors conclude that multiplicative indices based on standard morphometric indicators can be used for the practical determination of polyploid green toads.
The Caspian lizard (Darevskia caspica) is a recently described endemic of the Hyrcanian forests of Northern Iran. The paper presents new data on the reproductive biology of D. caspica obtained in laboratory conditions. Breeding females have a body length of 53.4– 64.4 mm and a mass of 2.96–3.60 g. Females produce from one to three clutches per season, each of which contains 1–6 eggs. The length of these eggs is 10.35–13.95 mm, width 6.19– 7.59 mm, and weight 0.27–0.45 g. The mass of an entire clutch of eggs is 0.43–1.84 g or 11.94- 47.18% of the female’s weight. Incubation duration is 55–66 days at a temperature of 25–27°C and 42–49 days at a temperature of 28–30°C, respectively. Newborn lizards have a body length of 24.45–28.56 mm, a tail length of 38.00–53.00 mm and a mass of 0.34–0.53 g. Young females begin laying eggs 319–593 days after their hatching. It is noted that Caspian lizards have reproductive indicators similar to other representatives of the genus Darevskia, but are characterized by early puberty and high fertility per season.
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