Distribution and conservation status of the Caucasian parsley frog, Pelodytes caucasicus (Amphibia: Anura)

Abstract

Pelodytes caucasicus inhabits Turkey, Georgia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Azerbaijan, and six regions of Russia (226 localities). The forest cutting strongly threatens its populations. Therefore, the frog is listed in Red Data Books of Georgia, South Ossetia, Azerbaijan, and the Russian Federation. Additional factors influencing the decline of P. caucasicus populations are destruction and contamination of suitable water bodies, clearing of forests from fallen trees, destroying of litter, mortality on roads, and preying by the introduced North American raccoon. Using of MaxEnt, we developed a species distribution model based on climate, landscape and land cover data to estimate the potential distribution range, ecological preferences and conservation status of P. caucasicus. Two precipitation parameters, annual precipitation and precipitation seasonality, had the highest contribution percentage to the model (52% and 11% respectively). As a rule, suitable habitats for the species located in woodland mountain areas with annual precipitation ranged from 513 mm to 2376 mm. Drier regions to the north and south of the Caucasus limit its distribution.

Age estimation and body size of the Parsley Frog, Pelodytes caucasicus Boulenger, 1896 from Lake Borçka Karagöl, Turkey

“…Gül (2014) also noted that the species prefers wet and warm microhabitats in Turkey. Additionally, the amount of precipitation is known as one of the most important factors constructing the distribution of P. caucasicus (Lukina and Koneva, 1996;Litvinchuk and Kidov, 2018). Pincheria-Donoso et al ( 2021) proposed that the underlying impact of geographical variation in climatic pressures can shape largescale patterns of SSD in synergy with natural and sexual selection such as intensification of fecundity selection to shorten breeding season in anurans.…”

“…Pelodytes caucasicus Boulenger, 1896, the Caucasian parsley frog, is a native species of the Caucasus fauna. The species is distributed throughout northwest Azerbaijan, Georgia (southwest and South Ossetia), Russia (Krasnodar district), and Turkey (Blacksea region) (Zazanashvili et al, 2012;Litvinchuk and Kidov, 2018;Çiçek et al, 2019). The species is considered as near threatened because of natural and anthropogenic pressures (Ananjeva et al, 2009;Iskanderov, 2009;Kaya et al 2009), so it is recommended that public campaigns should be conducted to raise the awareness for this endemic relict species in the border of Georgia and Turkey (Tarkhnishvili and Kaya, 2009).…”

Morphological Variation of Pelodytes caucasicus Boulenger, 1896 (Anura: Pelodytidae) from Turkey

“…Caspian Sea in the east (Litvinchuk & Kidov, 2018). This species is distributed in the western Republic of Georgia, Krasnodar Region of Russia, and extreme northeastern Turkey, along with isolated populations in the central part of Turkey's northern coast and Georgia-Azerbaijan border area (Kaya et al, 2009).…”

“…Comparative studies are pivotal for expanding awareness about the current situation of populations and tender differences among populations and for explaining the reason for the effects of different factors on populations. Previously, some works have been carried out on distribution, ecology, breeding, age structure, helminth parasites, hematology, morphology, and serology of P. caucasicus in Turkey (Steiner, 1968;Franzen, 1999;Arıkan et al, 2003;Tosunoğlu & Taşkavak 2004;Arıkan et al, 2007;Erişmiş et al, 2009, Yıldırımhan et al, 2009, Litvinchuk & Kidov, 2018. Limited studies are existing about morphological characters of P. caucasicus through its distribution area, especially in Turkey.…”

An overview of helminths of the European fire-bellied toad Bombina bombina (Amphi-bia, Anura) in the Volga River Basin

“…Another 515 species (1.7% of the total number of living organisms) are on the verge of extinction (Ceballos et al, 2020). Amphibians are considered the most vulnerable group of vertebrates experiencing a sharp reduction of the range and numbers of populations around the world (Gardner, 2001;Wake & Vredenburg, 2008;Litvinchuk & Kidov, 2018;Kurnaz & Kutrup 2019). Perhaps a fifth of their species have already become extinct or is close to it.…”