Mountain vipers in central-eastern turkey: Huge range extensions for four taxa reshape decades of misleading perspectives

Autor: Mebert K., Göçmen B., İğci N., Kariş M., Oğuz M.A., Yıldız M.Z., Ursenbacher S.
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Popis: —Turkey harbors a high diversity of viperid snakes, many with a high threat level on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, yet perception about even basic topics, such as distributions and conservation statuses, remain poor. We initiated a multi-year project 7 y ago to compensate these shortcomings and present herein dramatically improved information on the status of mountain vipers of central-eastern Anatolia (Asian Turkey): Bolkar Viper (Montivipera b. bulgardaghica), Albizona Viper (M. b. albizona), Wagner’s Viper (M. wagneri), and partly Ottoman Viper (M. xanthina). The data originate from our fieldwork and a comprehensive search of all records available, including information from literature, online resources, locals, and herpetological experts. This resulted in 51 new localities, complemented by 36 published records, which were refined with new information, including four corrected/removed records and two records that were combined with new records due to their proximity. We summarized all records with precise information in a supplemented list of 85 localities, which is compared to current literature and the range maps available on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the global standard reference for consultation on range maps and conservation status of species. Consequently, we report on large range extension of > 100 km in all four mountain viper taxa, increase the extent of occurrence for each viper taxon 4–8 times, reduce the distribution gaps between all pairs of parapatric, related, and ecologically similar mountain vipers, and discuss taxa delimitation, putative contact zones and conservation aspects. © 2020. Konrad Mebert.
Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund: 13057971, 150510677, 160513040, 170516395, 2017/18
Acknowledgments.—We dedicate this article to our beloved and esteemed co-author, contributor and collaborator, Dr. Bayram Göçmen, who passed away during the final steps of this study. Field work permits focusing on vipers (permission numbers 20210, 183897 and 101792) were issued by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks. This work was partly supported by the Wilhelm Peters Fund 2013 administered by the main body of the German Herpetological Society, respectively, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde (DGHT), and also DGHT-Zürich, Switzerland, the JCE private funding, and in particular the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, project nos. 13057971 (2014), 150510677 (2015), 160513040 (2016), 170516395 (2017/18). The authors thank Şevket Gültekin, Adem Adakul, Mücahit Çakmak, Çağatay Altin, Mehmet Akif Bozkurt, Burhan Sarikaya, Thomas Ott, Murat Özel, Mert Elverici, Mahmut Aydoğdu, Özer Camci, and Osman Özkan for their assistance during our field surveys. We also thank all the persons providing valuable material, such as photos and locality information, which are explicitly named for their respective provisions in the locality list and figures.
We dedicate this article to our beloved and esteemed co-author, contributor and collaborator, Dr. Bayram G??men, who passed away during the final steps of this study. Field work permits focusing on vipers (permission numbers 20210, 183897 and 101792) were issued by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks. This work was partly supported by the Wilhelm Peters Fund 2013 administered by the main body of the German Herpetological Society, respectively, Deutsche Gesellschaft f?r Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde (DGHT), and also DGHT-Z?rich, Switzerland, the JCE private funding, and in particular the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, project nos. 13057971 (2014), 150510677 (2015), 160513040 (2016), 170516395 (2017/18). The authors thank ?evket G?ltekin, Adem Adakul, M?cahit ?akmak, ?a?atay Altin, Mehmet Akif Bozkurt, Burhan Sarikaya, Thomas Ott, Murat ?zel, Mert Elverici, Mahmut Aydo?du, ?zer Camci, and Osman ?zkan for their assistance during our field surveys. We also thank all the persons providing valuable material, such as photos and locality information, which are explicitly named for their respective provisions in the locality list and figures.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz: