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The extensive use of pesticides in agricultural environments produces drastic effects on wildlife, hence the need for less invasive indicators of environmental stress to monitoring the impact of agriculture treatments on biological systems. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), as measure of developmental instability, has recently been proposed as reliable biomarker of populations stress due to environmental disturbance. We investigate femoral pores (FP) and dorsal head shape (HS) traits in populations of the Italian wall lizard inhabiting agricultural environments to examine whether different pesticide exposures (conventional, organic and control) can cause distinctive degree of FA. High-resolution photographs of FP and HS were taken in the field with a digital camera. The number of FP were counted twice on both sides and HS was analysed using geometric morphometrics with 25 landmarks and 12 semilandmarks. Individuals under conventional management showed higher levels of FA compared to control ones, and females exhibited higher FA levels than males for the FP. However, no significant difference was found for the HS trait. Our study provided evidence that FA may have a real potential as biomarker of population stress in wall lizards, highlighting the importance in the choice of the experimental design and the traits adopted for estimating DI.

Identifying the processes that lead to the evolution and maintenance of links between colour morphs and behavioural strategies has implications for the evolution of reproductive isolation and sympatric speciation. Sexual selection may play a significant role in the evolution of colour pattern complexity in reptiles, particularly when there are fitness consequences associated with mating with males of different colour morphs. In this article, we explored if common wall lizard females (Podarcis muralis) actively select males according to their morph in a colour-assortative pattern using a multiple-choice experiment with both visual and chemical cues. We failed to identify female active mate choice, as females did not choose males based on male colouration or femoral pore secretions. Indeed, females equally entered the three preference compartments and spent nearly the same amount of time within them, irrespective of both colour and odour of males. Consequently, our results do not support the hypothesis that colour polymorphism in this species may be driven by colour-assortative mating promoted by females. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that females may choose males according to their colour following a flexible choice strategy, nor the possibility that females actively discriminate among males according to qualities that are not directly related to morph-specific strategies.

Divergence in female mate preferences can strongly influence the structure and dynamics of hybrid zones. We examined the potential role of female mate preferences in maintaining an abrupt west-east mtDNA cline between two deeply divergent genetic lineages of Lacerta schreiberi, a lizard endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. The lineages are largely morphologically cryptic but with respect to the mtDNA cline, western males tend to be less parasitized, in better body condition and more intensely coloured than eastern males, a pattern that cannot be explained by environmental variation alone. The lineages may also differ in unmeasured aspects such as physiology, behaviour and olfactory signals, which may influence mate choice. As female mate attraction has been found to vary with olfactory cues in lacertid lizards, we experimentally tested whether females were differentially attracted to femoral pore secretions of males from the two genetic backgrounds. Females did not prefer scents of 'higher quality' western males, nor did they prefer the scents of males belonging to their own genetic background. This suggests the abrupt mtDNA cline is unlikely to be explained by assortative mating of matrilineages that distinguish male genetic background based on scent.

Exposure to aggressive or courtship displays of conspecifics has been shown to alter the physiology and behaviour of observers. However, these effects are dependent on the information content of signals. Separate courtship signals that convey redundant information may be expected to have similar effects on female reproductive physiology or behaviour, while those that contain nonredundant information are expected to have differing effects. Using a mechanized model lizard painted to resemble a male sagebrush lizard, Sceloporus graciosus, we presented female sagebrush lizards with either a stationary model or one of two male display types: push-ups, a signal used in both aggressive and courtship displays, and shudders, a display used exclusively during courtship. Females exposed to push-ups showed more rejection behaviour when later paired with a live male lizard and produced less femoral pore secretions on the first day of stimulus presentation than females exposed to shudders. However, females exposed to either display were found in closer proximity to the live male than females exposed to the stationary model. These results suggest that both components of the courtship display (push-ups and shudders) cause lasting but distinctive changes in female behaviour, supporting a ‘multiple messages’ scenario for the evolution of the two signals.

We provide an integrative analysis of the diversity of the E. multiocellata—E. przewalskii species complex in Central and Middle Asia using morphological and molecular (COI DNA-barcoding) data. We report preliminary data on mtDNA variation within this group and clarify the taxonomic status and distribution of the members of the species complex. We also provide a description of a new Eremias species from Eastern Kazakhstan and western Mongolia, where it occurs in sympatry with E. multiocellata sensu stricto, from which it can be clearly differentiated using both morphological and molecular characters. The new species, described as Eremias dzungarica sp. nov., is assigned to the subgenus Pareremias on the basis of the following features: subocular not reaching mouth edge; one frontonasal; two supraoculars; the row of small granular scales between supraoculars and frontal with frontoparietals absent; distance between the femoral pore rows being wide; femoral pore rows not reaching knee-joint; coloration pattern with light colored ocelli with black edging. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners on the basis of the following morphological attributes: a medium-sized lacertid lizard, maximum snout-vent length (SVL) = 64.5 mm, tail being ca. 1.5 times longer than body length (SVL), hindlimbs relatively long (hindlimb length to SVL ratio 0.46); subocular scale not reaching mouth edge, in touch with 6–8 supralabials; males with bright coloration consisting of 2–3 dorsolateral rows of light-colored ocelli with thick black edging; the ventral row of ocelli in life is greenish to bluish; dorsal pattern consisting of black irregular blotches along the middorsal line. We also report on the high genetic and morphological diversity of E. multiocellata in Mongolia and China, synonymize E. m. bannikowi with the nominative form E. m. multiocellata , discuss variation within E. przewalskii , synonymize E. p. tuvensis with the nominative form E. przewalskii , provide new data on E. cf. reticulata and E. m . tsaganbogdensis , confirm validity and clarify distribution ranges of E. stummeri , E. szczerbaki and E. yarkandensis and discuss further progress on taxonomic studies of the E. multiocellata—E. przewalskii species complex.

A new species of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus is described from Huishui County, Guizhou Province, Southwest China. Hemiphyllodactylus huishuiensis sp. nov. is distinguished from all other congeners by having the unique combination of the following characters: a maximum SVL of 51.2 mm; 8 or 10 chin scales; enlarged postmental scales; 3 circumnasal scales; 2 or 3 scales between the supranasals; 9–11 supralabials; 9–11 infralabials; 13–15 dorsal scales; 7–9 ventral scales; a lamellar hand formula of 3-4-4-4 or 4-4/5-5-4; a lamellar foot formula of 4-4/5-5-4/5; 3 subdigital lamellae on the first finger and first toe; a continuous precloacal and femoral pore series of less than 20; one cloacal spur in both males and females; no enlarged subcaudal scales; dark dorsal transverse blotches; dark postorbital stripe; a brown postsacral mark bearing anteriorly projecting arms; and unpigmented caecum and gonads. The new species also occurs in Ziyun County, Guizhou Province, China.

A new species of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus is described from mountainous area of Changning County, Yunnan Province, China. Hemiphyllodactylus changningensis sp. nov. is distinguished from all other congeners by morphology and a significant genetic divergence of greater than 17% (ND2 gene). The new species from Changning is characterized by the following features: a maximum SVL of 40.1 mm in males and 43.8 mm in females; 11-15 dorsal scale rows; 6-8 ventral scale rows; a forefoot lamellar formula of 3-3/4-3/4-3; a hindfoot lamellar formula of 3-4-4-4 or 3-3-3-3; precloacal and femoral pore series continuous; cloacal spurs present in both sexes; dark dorsal transverse blotches; dark postorbital stripe; a brown postsacral mark bearing anteriorly projecting arms; and unpigmented caecum and gonads. The new species occurs also in Longyang District of Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, China.

We describe the third new species of the genus Cyrtodactylus from Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh Province, southern Vietnam based on a type series consisting of eleven specimens. Cyrtodactylus thuongae sp. nov. is distinguished from the remaining Indochinese Bent-toed Geckos by a combination of the following morphological characters: size medium, with a maximum SVL of 77.6 mm; dorsal pattern consisting of blotches between limbs and on occiput and a sometimes medially opened nuchal loop; dorsal tubercles in 16-18 irregular rows; ventrals in 29-44 longitudinal rows at midbody; lateral skin folds present, lacking tubercles; femoral pore series separated from precloacal pore series in males, 0-3 on each side; precloacal pores in males absent or only one; enlarged femoral scales and precloacal scales present, separated by a series of 15-16 smaller scales; postcloacal spurs two or three; subcaudal scales slightly enlarged. This is the 32nd described Cyrtodactylus species from Vietnam.

Two new species of the gekkonid lizard genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, C. tigroides, sp. nov. and C. chanhomeae, sp. nov. are described on the basis of material collected in Kanchanaburi and Saraburi provinces, bringing the number of species of this genus in Thailand to 14. Both species have relatively slender bodies and elongate tails, limbs and digits. They differ significantly, however, with respect to precloacal and femoral pore arrangement and color pattern. They share a common habitus with the recently described C. sumonthai Bauer et al., which may reflect a close relationship or a similar limestone outcrop and cave dwelling ecology.

Sceloporus adleri, a new species founded on 41 specimens, is related to the geographically adjacent species S. formosus, and is presumably limited to the Sierra Madre del Sur, Guerrero, Mexico. This Sierra appears to possess sufficient biotic endemism to justify recognition as a distinctive biotic province. Among specimens secured in Guerrero, Mexico, by Kraig Adler and his group during the winter of 1969, are 12 of a remarkably colorful species of Sceloporus cryptically related to S. formosus Wiegmann. Several other specimens of the same species had been secured by Adler earlier in the same area, and an additional series was secured for us in 1972 by David M. Dennis. We name this population Sceloporus adleri sp. nov. Holotype.-University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ) 131689, a male, taken at Asoleadero, Guerrero, Mexico, 2520 m, on 17 December 1969, by Kraig Adler, David M. Dennis and David H. Snyder. Field no. MN 4466. Paratypes.-Forty, all from Guerrero, including UMMZ 126282 (5, field nos. IJ 1522-6), Cerro Teotepec (ca. 125 km by road W Xochipala), 3300-3400 m., 10 August 1964, Theodore J. Cohn and Jean Cohn; UMMZ 130134 (6, field nos. GH 9264-7, 9270-1), between Puerto Chico and Asoleadero, 2550-2600 m, 13-14 June 1964, Kraig Adler, Guy G. Musser and James H. Brown; Colorado University Museum (CUM) 50651-3, 5 km E Escalerillo, 2460 m, 20 December 1972, David M. Dennis, David H. Snyder, Mike Silvey, Don F. Harker; Field Museum of Natural History 191335-6, U.S. National Museum (USNM) 193236, University of Illinois Museum of Natural History 93532, all topoparatypes, 16 December 1969; Kansas University Museum of Natural History (KUMNH) 143612, CUM 46010, Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) 129779, Brigham Young Univ. Mus. 40188, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) 108211, California Academy of Science 133089, all topoparatypes, 17 December 1969; British Museum (Natural History) 1971.1856, ca. 3km (by road) E Puerto Gallo, 2740 m, 19 December 1969; CUM 50636-50, 2415 m; all topoparatypes, 19 December 1972, David M. Dennis, David H. Snyder, Mike Silvey, Don F. Harker. Twenty (USNM, KUMNH, CUM 46010, 50639-42, 50644, 50646-7, 50649, 50652, MCZ, AMNH, UMMZ field nos. 1522-3, 1526, 9264-5, 9270) are males; all others (20) are females. Collectors are Kraig Adler, David M. Dennis and David H. Snyder, unless otherwise noted. Definition.-A Sceloporus of the formosus group, distinguished from other members by the following combination of characters: mean dorsal scales 38.4; mean ventral scales 49.4; mean scales around midbody 43.7; mean femoral pores 13.3; mean scales between femoral pore series 12.8; median frontonasal in contact with lateral frontonasals; supraoculars generally not distinctly wider than long and generally not in contact with median head scales; scales on posterior surface of thigh relatively small; an incomplete, posteriorly light-bordered black nuchal collar; a pair of dorsolateral light stripes (obscure in large males); tan to dark brown dorsally in *Present address: Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA.

A new, small-scaled, saxicolous member of the Sceloporus torquatus species group is described. Compared with closely related populations of S. jarrovii, S. j. cyanostictus n. ssp. is medium-sized (ave. 71 mm), has double rows of supraoculars, small dorsal scales (x 45.2), a high total femoral pore count (R 35.0), parallel trending dorsal keels, blue chin and throat and bright blue to greenish blue spots on the posterior two-thirds of each dorsal scale in adult males. The 20 individuals comprising the type-series were taken from blue-white limestone outcroppings of a canyon truncating the north slope of an anticlinal mountain 61 km south (26021'20" N, 01?21'30" W) of Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico. Males have 12 macro, 1 sex and 18 microchromosomes. Mating is believed to take place in the fall with viviparous young born the following spring. Relationships of the new form to other S. jarrovii are unclear, but it does display a combination of the characteristics found in other subspecies of S. jarrovii. ( l orus jarrov i cyanostictus) a re of Coahuila, Mexico