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The establishment of hematological profiles of animals taken from their natural environment or kept in captivity has great importance in determining the health status and biology of these species. Pollution in the habitat of reptiles and the impact of various diseases can be determined by analyzing blood parameters. In this study, the clinical hematology (erythrocyte and leukocyte count, erythrocyte types, differential blood formula, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) of three Nose-horned Vipers (Vipera ammodytes) captured from Vize (Kırklareli, Türkiye) were examined. We detected the frequency of nuclear abnormalities in this species for the first time. We also provide the first erythrometric measurements of Vipera ammodytes, and found that the erythrocyte sizes of this species were larger compared to other species in Viperidae. Knowledge of the general health status of animals is important in species conservation action plans and monitoring studies.

The effects of environmental pollution on three populations of the Balkan terrapin [Mauremys rivulata (Valenciennes, 1833)] from the Bozcaada, Gökçeada and Dardanos regions were evaluated. The morphological parameters of Balkan terrapins collected on each site were measured and blood samples were taken for haematological analysis and micronucleus detection. The physicochemical, microbiological and microelement analyses of the water samples from each region were conducted by standard methods. The highest red blood cell, white blood cell and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration values were seen in the samples from Gökçeada. The highest haemoglobin value was found in the samples originating from Bozcaada, whereas the highest haematocrit and mean corpuscular volume values were found in the animals from Dardanos. Based on the microbiological analysis of the water samples, the most polluted site was Gökçeada. The microelement contents of the water and blood samples were different at the three sites, the lowest being in the Gökçeada area. It was revealed that the percentage of red blood cell micronuclei and other nucleus abnormalities in the M. rivulata blood samples was the lowest also in the animals living in the region of Gökçeada.

Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Terzioglu Campus was built on an area with different heights and different habitats. The aim of this study was to determine the spider species fauna which were distributed in the campus area due to the lack of any detailed study on spider fauna of the campus area. In this study, the spider fauna of the Terzioglu Campus area of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University was investigated between September 2018 and July 2019. The spiders were collected by pitfall traps, sifting and hand aspirators. A total of 86 spider species belonging to 30 families were determined. The most common species in the study area were Amaurobius erberi (Keyserling, 1863) and Pisaura mirabilis (Clerck, 1957).

Superporous Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC) cryogels were synthesized by chemical crosslinking of linear CMC with divinyl sulfone (DVS) with different mole ratios of CMC repeating unit down to 2.5%. The morphology of macroporous CMC cryogels was visualized by optic microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. The swelling capacity and pore volume of CMC cryogels were found to increase with the decrease in the ratio of crosslinker to CMC, and the highest swelling capacity and pore volume values were 10825±1799% and 22.1±0.4 mL/g for 2.5% mole ratio of crosslinked CMC cryogels. The blood compatibility of CMC cryogels revealed that blood cells were destroyed with very low hemolysis ratio of 1.09±1% and also showed less thrombogenic activity with 80.2±5.1% blood clotting indexes.

Amfibiler ve sürüngenler, kış aylarını, hava koşullarına yanıt vermek için kış uykusu döneminde yer altında geçirirler. Bazı amfibi ve sürüngen türlerinin kış uykusunun bitmesi gereken dönemlerden önce aktif oldukları tespit edilmiştir. Amfibi ve sürüngen türlerinde olağandışı kış aktivitesinin ortaya çıkmasının nedenlerinden biri, bu türlerin değişen sıcaklık koşullarına karşı çok hassas olmaları olabilir. Küresel ısınmanın amfibiler ve sürüngenler üzerindeki etkileri açıkça görülmektedir ve bu etkilerden dolayı bu grupların bazı üyeleri kışın bile aktif olabilirler. Bu çalışmada Çanakkale, Bozcaada’da yaşayan Lissotriton schmidtleri, Mauremys rivulata, Testudo graeca, Hemidactylus turcicus, Mediodactylus kotschyi, Ophisops elegans ve Ablepharus kitaibelii türlerinin olağandışı kış aktivitelerine ilişkin veriler rapor edilmiştir., Amphibians and reptiles spend their winter months in the hibernation period under the ground in response to adverse weather conditions. It was established that some species of amphibians and reptiles are active before the periods when hibernation is supposed to end. One of the reasons for the occurrence of unusual winter activity in amphibian and reptile species may be that these species are very sensitive to changing temperature conditions. The effects of global warming on amphibians and reptiles are clearly visible, and some members of these groups may be active even in winter because of these effects. In this study, data on the unusual winter activity of Lissotriton schmidtleri, Mauremys rivulata, Testudo graeca, Hemidactylus turcicus, Mediodactylus kotschyi, Ophisops elegans and Ablepharus kitaibelii species living in Bozcaada, Çanakkale Province, were reported.

Cannibalism involves consuming all or part of another individual of the same species as food. Consuming the same species, or showing cannibalistic behaviour is common in reptiles, especially in snake species. The captured female Coronella austriaca of the Colubridae family was kept in captivity for two months in the terrarium. The female sample fed on one of the offsprings after ovoviviparous delivery. In the following observations it was determined that one of the juvenile individuals fed on another juvenile with similar size. The objective of this study is to provide information about the breeding and cannibalistic behaviour of Coronella austriaca under captivity.

This study presents the first documented evidence of a loggerhead turtle nest on the northernmost Aegean coast of Turkey which was found on the Gelibolu Peninsula of Çanakkale province, Turkey. The nest contains a total of 74 eggs; 50 of them produced hatchlings and 46 of those hatchlings reached to the sea safely. This record supports the idea that sea turtles search alternative nesting beaches as a result of climate change.

Along with the literature information obtained from previous studies, the determination of species in herpetofauna studies gives information about the herpetofauna of the research area. Researching the herpetofauna of regions is very important in terms of conservation of species, revealing biodiversity, identifying possible threats, and determining the preventitive measures to be taken against these threats. The study area is the southwestern coastal regions of Canakkale, which is also the westernmost coast of Anatolia. This area consists of the localities of Ahmetce, Sazli, Kozlu, Behram, Bektas, Koyunevi, Babakale, Gulpinar, Tuzla, Kosedere, and Tavakli. Because it has the potential to be a coastline separated by the end of the Kaz Mountains, this study area has different habitats and has the potential to host species that exceed isolation of the Kaz Mountains. In this study, the amphibian and reptile diversity of terrestrial and aquatic areas along the coast of Southwest Anatolia starting from the end of the Kaz Mountains, which is the habitat preferences of the species, and the effects of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the herpetofauna of the region were investigated. A total of 5 amphibian species and 16 reptile species have been identified in the southwestern coastal areas of Canakkale, and the Testudo graeca species are vulnerable according to the IUCN categories.

The taxonomic status and phylogenetic position of the recently recorded smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) population from the island of Bozcaada (Canakkale, Turkey) is clarified on the basis of morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. The L. vulgaris population from Bozcaada presents body proportions and morphological features of subsp. schmidtlerorum, such as small body length, absence of the tail filament, and dorsal crest with pointed free margin. Similarly, phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences (ND4, 16S rRNA) place the Bozcaada population within Clade E of the recent L. vulgaris phylogeny, which consists of L. v. schmidtlerorum populations.

In this study, the age structure of an Asaccus barani sample from Sanliurfa (southeastern Anatolia, Turkey) was determined by skeletochronology for the first time. A total of 17 preserved adults (7♂♂, 10♀♀) were evaluated, and the maximum observed lifespan was recorded as 6 years in males and 5 years in females. The first line of arrested growth was partially eroded by endosteal resorption in 29% of individuals and completely eroded in 18%. The mean age was 3.85 ± 0.50 years in males and 3.80 ± 0.32 years in females; the mean snout-vent length (SVL) was 46.99 ± 2.64 mm (range: 37.78-54.13) in males and 46.89 ± 1.51 mm (range: 40.33-53.19) in females. There was no significant difference between sexes in terms of age and SVL. However, there was a positive correlation between age and SVL in both males and females.

The life history characteristics of individuals may vary depending on the altitude gradient. In this study, some life history traits such as age structure, age at sexual maturity, lifespan, body size, head length and head width were tested for two different altitude populations of Ophisops elegans. The results suggest that the individuals from the high altitude (Sivas, 1595 m) population have a higher mean body size and longer and wider head structure than the low-altitude (Çanakkale, 7 m) population. Although, the mean age of the highland population was higher than the lowland population, this case was not found statistically significant. In this study, both females and males were estimated to reach sexual maturity at an average of 3 years. The expected positive correlation between age and body size was recorded for only females of the Çanakkale population., Bireylerin yaşam öyküsü özellikleri yükseklik gradientine bağlı olarak değişkenlik gösterebilir. Bu çalışmada yaş yapısı, eşeysel olgunluk yaşı, yaşam ömrü, vücut boyu, baş uzunluğu ve baş genişliği gibi bazı yaşam öyküsü özellikleri Ophisops elegans’ın iki farklı rakıma sahip populasyonu için test edilmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçlar, yüksek rakımlı (1595 m) Sivas populasyonundaki bireylerin, düşük rakımlı (7 m) Çanakkale populasyonuna oranla daha yüksek boy ortalaması ve daha uzun ve geniş baş yapısına sahip olduklarını göstermiştir. Her ne kadar yüksek rakımdaki populasyonun yaş ortalaması, düşük rakımdaki populasyona kıyasla daha yüksek çıkmış olsa da, bu durum istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmamıştır. Bu çalışmada her iki populasyona ait dişi ve erkek bireylerin ortalama 3 yılda eşeysel erginliğe ulaştıkları tahmin edilmiştir. Yaş ile boy arasında beklenen pozitif ilişki sadece Çanakkale populasyonunun dişi bireyleri için kaydedilmiştir.

To determine how climate factors influence age, body size and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in the Mediterranean region, we generated data on age and body size of the European Treefrog, Hyla arborea, in three Turkish populations with a latitudinal gradient. We estimated age structure (total ), using skeletochronology. Mean body size of both sexes was smaller in a southern population (Antalya) than in northern populations (Çanakkale and Rize) with female-larger SSD in the northern populations. A positive correlation was found between age and body size in each sex of all the populations, save the Antalya females. Since amphibian growth is reduced after maturity but continues towards the asymptotic size, interpopulation size differences may partly be explained by differences in longevity with four years in Antalya and five years in the other two populations. Comparing age and body size in three Turkish populations with those in three different populations (Greece, Switzerland and Germany) from the literature, there was a trend of South-to-North increase in body size with increased latitude and decreased temperature and aridity. The same trend occurred also in age structure (e.g., age at maturity/first reproduction, longevity). These results suggest that a difference in age structure between populations is a main factor for the geographic variation in body size of this species.

This study examined the effect of variations in the water characteristics (dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity and temperature) of the biotopes of freshwater turtles (Emys orbicularis and Mauremys rivulata) collected from different localities in Canakkale, Turkey on the blood parameters and put forward the variations in blood parameters for survival during wet and dry periods. According to the water quality of their biotopes, differences were detected in the erythrocyte and leukocyte counts of the species E. orbicularis and in the erythrocyte and leukocyte counts as well as in the MCV (mean cell volume) and MCH (mean cell hemoglobin) values in M. rivulata. In the species E. orbicularis, differences were detected in the biochemical sense in total protein and urea quantities between dry and wet periods.

Wetlands are ecosystems where a high level of biodiversity is found. Being a suitable medium for the nourishment, reproduction, and accommodation of many species of living creatures, wetlands are museums of natural riches, not only of the country where they are located but also of the whole world. Kavak Delta, one of the most important wetlands of Turkey, with coastal dunes and halophilic vegetation as well as being on the north–south bird migration route, provides not only opportunities for coastal tourism but also offers substantial potential for ecotourism. During observations, bird species, especially of the orders Anseriformes, Falconiformes, and Charadriiformes, were identified. Some 14 orders, 39 families, and 124 bird species were spotted in the delta. Also, dune and halophilic plants constitute a rich flora in the delta. In this study, the potential for ecotourism and opportunities for coastal tourism in the area are outlined. Within this context, besides ecotourism activities, such as b...

The Laudakia stellio population in the Hatay region, on the southeast Mediterranean strip of Turkey, was investigated in detail by mapping morphometric and meristic characters as well as colour and pattern features. On the basis of the morphometric characters present in the population sample examined, we conclude that the Hatay population should be included in the subspecies Laudakia stellio stellio. Comparison of the Hatay population with L. s. cypriaca from Cyprus showed that these two populations represent two separate subspecies.

This study gives detailed information on the size and number of the various blood cells from a sample of the Caucasus Frog, Pelodytes caucasicus, based on 10 ♂ and 10 ♀ from Uzungol (Trabzon province). P. caucasicus does not show sexual dimorphism in the number and size of blood cells; the erythrocytes of P. caucasicus are smaller than those of the other Turkish anurans, but their number is higher.

Life history traits of lizard species, including agamid species, generally involve male-larger body size, but age of these species has not adequately been examined in each cohort. We thus conducted a skeletochronological study using 16 preserved specimens of Paralaudakia caucasia (8 males, 6 females, and 2 juveniles) captured from Elmadag, Igdir, Turkey. Mean snout-vent length was slightly but insignificantly larger in males (120.2 mm) than in females (115.9 mm). Maximum longevity was 10 years in males and 6 years in females. No significant difference in age structure was found between the sexes. Juveniles were 2-year old young. Mean age was 7.12 years for males and 5.33 years for females. Sexually matured individuals were found at the end of the second or third years (i.e., first reproduction occurred at 3 – 4 years). A positive correlation was detected in age and body size in both sexes, as has previously been shown in other lizard species. Our finding of age structure in P. caucasia would contribute to our understanding of life-history trait variations among lizard species.

In this study, some blood parameters were studied in 7 distinct snake species (Dolichophis caspius, Eirenis modestus, Malpolon monspessulanus, Natrix natrix, Platyceps rubriceps, Telescopus fallax, and Typhlops vermicularis) of the families Colubridae and Typhlopidae, collected from various regions of Turkey. A total of 7 hematologic parameters, namely red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), hematocrit value (HCT), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), were examined. It was detected that Platyceps rubriceps had the highest erythrocyte count and the lowest MCV value among the species examined, Telescopus fallax had the lowest erythrocyte count and hematocrit value, and Eirenis modestus had the highest hematocrit and MCV values. With this study, the variations observed in the blood measurements and counts of snakes were also observed in clinical parameters.

A total of 51 specimens of Lacerta laevis (25 ♂, 26 ♀) from the area of Mersin and Hatay (southern Anatolia) were investigated morphologically, and of these 24 specimens (12 ♂, 12 ♀) were analyzed from the viewpoint of their blood-serum proteins. The populations were found to show great intra- and interpopulation variation in their pattern and colour characteristics and in their serological analyses, while their morphometric characteristics were found to be similar. It is thus concluded that, for the present, it is not possible to separate them into different subspecies.

Conventional taxonomic treatment has resulted in uncertainty as to the taxonomic status of the two subspecies Bufo bufo spino sus and B. b. verrucosissimus in Turkey. Blood‐serum proteins of the B. bufo specimens from Manyas and Camhhemsin were com pared qualitatively and quantitatively by polyacrylamide‐disc elec‐trophoresis and densitometry. The Authors found no significant differences between the blood‐serum proteins of the two popula tions examined, and therefore recommend that B. b. verrucosis simus be synonymized with B. b. spinosus.

The present study compares the blood serum proteins of populations of the Lacerta laevis complex from northern Cyprus and southern Turkey (Adana) by polyacrylamide-disc electrophoresis. There are discernible differences between the electropherograms of blood serum proteins of the two populations. In the light of these differences, it would be appropriate to accept the northern Cyprus population as a distinct species, Lacerta troodica, as suggested previously by BUDAK & GOCMEN (1995).

Data on population size, adult sex ratio, body size and mass are provided for a population of the turtle Emys orbicularis near Pazaragaç (Afyonkarahisar/Turkey). Using the mark-recapture method (triple catch), a population size of 664 turtles was estimated (95% confidence interval, range 332-996), corresponding to a density of 83 turtles per hectare (range 41.5-124.5). The adult sex-ratio was significantly skewed in favor of males (2.02 males: 1 female; P < 0.001). Almost all recorded specimens were adult (98.1%). Mean straight carapace length (SCL) and body mass (BM) of adult turtles were: SCL = 128.65 mm, BM = 345 g for males (n = 168) and SCL = 135.37 mm, BM = 463 g for females (n = 83). © 2007 Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences., This study constitutes part of a project [Project No: TBAG-2402 (103T189)] supported by TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey). We are indebted to TÜBİTAK for financial support.

WOS: 000342305800009 To understand the effects of island and mainland on life history traits (e. g. longevity, age at maturity, body size and body mass) of the smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758), we generated data on age and body measurements for an island (Bozcaada) and a mainland (Canakkale) population in northwestern Turkey. Age was determinated by skeletochronology. the maximum life span was 4 years in the island population and 5 years in the mainland population. Age at maturity was estimated to be 2-3 years for both sexes and the populations. While mean snout-venth length (SVL) was calculated as 35.56 mm for females and 31.95 mm for males in the mainland population, it was found to be 32.83 mm for females and 31.78 mm for males in the island population. Females from the mainland population were found to be significantly larger and heavier than those of the island population. A significant positive correlation was found between SVL and age for only males in the mainland population. Unexpectedly, age was not correlated with body size for the island individuals. Since there were hardly any demographic studies on any Urodela species comparing island and mainland populations, in this paper we contribute to the literature on this subject. Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK Project)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [112T063] This study was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK Project No. 112T063).

The aim of the present study was to determine the level of antibiotic resistance patterns and distribution of heavy metal resistance of bacterial isolates from aquatic animals (Lissotriton vulgaris, Pelophylax ridibundus, Emys orbicularis, Mauremys rivulata, and Natrix natrix) in Turkey (Kavak Delta). A total of 153 bacteria have been successfully isolated from cloaca and oral samples of the aquatic amphibians and reptilians which were found, namely, Aeromonas sp. (n = 29), Plesiomonas sp. (n = 7), Vibrio sp. (n = 12), Citrobacter sp. (n = 12), Enterobacter sp. (n = 11), Escherichia sp. (n = 22), Klebsiella sp. (n = 22), Edwardsiella sp. (n = 6), Hafnia sp. (n = 1), Proteus sp. (n = 19), Providencia sp. (n = 8), and Pseudomonas sp. (n = 4). In terms of antibiotic and heavy metal susceptibility testing, each isolate was tested against 12 antibiotics and 4 metals. There was a high incidence of resistance to cefoxitin (46.40 %), ampicillin (44.44 %), erythromycin (35.29 %), and a low incidence of resistance to gentamicin (6.53 %), kanamycin (8.49 %), chloramphenicol (9.15 %), and cefotaxime (10.45 %). The multiple antibiotic resistance index of each bacterial species indicated that bacteria from raised amphibians and reptiles have been exposed to tested antibiotics, with results ranging from 0 to 0.58. Most isolates showed tolerance to different concentrations of heavy metals, and minimal inhibition concentrations ranged from100 to >3,200 μg/mL. According to these results, a significant occurrence of bacteria in the internal organs of reptiles and amphibians, with a high incidence of resistance against antibiotics and heavy metals, may risk aquatic animals and the public health. These data appoint the importance of epidemiological surveillance and microbiological monitoring and reinforce the need to implement environment protection programs for amphibian and reptile species.

We studied, for the first time, the age structure of Eremias strauchi strauchi (Kessler, 1878) from a sample (18 adults) of a population living in the vicinity of Iğdır (eastern Turkey) using the skeletochronological method. The maximum observed longevity was 7 years for males and 5 years for females. The age of males ranged from 4 to 7 years (mean 4.91, n = 12), while that of females ranged from 4 to 5 years (mean 4.66, n = 6). The average snout–vent length (SVL) was 61.10 mm in males and 60.82 mm in females. The differences in mean age and SVL between sexes were not statistically significant. Intersexual differences in body size were male-biased, but this state was not statistically significant. Age and SVL were positively correlated in both sexes.

Bu çalışmada, Pelodytes caucasicus ve Pelobates syriacus populasyonlarına ait örneklerin kan serum proteinleri poliakrilamid disk elektroforezi ve densitometri yöntemleri ile kalitatif ve kantitatif açıdan değerlendirilerek karşılaştırmıştır. İki tür populasyonlarında kan-serum proteinlerinin hem kalitatif hem de kantitatif farklılıklar gösterdiği saptanmıştır. Bu sonuç Pelodytes genusunun ayrı bir familya (Pelodytidae) olarak değerlendirilmesi gereğine dikkat çeken morfolojik ve osteolojik çalışmaları destekler durumdadır., Blood serum proteins of specimens belonging to Pelodytes caucasicus and Pelobates syriacus populations were compared qualitatively and quantitively by means of polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis and densitometry methods. It was determined that the blood serum proteins of both populations demonstrated qualitative and quantitive differences. This result supports the morphological and osteological studies emphasizing the fact that the genus Pelodytes needs to be treated as a separate family (Pelodytidae).

Orta Anadolu’da Rana ridibunda caralitana Arıkan, 1988 için yeni bir lokalite. Bu çalışmada, Bor (Niğde)’dan toplanan 18 (10 ??, 8 ??) ergin ova kurbağası örneği, başta renk-desen olmak üzere yapılan morfolojik analiz sonucunda incelenmiştir. İncelenen örneklerin caralitana formuna ait olduğu anlaşılmıştır. Böylece caralitana’nın dağılış areali genişletilmiştir., In this study, a total of 18 (10 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀) adult marsh frog specimens collected from Bor (Niğde) have been examinedthrough the morphological analysis, primarily on their coloration and pattern characteristics. It is concluded that the examined specimens fall into caralitana category. Thus, the distrubution area of caralitana has been extended.

Two Turkish populations of Mauremys caspica and Mauremys rivulata were compared morphologically, serologically, and ecologically. Morphometric differences were noted among sexes and populations. Electrophoretic patterns demonstrated significant differences between the taxa and supported their status as distinct species.