Two species of slow worm (Anguis fragilis, A. colchica) present in the Baltic region

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Václav Gvoždík ◽  
Zdeněk Harca ◽  
Alexandra Hánová ◽  
Daniel Jablonski ◽  
Mihails Pupins ◽  
...  

Abstract Five European slow worms (Anguis) have mostly parapatric distributions. Two species, A. fragilis and A. colchica, are widely distributed across the western and eastern parts of the genus range. Their contact zone runs from the north-eastern Balkans, through Pannonia to northern Central Europe. In northern Poland, the contact zone has been located approximately between the North and East European Plains. Here, we present the first mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data from Finland and the coastal Baltics. We demonstrate that A. fragilis enters the East European Plains, where it is presumably distributed along the Baltic coast. Our data indicate that A. colchica is present more inland and to the north of Riga. The genetic structure suggests three independent postglacial colonization events in the Baltics (two by A. colchica). The presence of the two species, A. fragilis and A. colchica, should be considered by the conservation legislations of Lithuania, Latvia and Russia.

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 562-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Jablonski ◽  
Bartłomiej Najbar ◽  
Renata Grochowalska ◽  
Václav Gvoždík ◽  
Tomasz Strzała

Five slow-worm species are distributed in the Palearctic region. Two species, Anguis fragilis and A. colchica, are native to Central Europe, where only limited information on the phylogeography of the genus exists. Here, we examined the situation in Poland and surrounding regions, where a mitochondrial contact zone between the species is expected. We used new mitochondrial DNA sequences and available published data from Central Europe and the northern Balkans. Haplotypes of both species were recorded in the study area. Anguis fragilis is represented by a single haplogroup, while A. colchica by three haplogroups. This suggests four independent sources/refugia for postglacial colonization of northern Central Europe. The mitochondrial contact zone seems to mirror the borders between lowlands of the North European Plain and East European Plain, and the south-eastern Poland uplands, while the Vistula River does not constitute a barrier. The presence of both species, A. fragilis and A. colchica, in Poland should also be considered for protection by the Polish conservation legislation.


AmS-Skrifter ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 133-143
Author(s):  
Aoife Daly

The precise dating and determination of the source of timbers in shipwrecks found around the coasts of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, through dendrochronology allows us to see connections between north and  south, east and west throughout the region and to a high chronological precision. In this paper we take a look at results of recent analyses of timber from ships, and timber and barrel cargoes, to try to draw a chronological picture, from the twelfth to seventeenth centuries, of links between regions, through transport in oak ships and trade of timber. Archaeological finds of oak from timber cargos in shipwrecks and fine art objects (painted panels and sculpture) show the extent to which timber was shipped from Hanseatic towns along the southern Baltic coast, to western and north-western Europe.


2010 ◽  
Vol 36 (-1) ◽  
pp. 47-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anto Raukas ◽  
Wojciech Stankowski ◽  
Vitālijs Zelčs ◽  
Petras Šinkunas

Chronology of the Last Deglaciation in the Southeastern Baltic Region on the Basis of Recent OSL DatesThe study of the deglaciation chronology in the south-eastern Baltic Region belonging to the outer zone of the last Pleistocene glaciation has a long history. The Finnish investigator H. Hausen (1913) who worked in the north-western portion of the East-European Plain at the beginning of the 20thcentury was the first to attempt a reconstruction of the course of glacial retreat during the last glaciation. At that time investigators had no physical dating methods and the time scale based on varvometric method, introduced by the Swedish geologist G. de Geer (1912) who divided the deglaciation history of Scandinavia into Daniglacial, Gotiglacial and Finiglacial, each of which had different palaeoglaciological conditions. During last decades different dating methods, including14C, ESR, luminescence methods and10Be techniques have been used, but they could not help essentially improve the existing stratigraphical charts and many problems of topical interest in the history of deglaciation have not been solved yet. During last years the first two authors have studied the suitability of OSL method for the geochronological purposes, paying the most attention to the waterlaid sediments. In the first step they have found the most promising genetical varieties of glaciofluvial sediments (glaciofluvial deltas and sandurs) and in this paper they widened the study area to all three Baltic states with close cooperation with Latvian and Lithuanian colleagues. The obtained results demonstrated, that not all mineral grains in the uppermost glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine sediments were fully bleached during the last deglaciation. Probably the older sediments also influenced to the luminescence results. It means, that stratigraphic conclusions based on single dates or their small sets are inadmissible and in each case luminiscence dating requires a verification using other methods.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorota Lachowska-Cierlik ◽  
Krzysztof Zając ◽  
Miłosz A Mazur ◽  
Arkadiusz Sikora ◽  
Daniel Kubisz ◽  
...  

Abstract Liparus glabrirostris is one of the largest European weevils, and it has been recently proposed as the flagship species for threatened riparian habitats in the mountains. For effective conservation of its populations (and associated habitats), it is crucial to understand its history, contemporary distribution, genetic diversity and predict changes in the range, including its highly isolated populations on the Baltic coast. Here, we examined numerous populations of L. glabrirostris across almost the entire species range using phylogeography and species niche modeling (SNM) approaches. Analyses of mtDNA and nucDNA markers revealed the existence of 2 major mitochondrial lineages generally separated between 1) the Alpine region and 2) the Bohemian Massif, the Carpathians, and the Baltic coast areas. Genetic diversity in nuclear genes was more complicated with no clear division between populations. The origin of Baltic populations was derived from the Carpathians, but there were probably multiple expansion events to the north. SNM suggested the existence of glacial refugia for L. glabrirostris, mainly in the Alps and the Southern Carpathians. Current predictions of species range were found to be generally congruent with zoogeographic data; however, the Baltic coast was not really supported as a suitable area for L. glabrirostris. An important prediction of future distribution (2050–2070 CE) suggests a shrinkage of the L. glabrirostris range and extinction of some of its populations (particularly those isolated on lower altitudes). Based on the aforementioned data, proposals for the protection of this species are proposed, including the designation of several evolutionary units of conservation importance.


Author(s):  
Anders Galatius ◽  
Carl Christian Kinze ◽  
Jonas Teilmann

The harbour porpoise is seriously depleted and threatened with extinction in the Baltic Sea. It is usually assumed that Baltic porpoises form a separate population unit, although the evidence for this has been disputed lately. Here, a 3-D geometric morphometric approach was employed to test a number of hypotheses regarding population structure of the harbour porpoise in the Baltic region. 277 porpoise skulls from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Poland were measured with a suite of 3-D landmarks. Statistical analyses revealed highly significant shape differences between porpoises from the North Sea, Belt Sea and the inner Baltic Sea. A comparison of the directionalities of the shape vectors between these units found differences that cannot be attributed to a general, continual shape trend going from the North Sea to the inner Baltic Sea. These vectors indicate a morphological adaptation to the specific sub-areas. Such adaptation may be the result of the topographic peculiarities of the area with variable topography and shallow waters, e.g. in the Belt Sea porpoises, there may be a greater reliance on benthic and demersal prey. The present results show that isolation by distance alone is an unlikely explanation for the differences found within the Baltic region and thus support previously reported molecular indications of a separate population within the inner Baltic Sea.


Author(s):  
П. Е. Сорокин ◽  
В. И. Кильдюшевский ◽  
В. Н. Матвеев

Сосуды из каменной массы, изготавливавшиеся в городах Северной Германии и получившие в литературе название рейнской керамики, были широко распространены в позднее Средневековье и Новое время в Северной Европе. В русских городах они встречаются значительно реже, причем в основном на Северо-Западе, вовлеченном в балтийскую торговлю. Значительно более широко они представлены в Восточной Прибалтике, Финляндии, а также в городах Выборг, Ниеншанц и Но-тебург, входивших в состав шведских владений. Поступление сосудов из каменной массы в прибалтийские страны отражает торговые и политические процессы в Балтийском регионе. The stone vessels, manufactured in the cities of Northern Germany and got the name of Rhenish ceramics in literature were widespread in the Late Middle Ages and Modern Time in Northern Europe. In Russian cities, they are met much rarer, mostly in the North-West involved in the Baltic trade. Much more commonly they are represented in the Eastern Baltic countries, Finland, and also in the cities of Vyborg, Nyenschantz and Noteburg, which once were part of the Swedish realm. The flow of stone vessels into the Baltic countries reflects trade and political processes in the Baltic region.


Significance The deployment of Russia's latest tactical missile in Kaliningrad adds to the destabilising risks in a region encompassing the Baltic states, Poland and Belarus. The Polish defence ministry has asked the United States to deploy an armoured division there on a permanent basis. Impacts The July 11-12 NATO summit may offer clearer direction on East European strategy if members can reach agreement. Nordic states will shape their defence policies with a view to Russia's Baltic build-up. Moscow's view of whether reinforcing Kaliningrad is sufficient will dictate future policy towards Belarus.


2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 541-558
Author(s):  
S. C. ROWELL

Since the breakdown of the Soviet Union and Swedish socialism the Baltic region has attracted more attention, although not perhaps as much as it might deserve, than since the 1930s. English-speaking readers have been presented with a magisterial survey of the northern world over a five hundred years' period. However, many of the old stereotypes of war, pestilence, and the rise of Sweden under Gustav Adolphus, the lion of the north, and of Russia under the delusively attractive despots, Peter I and Catherine II (both of whom were essentially Baltic animals), remain unchallenged. Over the past decade much new work has appeared in northern Europe to open a more intriguing and understandable vista – of Baroque vibrancy in art, literature, and architecture; remarkably resilient small towns and efficient manor economies; and powerful interacting religious and political mythologies that combine in a vision of ‘Gotho-Sarmatian’ unity.


Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2153 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
TOBIAS PFINGSTL ◽  
SYLVIA SCHÄFFER ◽  
ERNST EBERMANN ◽  
GUENTHER KRISPER

Scutovertex arenocolus spec. nov. living in the sandy shore of the Baltic coast is described. Additionally, a closely related species, S. pilosetosus, occurring in marsh habitats of the North Sea coast, is redescribed in detail. Both species show a similar habitus. Scutovertex arenocolus differs from S. pilosetosus in the length of body, cusps and notogastral setae, in the ridge on mentum as well as in a different exochorion structure of the eggs. A morphometric analysis of 14 morphological characters confirmed distinctly shorter cusps and notogastral setae in S. arenocolus. Additionally, a principal component analysis performed with 17 morphological traits provided a clear separation of these two species and of S. minutus. The results of these analyses lead to the conclusion that earlier reports of S. minutus in the coastal zone of the Atlantic, the Baltic and the North Sea should be assigned to the one or the other of these two littoral species.


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