ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА ЧИСЕЛЬНОСТІ ТА ПРОСТОРОВОГО РОЗПОДІЛУ ПОПУЛЯЦІЙ ЗЕЛЕНОЇ ЯЩІРКИ (Lacerta viridis Laurenti, 1768) НА ТЕРИТОРІЇ НПП «ДНІСТРОВСЬКИЙ КАНЬЙОН»

Reliable information about the species composition of the fauna, way of life, abundance, distribution, and breeding features is not only the initial data for in-depth zoological, evolutionary and ecological research, but also the source for nature conservation activity based on the analysis of the state of wildlife resources. The European green lizard (Lacerta viridis Laurenti, 1768; Reptilia, Squamata) is one of the most vulnerable species of reptiles in the domestic herpetofauna. Therefore, it is the object of ecological research aimed at studying population structure, biotopic distribution, including within the protected natural areas and areas that are undergoing significant anthropogenic transformation. The work is based on field studies conducted in April August 2018 and data from the regular phenological observations of the Dniester Canyon National Nature Park. The current status of the European green lizard population (Lacerta viridis Laurenti, 1768) within the territory of Dniester Canyon National Nature Park has been investigated. The abundance and spatial distribution of the species populations in different biotopes have been studiedon the basis of long-term phenological observations according to the program of the Chronicle of Nature of the National Nature Park and the authors’ research. The data of the species occurrence on the territory of the Park for the last six years is given. The abundance of the European green lizard populations under different biotopical conditions and the main factors influencing the studied parameters have been analyzed. The European green lizard has been found to be a stenotopic species that favors only 2-3 biotopes, so it is highly vulnerable due to distortion of specific stations. Besides, L. viridis is the dominant species of reptiles on the Dniester slopes, its tributaries, streams, gullies and ravines. The biotopes inhabited by this species can be grouped into three main types: 1) slopes of hills and ravines with thick-growing grassand bushes of hawthorn and dog rose (settlement density 30-50 inhabitants/km); 2) areas related to broad-leaved forests and mixed forests glades, outskirts of forests, forest roads (20-50 inhabitants/km); 3) steep slopes of gullies, steep bank slopes with limestone outcrops with herbaceous and shrubby vegetation (6-11 inhabitants/km). The spatial distribution of L. viridis communities in the region is predominantly aggregative and exists in several different forms, which is related to the configuration of favorable plots, the nutritive base and interspecies relationships.

Additional data on the herpetological collection of Louis Amédée Lantz (1886–1953), with emphasis on specimens in the Natural History Museum, London

Several recent papers have reviewed the life and work of French herpetologist Louis Amédée Lantz. They have detailed the composition of his collections deposited in several museums. However, since then, several other important specimens from his collections deposited at the Natural History Museum (NHM, UK) have come to light and we here present all of them in detail. We discovered paralectotypes of Lacerta saxicola obscura Lantz & Cyrén (BMNH 1918.11.21.5–7), syntypes of Lacerta boemica Sukhov (BMNH 1960.1.4.26–30, BMNH 1965.337–342) and Lacerta viridis media Lantz & Cyrén (BMNH 1960.1.4.25, 1966.512). We also identified numerous specimens from the French Mediterranean islands in Lantz’s collection deposited at the NHM, some of which represent the first reported specimens of their species from certain islands. We here provide data on all these specimens. We also place the Mediterranean island specimens from the Lantz collection in their historical context and emphasize the historical and taxonomic value of these collections.

Review of type specimens of Lacerta media Lantz et Cyrén, 1920 (Sauria: Lacertidae)

The paper provides data on the current location of the type specimens of Lacerta viridis media Lantz et Cyrén, 1920 as on December 1, 2018. In the collections of ZISP, NHM and NMG 17 syntypes were identified during our study, ten of which appeared to be lost. According to catalogue records, other type specimens of this taxon likely were also stored in NMG, but this cannot be established for sure due to the loss of part of the collection. It is possible that part of the type specimens is stored in the Göteborgs Naturhistoriska Museum, as the majority of the Cyrén’s collections is kept there. The herpetological collection of NM KhNU has two specimens of L. media, coming from the collection of the Caucasian Museum. Most probably these lizards were received from Tiflis for study by A.M. Nikolsky, who lived and worked in Kharkov from 1903 to 1942. However, these specimens cannot be attributed to the type series of this species as their localities data are absent from the list of Lantz and Cyrén. The designation of the lectotype by Šmíd et al. (2014) is considered invalid, as it does not correspond to ICZN rules. To ensure the stability of the nomenclature we designate herein the specimen ZISP 12387 as the lectotype of L. viridis media. The history of the taxon description is given. It is demonstrated that O. Cyrén (1933) was first who upgraded the status of this taxon to a species level, using a binomen.