Serkan Gül

Body size and age structure of Pelophylax ridibundus populations from two different altitudes in Turkey

We estimated differences in body size and age structure of two populations of Pelophylax ridibundus living at different altitudes in Turkey, one from Dortyol (6 m a.s.l.) and the other from Karagol (1480 m a.s.l.). Their age structure was determined by skeletochronology performed on the LAGs (lines of arrested growth) of the phalanges. While ages ranged from 2 to 8 years for males and from 2 to 7 years for females in Karagol, in Dortyol the ages ranged from 4 to 11 years for males, and 3 to 7 years for females. Sexual size dimorphism was only found in the Dortyol population. Larger females tend to be found in hotter climates (Dortyol) but reach maturity later (3-4 years) than the highland population (2 years). A significant relationship between age and snout-vent length (SVL) was found for both sexes and populations with the exception of females in Dortyol.

Ecological divergence between two evolutionary lineages of Hyla savignyi (Audouin, 1827) in Turkey: effects of the Anatolian Diagonal

Most of Turkey’s land area is covered by one of three biodiversity hotspots (Caucasus, Irano-Anatolian, and Mediterranean). Anatolia is one of the main corridors for postglacial colonization of Europe. Uncovering how populations of a species differ genetically and ecologically is important for understanding evolutionary processes. Here, I examined ecological information to define ecological divergence between two lineages of Hyla savignyi. Using ecological niche modeling, I determined whether the two genetically divergent lineages of H. savignyi are geographically isolated and addressed the effect of the geographical distribution in the Anatolian Diagonal on the lineages. Separate analysis of the lineages showed no overlap of their predicted ranges based on climatic data of their respective habitats. This suggests that the lineages were formed as a result of range fragmentation during the Ice Age, and were consequently adapted to different climatic conditions.

Patterns of distribution of tree frogs in Turkey based on molecular data

Despite previous work on the phylogeny of Palearctic Hyla, several problems still exist regarding systematics of Hyla in Turkey. The systematics of tree frogs (Hyla orientalis and Hyla savignyi) in Turkey was studied using combined mitochondrial genes (12S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome b) and a nuclear gene (H3), and sampling a total of 102 individuals from 51 localities. We find that Hyla orientalis is represented by a single lineage, whereas Hyla savignyi was divided into two lineages by the mitochondrial genes, but not the nuclear gene. We also confirm that Hyla arborea schelkownikowi is a junior synonym of Hyla orientalis.

Molecular systematics and phylogeography of Bufotes variabilis (syn. Pseudepidalea variabilis) (Pallas, 1769) in Turkey

Nurhayat ÖZDEMİR, Serkan GÜL*, Nikolay A. POYARKOV JR., Bilal KUTRUP, Murat TOSUNOĞLU, Stefano DOGLIO Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey Roman Society of Natural Sciences (SRSN), Rome, Italy

Potential distribution under different climatic scenarios of climate change of the vulnerable Caucasian salamander (Mertensiella caucasica): A case study of the Caucasus Hotspot

Amphibians are strongly affected by climate change like many vertebrate animals. To address this problematic situation, we examined the potential effect of climate change on the distribution of Mertensiella caucasica (Waga, 1876) that is the best known species in Caucasus hotspot using future distribution modelling (average for 2041–2060 and 2061–2080) under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 emission scenarios. According to our model, the future distribution showed a remarkable expansion towards the northwest part of the Greater Caucasus whereas it indicated a regression from the West of the western Lesser Caucasus up to the Greater Caucasus. Our results indicated that most habitat loss seems to occur in the West Lesser Caucasus including the northeast of Turkey and the East Lesser Caucasus. Moreover, habitat suitability for M. caucasica showed trends towards local extinction in the future. In the Caucasus hotspot, the expected distribution range of M. caucasica will decrease with the risk of local extinction. Therefore, we recommend that its status in IUCN Red List should be reconsidered again.