pp. 266-271

AUTHOR: Christopher J. Reading

ABSTRACT: During a 31-year study (1992–2022) of reptiles inhabiting a 10 ha area of lowland heath, within a planted coniferous forest in southern England, UK, smooth snakes Coronella austriaca Laurenti, 1768, were individually marked with passive integrated transponder tags. New-born smooth snakes were also captured, measured and weighed to estimate size at birth. Growth curves were estimated for females and males which, combined with their estimated size at birth, provided an estimate of age at the time of death. The estimated mean age at death of females (7.8 years) was significantly lower than that of males (10.1 years), with females and males reaching a maximum age of 15 and 25 years respectively. Reproductive effort was considered as a possible explanation for the observed reduced longevity of females compared to males. Female reproductive success increased between 4 and 10 years of age and then declined in the largest breeding individuals, regardless of age. This finding suggested the possible presence of size/growth-related reproductive senescence. This is the first known study to provide reliable estimates of longevity in free-living smooth snakes. It demonstrated a significant difference between females and males in both mean and maximum ages attained, and the potential impact of breeding stress as an explanatory factor for increased female mortality and reproductive senescence.

Keywords: predicted age, body size, SVL, reproductive output, senescence

pp. 256-265

AUTHORS: Palmira Francisca Gonçalves Ferreira, Ednaldo da Silva Filho, Larissa Coelho Marques, Relionan Pimentel Leal & José Ribamar Felipe Marques

ABSTRACT: Commercial captive turtle breeding is an opportunity for Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides conservation, as predatory hunting, destruction and habitat degradation are the main threats to its natural populations. In this sense, the goal of this study is to provide a synthesis of knowledge about the species Embrapa-developed captive breeding system. Below, we have set up the themes in a way that makes sense in the captivity flow, discussing important information about the species in the environmental context and its management from the initial breeding stock formation up to reproductive aspects, highlighting animal behaviour and the environmental approach of the activity, to support commercial breeding from the species conservation perspective. The discussion and conclusions have shown that the species has a low invasive potential in Brazilian biomes; the captivity site needs not much space, facilities or water; captive breeding is a zootechnical and environmentally appropriate activity for the species’ conservation because it is a way to avoid spending on programs that are made only for this purpose; and increasing knowledge of reproduction using molecular genetic tools is important.

Keywords: conservation, chelonian, Kinosternon scorpioides, jurará, turtle breeding

AUTHORS: Elson Meneses-Pelayo, Víctor Hugo Serrano Cardozo & Martha Patricia Ramírez-Pinilla

AUTHORS: Elson Meneses-Pelayo, Víctor Hugo Serrano Cardozo & Martha Patricia Ramírez-Pinilla

pp. 244-255

AUTHORS: Elson Meneses-Pelayo, Víctor Hugo Serrano Cardozo & Martha Patricia Ramírez-Pinilla

ABSTRACT: Analysing spatial biodiversity patterns in amphibians and reptiles is key to understanding the main drivers of community ecological structure, biogeography, and guiding conservation strategies. Our goal is to map patterns of taxonomic change and unravel the geographic and environmental factors driving species turnover among the biomes found in the Sogamoso river basin (SRB), which tributes to the inter-Andean middle Magdalena valley in Colombia, a hyperdiverse region at high-risk from human activities. The study area encompasses lowland forest, submontane, montane and high-elevation Andean habitats, with distinct biomes defined by elevation and physiographic characteristics. To do this, we compared species richness among different biomes and describe their variation along the altitudinal gradient. We collected data from literature and revision of specimens deposited in herpetological collections. Species distribution models were used to estimate geographic ranges and species composition was analysed among biomes using a presence/absence matrix. Generalised Dissimilarity Modelling (GDM) was employed to explore spatial turnover patterns of species composition. We observed that species richness of both amphibians and reptiles was the highest in the tropical humid forest biome and the lowest occurred mainly in the Sub-Andean semiarid vegetation. The spatial pattern of species turnover was the same for amphibians and reptiles and revealed an extreme similarity with the previous delimitation of the five biomes, which are supported by a combination of biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic factors. This study provides valuable baseline information for the conservation of amphibians and reptiles in the SRB and highlights the importance of considering geographic and environmental factors in understanding species distribution and turnover in the region.

Keywords: Sogamoso River, herpetofauna, richness patterns, turnover species, ecological structure

pp. 237-242

AUTHORS: Paulo B. Mascarenhas-Junior, Rafael S.L. Barboza, Malu Caminha, Gabriela Lucena, Carlos F. Rodrigues, Pedro Ivo Simões & Jozelia Maria de Sousa Correia

ABSTRACT: Crocodylians exhibit parental care, guarding their eggs during incubation to ensure offspring survival. We present the first description of nest attendance of a wild broad-snouted caiman using GPS-telemetry. During the reproductive season of 2022, we tracked a 1.8-metre female in the Tapacurá reservoir, a water source bordered by Atlantic Forest remnants and human settlements in north-eastern Brazil. Telemetry data revealed that 75.8% of the female’s position records were near the nest, suggesting parental care and nest protection. However, the female periodically returned to water. We observed no differences in proximity to the nest between day and night-time, which could be possibly related to different egg predators in the area foraging at different times of the day. Furthermore, the period when the nest was unattended could be associated with either feeding activities or avoidance of human presence. This research brings light on an important part of the reproductive behaviour of broad-snouted caimans in their natural environment, highlighting the importance of GPS-telemetry as a tool for monitoring reproductive behaviour of crocodylians, while contributing to understanding their biology under human-influenced settings.

Keywords: Atlantic Forest, crocodylian, movement, parental care, reproductive biology

pp. 228-236

AUTHORS: Cibele Castro Monteiro, Jhonatas Teixeira Viana, Karen Karoline Abreu da Silva, Rafael dos Santos Rocha, Vicente Vieira Faria & Rodrigo Maggioni

ABSTRACT: Sea turtles have a tropical and subtropical distribution and can be found in nearly all seas and oceans. They have been the subject of considerable genetic research. However, it does not yet appear that the molecular techniques used for these genetic studies follow a consensus or universal set of tools to be followed for subsequent studies. This is not desirable since it may preclude data exchange and use among studies. Thus, the aim of this review was to survey the main genetic and molecular methods used for sea turtle research worldwide. To achieve this goal, a total of 95 scientific papers were compiled from online databases. We considered articles that used molecular tools for genetic analysis and provided detailed locality data. The following aspects were assessed: species studied, local of sample collection, type of tissue used for molecular studies and type of genetic material used. The seven known sea turtle species have different distribution patterns, with some overlapping of occurrence. Chelonia mydas has been studied genetically along the coasts of all continents. Skin is the most common type of tissue used for molecular analyses. From genetic studies on sea turtles, it is possible to verify the occurrence of hybridism. This phenomenon is relevant to the conservation of the species and was reported in six articles on this topic. Therefore, it is considered that genetic and molecular assays in sea turtles are important tools for biological evaluation and protection. The aim was to survey the main methods used in genetic and molecular research on marine turtles.

Keywords: DNA, Chelonian, Testudines, marine turtles

pp. 221-227

AUTHORS: Katharina Seilern-Macpherson, Becki Lawson, Craig R. Macadam, Pete West, Neil Reed, Louise Gibson, Piotr Świątek, Łukasz Gajda, Andrew A. Cunningham, Joseph Heaver & Angela M. Julian

ABSTRACT: Leech predation of amphibians is known to occur in Europe. Observation of severe leech infestation affecting a common toad Bufo bufo in southern England in summer 2020, with leeches covering the toad’s eyes, throat and axillae, initiated a collaborative investigation to learn more about the occurrence of such leech predation of anurans in the UK. Soliciting reports from the general public identified leech predation of common toads and common frogs Rana temporaria in Devon, Greater London, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Somerset in southern England. Through morphological and/or molecular investigation of samples, Batracobdella algira, a leech species not previously reported in the UK, was identified in the majority of cases. The known native Placobdella costata was also identified, with the observed feeding behaviour on anuran hosts being indistinguishable from that of B. algira. Whether the latter is a previously unrecorded or an introduced species has not yet been established. However, sequence data from multiple gene loci were identical to B. algira found in Tunisia, suggesting it more likely to be a non-native species to the UK. Further work is required to elucidate the potential origin and distribution of B. algira in the UK and whether it has any impact on amphibian populations.

Keywords: amphibians, Bufo bufo, Glossiphoniidae, Hirudinea, Rana temporaria

AUTHORS: John V. Nguyen, Patrick J. McLaughlin, Christian Irian, Lauren A. Scheinberg & Rayna C. Bell

AUTHORS: John V. Nguyen, Patrick J. McLaughlin, Christian Irian, Lauren A. Scheinberg & Rayna C. Bell

pp. 211-220

AUTHORS: John V. Nguyen, Patrick J. McLaughlin, Christian Irian, Lauren A. Scheinberg & Rayna C. Bell

ABSTRACT: Reed frogs (Hyperolius spp.) are the most species-rich genus in the family Hyperoliidae, a group of frogs endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and the Gulf of Guinea islands. Three species are endemic to oceanic islands in the archipelago, but the diversity and distribution of reed frogs on Bioko – a land-bridge island in the archipelago – remains unclear. Two species, H. tuberculatus and H. ocellatus ocellatus, were formally documented on Bioko in the colonial era, however, two additional reed frog species have been detected in recent surveys. In addition, observations of heterospecific amplexus suggest one of the unidentified species and H. o. ocellatus may be hybridising on the island. In this study, we examined mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), nuclear DNA (nuDNA), morphological and acoustic data to confirm the tentative identifications of the reed frogs and determine if there is any evidence of hybridisation. Our data confirm that the two unidentified species are H. endjami and H. fusciventris, and that Bioko H. endjami have unique genetic diversity not shared with the mainland population. Additionally, our mitochondrial (16S) and nuclear DNA (CMYC) haplotype networks suggest that H. o. ocellatus and H. endjami are not hybridising on Bioko. Finally, we report colour pattern variation in H. endjami and H. o. ocellatus that is unique from populations on the continent, and describe male advertisement calls of Bioko H. endjami and H. o. ocellatus. Our study provides a first look at the diversity and distribution of reed frogs on Bioko Island and sets the stage for future studies of the ecology, evolution, and conservation of this island community.

KEYWORDS: hybridisation, polymorphism, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, morphology, land-bridge island

AUTHORS: Sarah Ball, Silviu Petrovan, Esme Ashe-Jepson, Claire Dobson, Becki Lawson, Liz Morrison & Trent Garner

AUTHORS: Sarah Ball, Silviu Petrovan, Esme Ashe-Jepson, Claire Dobson, Becki Lawson, Liz Morrison & Trent Garner

pp. 197-210

AUTHORS: Sarah Ball, Silviu Petrovan, Esme Ashe-Jepson, Claire Dobson, Becki Lawson, Liz Morrison & Trent Garner

ABSTRACT: Adder Vipera berus populations in Great Britain have undergone substantial declines in recent decades. Isolation due to habitat fragmentation particularly threatens the demographic and genetic health of small populations. Despite the potential benefit of population supplementation in the conservation management of affected populations, there are currently no consensus guidelines for conservation-motivated translocations of this species. Translocations of adders for ecological mitigation of land development are more frequently undertaken, although these are typically poorly documented and insufficiently monitored, representing a wasted opportunity for strategic learning and improvements. We studied an isolated adder population on a protected site in eastern England, founded in 1999 by the translocation of adders from a development site. With known numbers, age and sex of released individuals, this represented an opportunity to improve our understanding of the genetic outcome of a newly created population. Although apparently thriving despite a low founder number, the finding in 2015 of a stillborn clutch of adders raised the possibility of inbreeding in the population. We sampled adders from the translocated population in 2017, and two individuals from the donor site in 2018. Although we found no increase in homozygosity, relatedness and maximum likelihood sibship analysis revealed high levels of consanguinity, especially within the subgroup of adults. Demographic modelling with Approximate Bayesian Computation supported the known origin of the population, but also a subsequent, undocumented adder release to the site, accounting for the observed healthy proportion of young adders with lower levels of consanguinity. Despite the protected habitat site, the population remains isolated, and thus demographically and genetically vulnerable. We highlight the importance of careful post-translocation monitoring including targeted genetic analyses. Strategic data gathering coupled with careful management of translocations, whether for ecological mitigation or conservation rescue, could support significant improvements to the conservation management of this species, including reintroduction initiatives.

Keywords: relatedness, inbreeding, stillbirth, foundation bottleneck, population supplementation