Iranian Journal of Animal Biosystematics
Year:2010 | Volume:6 | Issue:1|Papers Count:6

This study was conducted to determine taxonomic and zoogeographic features of fishes from the Kor and Helleh River basins in southwestern Iran. The specimens were collected from 2004 to 2007. Twenty four species belonging to 20 genera, 9 families, and 6 orders from the Kor River basin and 21 species belonging to 19 genera, 8 families, and 6 orders from Helleh basin were identified. Ichthyofauna of Helleh basin included some species not present in the Kor basin: Luciobarus barbulus, Tor grypus, Carasobarbus luteus, Garra rufa, Mastacembelus mastacembelus, Glyptothorax silviae, and Cyprinion cf. macrostomum. The Helleh basin ichthyofauna is a combination of western (Ethiopian) and eastern (Oriental) fauna. The cyprinid genera, Barbus, Alburnus, Capoeta, and Chondrostoma should be revised using both molecular and morphological data.

Ilam Province in southwest Iran possesses varied climatic and geographical conditions leading to rich biodiversity. An investigating of the status of snakes in the province was carried out from June 2005 to March 2010. A total of 103 specimens were collected and identified. Six families, 20 genera, and 26 species are represented, including Boidae: Eryx (Eryx) jaculus turcicus, Colubridae: Coluber andreanus, Dolichophis jugularis, Eirenis collaris, Eirenis punctatolineatus, Hemorrhois nummifer, Hemorrhois ravergieri, Malpolon insignitus, Malpolon moilensis, Natrix tessellata, Platyceps najadum, Platyceps rhodorachis, Psammophis schokari, Pseudocyclophis Persicus, Spalerosophis diadema, Spalerosophis microlepis, Telescopus tessellatus, Elapidae: Walterinnesia morgani, Leptotyphlopidae: Myriopholis macrorhyncha, Viperidae: Cerastes gasperettii, Macrovipera lebetina, Pseudocerastes persicus, Pseudocerastes urarachnoides, and Typhlopidae: Typhlops vermicularis. With respect to the data which provided by Latifi (2000), more than 77% of the snakes are reported for the first time in this region. The Colubridae showed the highest species diversity among the families represented, with 16 species.

Forty-nine preserved specimens (31 male and 18 female) of Trachylepis aurata transcaucsasica were examined with respect to metric and meristic features and dry skull anatomy to assess sexual dimorphism. Thirty-one morphological characters and 36 anatomical characters in dry skulls were examined. Subdigital lamellae under the forth toe, neck length, neck length/snout vent length, and six skull characters (skull length, condylobasal length, anterior rostrum width, eye width, and ratios of maxilla length to skull length and pterygoid length to skull length) were significantly different in males and females (P< 0.05). Other observed differences were in the base of the tail, which was thicker in males than in females, and in the structure of the anus. The sexes did not show dimorphism in color or pattern.

Golestan province is located in northeastern Iran, southeast of the Caspian Sea, a region thought to be one of the most important refuge areas during glacial periods. During three years of fieldwork in the area, 13 species of rodents belonging to five families were identified including: Muridae (Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus, Mus musculus, Apodemus hyrcanicus, Apodemus uralensis, Apodemus witherbyi, Rhombomys opimus, Nesokia indica), Dipodidae (Allactaga elater, Pygeretmus pumilio), Gliridae (Glis glis), Cricetidae (Cricetulus migratorius), and Hystricidae (Hystrix indica). Standard external morphologic and morphometric characters, including cranial and dental, are given.

The genus Allactaga is a group of rodents with five morphospecies distributed in the Iranian plateau. In order to conduct a taxonomic revision at the species level, 27 individuals were collected in the Iranian plateau from localities typical of each species. Phylogenetic relationships within species were analyzed using cytochrome oxidase subunit I and morphometric data. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis demonstrated that Hotson’s Jerboa and the Iranian Jerboa are identical, with very low molecular divergence. This was confirmed by biometrical analyses of cranial and dental characteristics. Both molecular and morphometric analyses separated the small five-toed Jerboa from the other species. In the phylogenetic tree and haplotype network, the taxonomic situation of the Toussi Jerboa as a new species is prominent, as had been concluded by morphometric data.

The genus Allactaga is distributed in North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, southwestern Syria, North Turkemenistan, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Mongolia. Six morphospecies have been reported from regions of Iran. Morphological differences among 41 specimens of A. elater, A. williamsi, A. hotsoni, A. firouzi, and A. toussi were investigated using landmark-based geometric morphometrics of the dorsal aspect of the skull and ventral aspect of the mandible. Results of canonical variate analysis (CVA) indicated that all species are distinguishable by skull shape. Canonical variate analysis showed that most studied species of Allactaga were separated along CV1. Cluster analysis indicated a high morphometric distance between A. toussi and A. elater, confirming the division of A. toussi and A. elater into different species. The species Allactaga williamsi exhibited the greatest morphometric distance from other studied species. Based on mandible shape, A. williamsi is similar to A. elater and A. toussi. Allactaga firouzi clustered with A. hotsoni, in comparison with the results obtained from skull shape variation, the morphometric distance between these two species is higher than other species.