Wall lizards of the genus Podarcis (Sauria, Lacertidae) comprises 20 currently recognized species... more Wall lizards of the genus Podarcis (Sauria, Lacertidae) comprises 20 currently recognized species in southern Europe, where they are the predominant reptile group. The taxonomy of Podarcis is complex and unstable. Based on DNA sequence data the species of Podarcis fall into four main groups that have substantial geographic coherence (Western Island group, South-western group, Italian group and Balkan group). The Balkan species are divided in two subgroups: the subgroup of P. tauricus (P. tauricus, P. milensis, P. gaigeae and P. melisellensis), and the subgroup of P. erhardii (P. erhardii and P. peloponnesiacus). Here, we explored tauricus's taxonomy and investigated the evolutionary history of the species by employing phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches and using both mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear (msats) markers. The phylogenetic relationships and the genetic distances retrieved, supported the monophyly of Podarcis tauricus group and suggest that P. gaigeae, P. mile...
Abstract. The smooth snake is a rare species in eastern Romania (the historical region of Moldavi... more Abstract. The smooth snake is a rare species in eastern Romania (the historical region of Moldavia). In september 2007, an adult smooth snake was found near the Stânca-Costeşti reservoir, Botosani County. This is the first ever record of this snake species in Botosani County and also represents the north-easternmost record for this species in Romania. Key words: Coronella austriaca, first record, Botoşani county, Romania.
The Carpathian Corner region (Buzău and Vrancea Counties) is one of the Romanian areas in which ... more The Carpathian Corner region (Buzău and Vrancea Counties) is one of the Romanian areas in which data on the herpetofauna is most scarce. The adder (Vipera berus), a widespread but threatened Romanian snake species, has been previously recorded in the Carpathian Corner area around 50 years ago but its presence in the area has not been recently reconfirmed. Here we give the first locality record for the adder in Vrancea County and two new records for the species in Buzău County, by means of ...
Abstract: The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis, Linnaeus 1758) has one of the widest distribution rang... more Abstract: The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis, Linnaeus 1758) has one of the widest distribution ranges of the palearctic species. L. a. euxinica has an isolated distribution, being present only in the Danube Delta and some vicinal locations from the Black Sea coast in Romania. During several expeditions in the Danube Delta, we have observed L. a. euxinica specimens with the “erythronotus” colour morph in two locations. One is near the town of Sulina and one is near the village of Sfântu Gheorghe. From the latter location, we ...
Abstract. Since 2001, the authors of this paper have been conducting herpetological surveys in Su... more Abstract. Since 2001, the authors of this paper have been conducting herpetological surveys in Suceava County, studying the composition and geographical distribution of the native amphibian and reptile species, time in which we have identified 16 species of amphibians (Salamandra salamandra, Triturus vulgaris, Triturus montandoni, Triturus cristatus, Triturus alpestris, Bombina bombina, Bombina variegata, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Rana lessonae, Rana ridibunda, Rana arvalis, Rana temporaria & Rana ...
During 2005-2008, field observations were made on the distribution and habitat occupation by Poda... more During 2005-2008, field observations were made on the distribution and habitat occupation by Podarcis muralis in the middle Bistrita river basin. Prior to our study, this lizard was known from only 5 localities in Romanian Moldavia (Bicaz, Cheile Bicazului, Lacu Roşu, Gherman and Dodeni). Through the present paper the authors acknowledge the existence of 28 sites populated by P. muralis in Moldavia and propose a new model for the range expansion of the species in the area using man-made structures such as road and ...
Abstract. Dolichophis caspius is a common snake species in Dobrudja (Tulcea and Constanta countie... more Abstract. Dolichophis caspius is a common snake species in Dobrudja (Tulcea and Constanta counties) and in some areas from south-western Romania (Banat region). However, this species has only been cited in 2 localities in the eastern part of Romania (Moldavia) and has not been recorded since 1937. In the Romanian red data book of vertebrates, the Moldavian populations of Dolichophis caspius are listed as extinct. The present paper provides evidence that the large whip snake still occurs in the Romanian ...
Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, Jan 9, 2016
Morphological and DNA data support that the East Mediterranean snake-eyed skink Ablepharus kitaib... more Morphological and DNA data support that the East Mediterranean snake-eyed skink Ablepharus kitaibelii represents a species complex that includes four species A. kitaibelii, A. budaki, Α. chernovi, and A. rueppellii, highlighting the need of its taxonomic reevaluation. Here, we used Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods to estimate the phylogenetic relationships of all members of the complex based on two mitochondrial (cyt b, 16S rRNA) and two nuclear markers (MC1R, and NKTR) and using Chalcides, Eumeces, and Eutropis as outgroups. The biogeographic history of the complex was also investigated through the application of several phylogeographic (BEAST) and biogeographic (BBM) analyses. Paleogeographic and paleoclimatic data were used to support the inferred phylogeographic patterns. The A. kitaibelli species complex exhibits high genetic diversity, revealing cases of hidden diversity and cases of non-monophyletic species such as A. kitaibelii and A. budaki. Our results indicate that...
Wall lizards of the genus Podarcis (Sauria, Lacertidae) comprises 20 currently recognized species... more Wall lizards of the genus Podarcis (Sauria, Lacertidae) comprises 20 currently recognized species in southern Europe, where they are the predominant reptile group. The taxonomy of Podarcis is complex and unstable. Based on DNA sequence data the species of Podarcis fall into four main groups that have substantial geographic coherence (Western Island group, South-western group, Italian group and Balkan group). The Balkan species are divided in two subgroups: the subgroup of P. tauricus (P. tauricus, P. milensis, P. gaigeae and P. melisellensis), and the subgroup of P. erhardii (P. erhardii and P. peloponnesiacus). Here, we explored tauricus's taxonomy and investigated the evolutionary history of the species by employing phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches and using both mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear (msats) markers. The phylogenetic relationships and the genetic distances retrieved, supported the monophyly of Podarcis tauricus group and suggest that P. gaigeae, P. mile...
Abstract. The smooth snake is a rare species in eastern Romania (the historical region of Moldavi... more Abstract. The smooth snake is a rare species in eastern Romania (the historical region of Moldavia). In september 2007, an adult smooth snake was found near the Stânca-Costeşti reservoir, Botosani County. This is the first ever record of this snake species in Botosani County and also represents the north-easternmost record for this species in Romania. Key words: Coronella austriaca, first record, Botoşani county, Romania.
The Carpathian Corner region (Buzău and Vrancea Counties) is one of the Romanian areas in which ... more The Carpathian Corner region (Buzău and Vrancea Counties) is one of the Romanian areas in which data on the herpetofauna is most scarce. The adder (Vipera berus), a widespread but threatened Romanian snake species, has been previously recorded in the Carpathian Corner area around 50 years ago but its presence in the area has not been recently reconfirmed. Here we give the first locality record for the adder in Vrancea County and two new records for the species in Buzău County, by means of ...
Abstract: The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis, Linnaeus 1758) has one of the widest distribution rang... more Abstract: The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis, Linnaeus 1758) has one of the widest distribution ranges of the palearctic species. L. a. euxinica has an isolated distribution, being present only in the Danube Delta and some vicinal locations from the Black Sea coast in Romania. During several expeditions in the Danube Delta, we have observed L. a. euxinica specimens with the “erythronotus” colour morph in two locations. One is near the town of Sulina and one is near the village of Sfântu Gheorghe. From the latter location, we ...
Abstract. Since 2001, the authors of this paper have been conducting herpetological surveys in Su... more Abstract. Since 2001, the authors of this paper have been conducting herpetological surveys in Suceava County, studying the composition and geographical distribution of the native amphibian and reptile species, time in which we have identified 16 species of amphibians (Salamandra salamandra, Triturus vulgaris, Triturus montandoni, Triturus cristatus, Triturus alpestris, Bombina bombina, Bombina variegata, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo, Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Rana lessonae, Rana ridibunda, Rana arvalis, Rana temporaria & Rana ...
During 2005-2008, field observations were made on the distribution and habitat occupation by Poda... more During 2005-2008, field observations were made on the distribution and habitat occupation by Podarcis muralis in the middle Bistrita river basin. Prior to our study, this lizard was known from only 5 localities in Romanian Moldavia (Bicaz, Cheile Bicazului, Lacu Roşu, Gherman and Dodeni). Through the present paper the authors acknowledge the existence of 28 sites populated by P. muralis in Moldavia and propose a new model for the range expansion of the species in the area using man-made structures such as road and ...
Abstract. Dolichophis caspius is a common snake species in Dobrudja (Tulcea and Constanta countie... more Abstract. Dolichophis caspius is a common snake species in Dobrudja (Tulcea and Constanta counties) and in some areas from south-western Romania (Banat region). However, this species has only been cited in 2 localities in the eastern part of Romania (Moldavia) and has not been recorded since 1937. In the Romanian red data book of vertebrates, the Moldavian populations of Dolichophis caspius are listed as extinct. The present paper provides evidence that the large whip snake still occurs in the Romanian ...
Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, Jan 9, 2016
Morphological and DNA data support that the East Mediterranean snake-eyed skink Ablepharus kitaib... more Morphological and DNA data support that the East Mediterranean snake-eyed skink Ablepharus kitaibelii represents a species complex that includes four species A. kitaibelii, A. budaki, Α. chernovi, and A. rueppellii, highlighting the need of its taxonomic reevaluation. Here, we used Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods to estimate the phylogenetic relationships of all members of the complex based on two mitochondrial (cyt b, 16S rRNA) and two nuclear markers (MC1R, and NKTR) and using Chalcides, Eumeces, and Eutropis as outgroups. The biogeographic history of the complex was also investigated through the application of several phylogeographic (BEAST) and biogeographic (BBM) analyses. Paleogeographic and paleoclimatic data were used to support the inferred phylogeographic patterns. The A. kitaibelli species complex exhibits high genetic diversity, revealing cases of hidden diversity and cases of non-monophyletic species such as A. kitaibelii and A. budaki. Our results indicate that...
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Papers by Iulian Gherghel