New Records of Reptiles (Reptilia, Squamata) at Azov Seashore of Taman’ Peninsula (Krasnodar Kray, Russia)

Abstract

For the first time at Azov seashore of Taman’ peninsula (settlement Golubitskaya and west of Peresyp’ village) there were found populations of meadow lizard Darevskia praticola pontica (Lantz et Cyren, 1919). The lizards live in the lower parts of a high shore slope with a phryganoid vegetation. The density of their population can reach 1 individual per square meter (1 individual per 1 m 2 ), and in the places of their concentration — 5 and more individuals per 1 m 2 . In second place, in the upper parts of the shore slope near village Peresyp’ the glass lizard, Pseudopus apodus (Pallas, 1775) was also found. New records of these species are separated for 30 km to the east and 70 km to the south correspondingly from previously known localities. The runner, Elaphe sauromates Pallas, 1814, which has not been found earlier in the Eastern Azov area, is not rare in the Akhtanizov estuary region.