Browsing by Author "Afsar M."
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Item Population size of the marsh frog (Rana ridibunda Pallas, 1771) in Lake Yayla (Denizli, Turkey)(2007) Ayaz D.; Tok C.V.; Mermer A.; Tosunoǧlu M.; Afsar M.; ÇiÇek K.The population size of marsh frogs (Rana ridibunda) was estimated using the mark-recapture method in Lake Yayla (Buldan, Denizli, Turkey). According to the results, the mean estimated population was 14,733 and the sex ratio was female biased (male: female, 0.56). The main limiting factors of the marsh frog population are also outlined. © Tübitak.Item Population estimate and body size of European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis) from Pazaraǧaç (Afyonkarahisar/Turkey)(Versita, 2007) Ayaz D.; Fritz U.; Tok C.V.; Mermer A.; Tosunoğlu M.; Afsar M.; Çiçek K.Data on population size, adult sex ratio, body size and mass are provided for a population of the turtle Emys orbicularis near Pazaraǧaç (Afyonkarahisar/Turkey). Using the mark-recapture method (triple catch), a population size of 664 turtles was estimated (95% confidence interval, range 332-996), corresponding to a density of 83 turtles per hectare (range 41.5-124.5). The adult sex-ratio was significantly skewed in favor of males (2.02 males: 1 female; P < 0.001). Almost all recorded specimens were adult (98.1%). Mean straight carapace length (SCL) and body mass (BM) of adult turtles were: SCL = 128.65 mm, BM = 345 g for males (n = 168) and SCL = 135.37 mm, BM = 463 g for females (n = 83). © 2007 Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences.Item Aspect of population structure of the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) in Lake Yayla, Western Anatolia, Turkey(2008) Ayaz D.; Fritz U.; Atatür M.K.; Mermer A.; Çiçek K.; Afsar M.Our main objective was to establish the population size, density, body size, and sex ratio of a local Emys orbicularis population. We examined the population structure of E. orbicularis in Lake Yayla, Buldan (Denizli), Turkey, using capture-recapture methods. The population consisted of 54% males, 42% females, and 4% juveniles. The adult sex ratio was significantly skewed in favor of males. Using the Jolly program, the population size was estimated at 1,462 (95% CI = 1,161-1,763), corresponding to a density of 81 turtles per hectare of optimal habitat. Females were larger than males. In carapace length, the Lake Yayla population resembles other small-sized populations inhabiting the southern parts of the species' range. The conservation status of the Turkish populations and their main threats are also discussed. Copyright 2008 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.Item Antimicrobial activity in the skin secretion of brown frog, Rana macrocnemis (Boulenger, 1885) collected from Turkey(2011) Afsar B.; Afsar M.; Kalyoncu F.In this study, antimicrobial activity of various extracts prepared from Rana macrocnemis skin secretion were tested against the microorganisms by disc diffusion method. Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Sarcina lutea, Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans were used as test microorganisms. According to our results, the extracts prepared from Rana macrocnemis skin secretion have antimicrobial activity against the tested microorganisms. ©2011 Academic Journals.Item The herpetofauna of the Sultan Mountains (Afyon-Konya-Isparta), Turkey; [Sultan Daǧlarının herpetofaunası (Afyon-Konya-Isparta), Türkiye](Turkiye Klinikleri, 2011) Afsar M.; Tok C.V.In this study, 29 reptile and amphibian species were recorded in 25 diff erent localities in the Sultan Mountains. Of these, 5 were anurans, 1 was a tortoise, 1 was a turtle, 11 were lizards, and 11 were snakes. A chorotype classifi cation of the species recorded in the Sultan Mountains is also given. © TÜBİTAK.Item On the Eumeces schneiderii (Daudin, 1802) (Sauria: Scincidae) specimens collected from Northeastern Anatolia, Turkey(Universitatea din Oradea, 2014) Afsar M.; Tok C.V.; Çíçek K.In this study, the specimens of Eumeces schneiderii obtained from the vicinity of Aralik (Igdir) and - for the first time - Digor (Kars) in North-eastern Anatolia were examined morphologically and compared with the literature concerned. According to the obtained results, the specimens under examination resembled subspecies pavimentatus in terms of some characters, whereas they were considered to be E.s.cf. princeps as they were closer to subspecies princeps in terms of the leg index (LI), the number of scales at the mid-body (ScDM), the mean number of scales around (encircling) the left parietal plate (ScP-left) and colour-pattern characteristics that were important in terms of the discrimination of subspecies. © Biharean Biologist, Oradea, Romania, 2014.Item Age, growth and longevity of kotschy's gecko, mediodactylus kotschyi (Steindachner, 1870) (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) from Central Anatolia, Turkey(Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2015) Çiçek K.; Afsar M.; Kumaş M.; Ayaz D.; Tok C.V.We studied the age structure of Kotschy's gecko, Mediodactylus kotschyi, from the Sultan Mountains (Central Anatolia, Turkey) using the skeletochronological method. We examined the humeral diaphyseal cross sections of a total of 19 (six males and 13 females) museum specimens. Our results showed that the age structure ranged from three to seven years (mean = 4.2 years, SD = 1.47) in males and from two to eight years (mean = 4.5 years, SD = 1.81) in females. Both sexes reached sexual maturity after their second hibernation, and no statistically significant difference in age composition was observed between the sexes. There was a strong positive correlation between SVL and age (Spearman's correlation coefficient, r = 0.93) and Von Bertalanffy growth curves fitted to the relationships between age (k = 0.80) and SVL (SVLmax = 42.4). In conclusion, M. kotschyi is a short-lived species with a high growth rate.Item New records of Eurasian Blind Snake, Xerotyphlops vermicularis (Merrem, 1820) from the Black Sea region of Turkey and its updated distribution(Universitatea din Oradea, 2016) Afsar M.; Çiçek K.; Tayhan Y.; Tok C.V.In this study, we report two new localities of Xerotyphlops vermicularis from western and central Black Sea Region. With these records, the distribution of the species is extended about 90km to the north. The specimens were examined morphologically and compared with the relevant literature. In addition, on the basis of the new and literature records, the potential distribution of the species was modelled with ecological niche modelling. The main factors affecting the distribution of the species are the annual mean temperature (bio1, 55.3%), precipitation of driest month (bio14, 18.5%), and annual precipitation (bio12, 10.1%) and account for 84% of the distribution model. © Biharean Biologist, Oradea, Romania, 2016.Item A new subspecies, Lyciasalamandra atifi oezi n. ssp. (Urodela: Salamandridae) from Gazipasa (Antalya, Turkey)(Centre for Biodiversity of Montenegro, 2016) Tok C.V.; Afsar M.; Yakin B.Y.In this study, a new subspecies of the Lycian salamander, Lyciasalamandra atifi oezi n. ssp., was described from Gazipasa (Antalya, Turkey). The Lyciasalamandra specimens collected in Doganca (Gazipasa, Antalya) are clearly distinguished from the known subspecies of L. atifi by the very small and few white flecks on the dorsal ground pattern or by the absence of the flecks in some specimens. The light coloration, which can be distinctly observed in front of, behind, and under the eye of L. atifi, is indistinct in the new subspecies, unlike the other subspecies. The body length was observed to be shorter than that of the nominate subspecies but close to that of L. a. bayrami. In juveniles, scattered black flecks are striking on the posterior parts of their parotoids and, unlike adults, denser small and white flecks are striking on top of the head as well as on the dorsum, the tail, and the extremities. In addition, scattered yellow flecks in different sizes and shapes are present on the dorsal tail.Item A new subspecies, Ophisops elegans budakibarani n. Subsp. (Sauria: Lacertidae) from Mut (Mersin/Turkey)(Universitatea din Oradea, 2017) Tok C.V.; Afsar M.; Yakin B.Y.; Ayaz D.; Çiçek K.This study describes a new subspecies of Ophisops elegans from vicinity of Mut, Mersin, Turkey and named Ophisops elegans budakibarani n. subsp. The new subspecies is distinguished from geographically the closest subspecies O. elegans basoglui, found in the south of its distribution, by having higher number of the longitudinal row of scales+plates at mid-trunk (SPM) and a characteristic venter coloration (whitish coloration instead of lemon yellow color in venter of both sexes during the breeding season) and from O. elegans centralanatoliae, found in the north of its distribution, by having lower number of SPM and a characteristic dorsum color-pattern (less distinct tile reddish-brown coloration in the temporal band, missing large blackish spots in the vertebral and paravertebral area). © 2017 Biharean Biologist, Oradea, Romania.Item Additional morphological data on Vipera (Pelias) cf. darevskii from the vicinity of ZekeriyakÖy (Northeastern Anatolia)(Folium Ltd, 2018) Tok C.V.; Afsar M.; Çiçek K.Two new Viper specimens obtained from Zekeriyaköy (Ardanuç, Artvin) in Northeastern Anatolia were investigated. When obtained data were compared with the related literature, it was observed that pholidosis characteristics and body measurements of the retrieved specimens were similar to both Vipera (Pelias) olguni and Vipera (Pelias) darevskii. The specimens were considered to be V. cf. darevskii since their defining characteristics were more similar to V. darevskii than V. olguni. © 2018 Folium Publishing Company.Item Evaluation of the reptilian fauna in amasya province, Turkey with new locality records(Gazi Universitesi, 2018) Sahin M.K.; Afsar M.The present study investigated the reptilian fauna in Amasya Province, Turkey. Reptile species were identified from collections made during field studies or recorded in literature, with some new locality records obtained. Field studies were undertaken over two consecutive years (2016 and 2017). Two lacertid species, one skink species, two colubrid species and one viper species were officially recorded for the first time or their information was updated. In addition to species locality records, chorotypical and habitat selection were also assessed and the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species criteria included. Data on the distribution and locality information for each taxon is also provided. Our findings demonstrate that Amasya might be an ecotone zone between the Mediterranean, Caucasian, and European ecosystems. Although there are some concerns for the sustainable dynamics of reptilian fauna, relatively rich and different European nature information system habitat types provide basic survival conditions for reptilian fauna in the province. © 2018, Gazi University Eti Mahallesi. All rights reserved.Item Data on nocturnal activity of Darevskia rudis (Bedriaga, 1886) (Sauria: Lacertidae) in Central Black Sea Region, Turkey(Institute for Biodiversity and Ecology, 2018) Afsar M.; Sahin M.K.; Afsar B.; çiçek K.; Tok C.V.Interactions between the environment and internal regulation drive the biophysiological dynamics of lizards. Although diurnal lizards are usually heliothermic, they can sometimes be active in the absence of sunlight. Here, we report, for the first time, a case of nocturnal behavior (aided by the artificial light) in the spiny-tailed lizard - Darevskia rudis (Bedriaga, 1886) - a species that normally exhibits diurnal activity. © 2018 Centre for Biodiversity of Montenegro.Item Conservation activities for Mountain viper, Montivipera albizona (Nilson, Andrén and Flärdh, 1990) in Anatolia, Turkey(Union of Scientists in Bulgaria - Plovdiv, 2018) Çiçek K.; Afsar M.; Bağda E.; Tok C.V.The Mountain viper, Montivipera albizona, is an endemic to Anatolia and distributes in Anatolian Diagonal, Anti-Taurus Mountains and Amanos Mountains. Unfortunately, the species faced serious threats within narrow distribution range. Here, we evaluated the present status and main threats of the Mountain viper by 60-days intensive fieldwork and interviews with locals. According to our data, the Mountain viper prefers the rocky and those mountainous and rugged areas covered with less vegetation and they are active from the beginning of April to end of November. In spring, it is possible to observe 1 to 5 individuals in the suitable habitats depending on its density. We prepared 5-year Action Plan for Turkish General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks and planned the roadmap for sustainability of the species with participation of regional administration, NGOs, and locals. We found that agricultural activities, overgrazing, road constructions, quarries, pet trade, sportive hunting, deliberate or accidental killing, and climatic change are the main threats on the Mountain viper in Anatolia. The main conservation measures include: creating some protected habitats in the high viper density regions, long-term monitoring survey to obtain data on its ecology and population trends, education and awareness raising activities among locals to prevent illegal collection/killing of the vipers. © Ecologia Balkanica.Item Observation on defensive behavior of two salamandrids: Ommatotriton vittatus (Gray, 1835) and Triturus ivanbureschi Arntzen & Wielstra, 2013(Editura Universitaria Craiova, 2019) Yakin B.Y.; çiçek K.; Afsar M.; Tok C.V.Amphibians developed various defensive strategies in order to be protected from predators and increase their survival success. One of these behaviors is called "immobility", in which during threat of predator attacks, amphibians stand still and then curl their tails and heads inward to show the "threatening" body coloration to the predator. Here, we report two cases of defensive behaviours in Southern banded newt from Mersin (Southern Anatolia) and Balkan crested newt from Manisa (Western Anatolia) under terrestrial stages. © 2019 Editura Universitaria Craiova.Item A new subspecies of Ottoman viper, Montivipera xanthina (Gray, 1849), (Squamata: Viperidae) from Geyik Mountains, Mediterranean Turkey(Institute for Biodiversity and Ecology, 2019) Afsar M.; Yakin B.Y.; ÇIçek K.; Ayaz D.A new Ottoman viper subspecies, M. xanthina varoli n. subsp., is described from the higher altitudes of Gundogmus (Antalya). The new subspecies differs from the other M. xanthina populations by pholidosis; higher number of intercanthals and lower number of subcaudalia. Also, the whiteness between windings or spots on dorsum pattern were observed in new subspecies, similar to the southern populations. Furthermore, the spots on the ventrals became denser in the mid-body and forms darker colorization at the end of body of the males and the tail tips are yellowish-orange or light orange on both sexes. © 2020, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecology.Item Conservation strategies for the Caucasus Viper, Vipera kaznakovi Nikolsky 1909, in the East Black Sea Region, Turkey; [Türkiye'de Doğu Karadeniz Bölgesi’nde Kafkasya Engereği, Vipera kaznakovi Nikolsky 1909 için koruma stratejileri](Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, 2020) Tok C.V.; Afsar M.; Çiçek K.We evaluated the current status and main threats to the Caucasus viper (Vipera kaznakovi Nikolsky 1909), from the East Black Sea Region, Turkey, via 21 days of intensive fieldwork and interviews with locals. We found that habitat loss and destruction, illegal collection, and intentional or accidental killings are the main threats to V. kaznakovi in the region. We prepared a 5-year Action Plan for the Turkish General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks and outline a strategy for promoting the sustainability of the species with participation of regional administrations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and locals. The major conservation measures include: (1) creating protected areas in regions with high viper densities (2) preventing and controlling illegal collection, (3) raising awareness among locals to reduce the intentional and accidental killing of vipers. Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.Item Action Plan for the Conservation of Endemic Anatolian Meadow Viper, Vipera anatolica Eiselt & Baran, 1970 in Southwestern Anatolia(Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, 2021) Tok C.V.; Afsar M.; Yakin B.Y.; Cicek K.The Anatolian viper, Vipera anatolica Eiselt & Baran, 1970, is the rarest, critically endangered, and endemic species in the western Taurus Mountains, Antalya, Turkey. Here, we evaluated the current status, potential threats, and recommended necessary conservation measures for Anatolian meadow viper. We created some activities during the 5-year species conservation action plan implemented by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks. We conducted 70-days extensive fieldworks between May and October 2016-2017 for determining the distribution, habitat characteristics, phenology, and population status of the species in the province of Antalya. We also interviewed locals and surveyed potential threats of Anatolian meadow viper. We detected only 10 specimens in the territory of the Ciglikara cedar forest reserve at altitudes between 1800 and 2300 m and only two specimens in the territory of Geyik Mountains at altitudes between 1600 and 1900 m. We determined the potential threats like habitat loss and degradation, quarry (especially for senliki subspecies), global climate change, illegal collecting, and willingly or accidentally killing of vipers. Major precautions to protect the species were determined as: (1) to establish protected habitat patches in the species' known distribution and to prohibit entrance and grazing activities, (2) to create alternative new habitats for reintroduction, (3) to plan long-term monitoring survey to obtain data on its ecology and population trends, (4) to start a captive breeding program, (5) to educate and raise awareness among locals to prevent illegal collecting, willingly or/and accidentally killing of specimens for the sustainability of Anatolian meadow viper. © 2021 Istanbul University-Cerrahpa?a. All right reserved.Item Unsustainable harvest of water frogs in southern Turkey for the European market(Cambridge University Press, 2021) Çiçek K.; Ayaz D.; Afsar M.; Bayrakcl Y.; Pekşen Ç.A.; Cumhuriyet O.; Ismail I.B.; Yenmiş M.; Üstündaǧ E.; Tok C.V.; Bilgin C.C.; Akçakaya H.R.Frogs have been harvested from the wild for the last 40 years in Turkey. We analysed the population dynamics of Anatolian water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) in the Seyhan and Ceyhan Deltas during 2013-2015. We marked a total of 13,811 individuals during 3 years, estimated population sizes, simulated the dynamics of a harvested population over 50 years, and collated frog harvest and export statistics from the region and for Turkey as a whole. Our capture estimates indicated a population reduction of c. 20% per year, and our population modelling showed that, if overharvesting continues at current rates, the harvested populations will decline rapidly. Simulations with a model of harvested population dynamics resulted in a risk of extinction of > 90% within 50 years, with extinction likely in c. 2032. Our interviews with harvesters revealed their economic dependence on the frog harvest. However, our results also showed that reducing harvest rates would not only ensure the viability of these frog populations but would also provide a source of income that is sustainable in the long term. Our study provides insights into the position of Turkey in the 'extinction domino' line, in which harvest pressure shifts among countries as frog populations are depleted and harvest bans are effected. We recommend that harvesting of wild frogs should be banned during the mating season, hunting and exporting of frogs < 30 g should be banned, and harvesters should be trained on species knowledge and awareness of regulations. Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna and Flora International.Item It takes two to tango - Phylogeography, taxonomy and hybridization in grass snakes and dice snakes (Serpentes: Natricidae: Natrix natrix, N. tessellata)(Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft, 2021) Asztalos M.; Ayaz D.; Bayrakci Y.; Afsar M.; Tok C.V.; Kindler C.; Jablonski D.; Fritz U.Using two mitochondrial DNA fragments and 13 microsatellite loci, we examined the phylogeographic structure and taxonomy of two codistributed snake species (Natrix natrix, N. tessellata) in their eastern distribution area, with a focus on Turkey. We found evidence for frequent interspecific hybridization, previously thought to be extremely rare, and for backcrosses. This underscores that closely related sympatric species should be studied together because otherwise the signal of hybridization will be missed. Further-more, the phylogeographic patterns of the two species show many parallels, suggestive of a shared biogeographic history. In general, the phylogeographies follow the paradigm of southern richness to northern purity, but the dice snake has some additional lineages in the south and east in regions where grass snakes do not occur. For both species, the Balkan Peninsula and the Caucasus region served as glacial refugia, with several mitochondrial lineages occurring in close proximity. Our results show that the mitochondrial divergences in both species match nuclear genomic differentiation. Yet, in the former glacial refugia of grass snakes there are fewer nuclear clusters than mitochondrial lineages, suggesting that Holocene range expansions transformed the glacial hotspots in melting pots where only the mitochondrial lineages persisted, bearing witness of former diversity. On the other hand, the deep mitochondrial divergences in N. tessellata across its entire range indicate that more than one species could be involved, even though lacking microsatellite data outside of Turkey prevent firm conclusions. On the contrary, our microsatellite and mitochondrial data corroborate that N. megalocephala is invalid and not differentiated from sympatric populations of N. natrix. For Cypriot grass snakes, our analyses yielded conflicting results. A critical assessment of the available evidence suggests that N. natrix is a genetically impoverished recent invader on Cyprus and taxonomically not distinct from a subspecies also occurring in western Anatolia and the southern Balkans. Based on combined mitochondrial and nuclear genomic evidence we propose that for grass snakes the following subspecies should be recognized in our study region: (1) Natrix natrix vulgaris Laurenti, 1768, southeastern Central Europe and northern Balkans; (2) Natrix natrix moreotica (Bedriaga, 1882), southern Balkans, western Anatolia, and Cyprus; and (3) Natrix natrix scutata (Pallas, 1771), eastern Anatolia, Caucasus region, Iran, northeastern distribution range (from eastern Poland and Finland to Kazakhstan and the Lake Baikal region). Thus, Natrix natrix cypriaca (Hecht, 1930) becomes a junior synonym of N. n. moreotica and Natrix natrix persa (Pallas, 1814) becomes a junior synonym of N. n. scutata. Due to insufficient material, we could not resolve the status of Natrix natrix syriaca (Hecht, 1930) from the Gulf of Iskenderun, southeastern Turkey. Copyright Marika Asztalos et al.