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Showing 4 results for Morphology
Shell utilization pattern of the Hermit crab Clibanarius rhabdodactylus Forest, 1953 on rocky shores of the Saurashtra coast, Gujarat State, India
Pooja R Patel, Krupal J Patel, Kauresh D Vachhrajani, Jigneshkumar N Trivedi,
Volume 2, Issue 4 (12-2020)
Abstract
The present study deals with gastropod shell utilization of the hermit crab, Clibanarius rhabdodactylus Forest on the rocky intertidal zone of the Saurashtra coast, Gujarat State, India. Collection of the specimens was carried out using a hand-picking method in June and December 2018 during low tide. The hermit crab weight (HW) and shield length (SL) were measured and sorted in different class intervals of 1 mm each. Gastropod shells were identified and morphological variables such as shell dry weight (DW), shell length (SHL), shell volume (SHV), shell aperture length (SAL), and shell aperture width (SAW) were recorded. A total of 2000 individuals of C. rhabdodactylus were collected, occupying 29 different species of gastropod shells. Males and non-ovigerous females occupied a greater number of gastropod shell species (25 and 27 respectively) as compared to ovigerous females (23 species). Males and ovigerous females preferred larger shells as compared to non-ovigerous females. Cerithium caeruleum (Sowerby II) (67.1%) was the highest occupied gastropod shell species followed by Lunella coronata (Gmelin), Tenguella granulata (Duclos) and Turbo bruneus (Roding). Regression analysis showed a moderate relationship between the different morphological variables of hermit crabs and gastropod shells; the highest values of coefficient of determination were obtained between hermit wet weight and gastropod shell dry weight. The values of relationship between different morphological variables of hermit crabs and gastropod shells suggest that shell architecture has a significant impact on shell utilization patterns of C. rhabdodactylus.

Biological aspectss of the Marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus population from the Shadegan Wetland, Khuzestan Province, Iran
Ashraf Jazayeri, Fahimeh Saberi, Tayebeh Mohammadi,
Volume 3, Issue 1 (3-2021)
Abstract
The Marsh frog, Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas) is distributed in Central Europe from northeastern France, north to the southern shorelines of the Baltic Sea (and extreme southern Finland), south to northeastern Spain, northern Italy and the Balkans including eastern Greece, east to approximately 81° E in Asiatic Russia, and south to western Iran and Afghanistan. The present study has been conducted on populations of P. ridibundus in the northern, eastern and southern regions of the Shadegan Wetland of Khuzestan Province, Iran with the aim of examining some aspects of its morphology and karyotype. Frog specimens were collected from different portions of the Shadegan Wetland during spring and autumn 2016 and transferred to the laboratory. According to the morphological results, three color patterns are identified among the samples in terms of the morphology, morphometry and sex - according to the sex independency test. T-test results between males and females indicate a significant difference in all traits and the results of a T2 Hotelling test show that there is sexual dimorphism between males and females. However, the results of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) illustrate a separation between males of the northern region and the two other regions, and no differentiation between females in the eastern and southern regions of the wetland. The karyotype of the species in the wetland included 2n = 26, one pair of which had a sex chromosome.
 

On further specimens of the Pit viper Trimeresurus erythrurus (Cantor, 1839) (Squamata: Viperidae), with description of a topotype and range extension to the Godavari Basin, peninsular India
Kaushik Deuti, Ramaswamy Aengals, Sujoy Raha, Sudipta Debnath, Ponnusamy Sathiyaselvam, Sumaithangi Rajagopalan Ganesh,
Volume 3, Issue 1 (3-2021)
Abstract
We report on a topotypical specimen of the spot-tailed pit viper Trimeresurus erythrurus recorded from Sunderbans in India and a distant, southerly, range extension from Kakinada mangroves, based on preserved (n= 1, seen in 2019) and live uncollected (n= 2; seen in 2014) specimens, respectively. The specimens (n= 3) share the following characteristics: verdant green dorsum, yellow iris, white ventrolateral stripes in males, 23 midbody scale rows, 161–172 ventrals, 61–76 subcaudals, and reddish tail tip. Drawing on the published records, its apparent rarity within its type locality and lack of records from the Circar Coast of India, our study significantly adds to the knowledge of the distribution and morphology of this species. Being a medically important venomous snake, its presence in the Godavari mangrove basin calls for wider dissemination of this information among medical practitioners, in addition to fundamental researchers like academics and herpetologists.

Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Lytorhynchus Peters, 1863 (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae) with special reference to the Iranian taxa
Naeim Moradi, Soheila Shafiei Bafti, Mohammad Ebrahim Sehhatisabet, Behzad Zadhoush, Eskandar Rastegar-Pouyani,
Volume 5, Issue 4 (10-2023)
Abstract
The genus Lytorhynchus, spanning from the Sahara’s western fringes to the Middle East, eastern Pakistan, and northwestern India, has seen numerous species and subspecies classifications over the years. Many of these have been deemed synonymous due to overlapping morphological traits, a problem compounded by the absence of a comprehensive phylogenetic study. The taxa residing in Iran exhibit morphological variations attributable to their broad distribution and disjunct populations. Of the seven recognized species, three have been confirmed in Iran, although some populations display pholidosis distinct from initial descriptions. Species identification has also been fraught with ambiguities. This study aims to elucidate the diagnostic characteristics of taxa and furnish an updated identification key by revisiting past studies and examining new voucher specimens. The biogeography of Iranian taxa is also explored.

 

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