TEHLİKE ALTINDAKİ URMİYE SEMENDERİ, NEUGERGUS CROCATUS COPE, 1862UN EKOLOJİSİ VE KORUNMASI

Proje no. 417 · Durum: Kapanmış · 2012

Özet

February 2023, 128 pagesNeurergus crocatus, Hakkari Spotted Newt, inhabits southeast Turkey, northern Iraq and Northwest Iran. This newt is listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List of Threatened species. Despite the species being under threat, there is almost no data about its life history, exact distribution range, ecology, and population status. During this study, extensive field surveys were carried out across the potential range of N. crocatus and data about distribution, habitat, water quality, population size and threats were collected.Field studies were carried out during the daytime using Visual Encounter Survey in the present and potential distribution areas during the active period of the newt in April–July between 2010 and 2017. During the 34 field studies carried out in Turkey, Iran and Iraq, 69 localities were surveyed, and species-specific evidence was found in 28 localities. A total of 536 salamanders, many larvae and egg clutches were observed in these localities. The Distribution Area of N. crocatus was calculated as 17,842.14 km2 by the Minimum Convex Polygon method covering all localities. The maximum linear distance of the Species Distribution Area is 185.70 km. Clustering is observed since the Nearest Neighbor Distances Index of the localities in the Distribution Area is 0.389459 <1. The species is distributed in Southeastern Anatolia and Northern Zagros Mountains at an altitude of 646–2249 m above sea level.During our field studies, the total body length of 413 individuals (214 ♂♂ and 199 ♀♀) was measured and the samples were released to the area right after. The total body length of females ranged from 11.9 to 19.2 cm (Avg.= 15.36±1.10, n=199) and of males ranged from 11.0 to 15.7 cm (Avg.= 13.51±0.82, n=214). The average total body length of females is greater than that of males. Mean total body length values differed significantly between the sexes (Student t test; t = 18.752, df = 411, P<0.05). Sexual size and shape dimorphism was observed between males and females. Using the “Mark-Recapture” method, population size estimation was applied for only some Iranian populations using the Lincoln-Petersen Index. It is the first time that population size estimation information was provided for the species.Within the scope of this study, the physicochemical properties of water samples belonging to 37 localities were examined; 28 localities where the species was found, and 9 localities where the species was not found during the field study. The values obtained from the water analysis of aquatic habitats samples compared with the relevant literature shows the waters in which the species is found are generally classified as first quality (very good) and none of the parameters are within the toxic range. In addition, to measure the effect of water physicochemical parameters on the presence of the species in the aquatic habitat, Present/Absent localities were analyzed with Binary Logistic Regression in terms of water parameters. According to the results of the analysis, it has been determined that the water physicochemical parameters do not affect the presence of the species.Threat factors observed in the habitats of the species during the study were; habitat degradation and habitat loss, drought and climate change, environmental pollution, superstitions and the collection of salamanders for scientific, commercial or personal collection purposes. In the light of this information, appropriate conservation strategies and action plans were suggested for species.Keywords: Conservation, Neuregus crocatus, Ecology, Habitate, Populastion, Threatened, Vulnerable

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