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Lyciasalamandra fazilae (Fazıla’s Lycian salamander / Fazıla’nın Kara Semenderi)

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Lyciasalamandra fazilae (Fazıla’s Lycian salamander / Fazıla’nın Kara Semenderi)


Lyciasalamandra fazilae (Fazıla’s Lycian salamander / Fazıla’nın Kara Semenderi) from Ortaca, Muğla

This terrestrial tailed-amphibian beauty is restricted to the southern Anatolian coast, Turkey, where it is found from north-west of Fethiye to the eastern shore of Köyceğiz Gölü (KoycegizLake). It is also found on the islands of Tersane and Domuz. It ranges from sea level up to 1,000m asl. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. It is threatened by habitat loss. The species is viviparous, producing one or two fully metamorphosed young; the gestation period is about one year.

This taxon was formerly considered to be a subspecies of Mertensiella lushchani. It has been elevated to species level, and assigned to the genus Lyciasalamandra. The genus with 7 species (L. luschani-from Fethiye, Dodurga, Kaş & Finike, Meyisti & Kekova islands) , L. atifi-from Alanya (Türbelinaz) to Akseki, L. antalyana- from Antalya (around Yağca Köyü, Kedetler), L. billae-from Kale (Antalya), L. fazilae, L. flavimembris- from Marmaris (Muğla) and L. helverseni-Carpatos island) ranges from Greece to the south and southwest of Turkey as well as some islands including Meyisti, Kekova (Tristoma) and Carpathos.

Fazıla’s Lycian salamander differs from all other Lycian salamander species and subspecies (L. l. luschani, L. l. basoglui & L. l. finikensis) by its ground colour and pattern. In adult animals the upper side of head and trunk is orange red. The maculations on the head and back are light brown to dark brown, of irregular shape and size, but usually not so widespread as to hide the red ground colour. The total maximal length is 14.1 cm.

References:  1. Göçmen, B. (Unpub. results). The results of herpetological trips. 2. Başoğlu, M. & Atatür, M.(1974). The subspecific division of the Lycian Salamander, Mertensiella luschani (Steindachner) in Southwestern Anatolia. IstanbulÜniv. Fen Fak. Mec. Seri B, 39 (3-4): 147-155. 3. Başoğlu, M. & Atatür, M. (1975). A new population of the Lycian Salamander, .Mertensiella luschani (Steindachner) from Finike in Southwestern Anatolia. IstanbulÜniv. Fen Fak. Mec. Seri B, 40 (1-4): 89-93. 4. Veith, M. & Steinfartz, S. (2004). When non-monophyly results in taxonomic consequences – the case Mertensiella within the Salamandridae (Amphibia: Urodela). Salamandra, 40 (1): 67-80. 5. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008]. 6. Franzen, M., Bußmann, M., Kordges, T. & Thiesmeier, B. (2008). Die Amphibien und Reptilien der Südwest-Turkei. Supplement der Zeitschrift für Feldherpetologie 14, Laurenti Verlag, Bielefeld, Germany, 328pp. 


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Author Bayram GÖÇMEN
Created on Monday 29 March 2010
Posted on Thursday 20 January 2011
Tags Muğla, TURKEY / TÜRKİYE
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