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Hyla intermedia is an endemic Italian tree frog species, distributed from the southern edge of the Alpine massif to the tip of Calabria and into Sicily. Previously referred as the widespread Hyla arborea, it has only recently been recognized as a distinct species. It shows a bright, uniformly green dorsal coloration. We report a previously unknown colour variant, displayed by an individual collected in Salento Peninsula. It differs from the typical form by its dark olive-brown background color with a contrasting marbled pattern on its dorsal and lateral surfaces. Similarly to typical individuals, this specimen was able to lighten its background color under the effect of stress, but its unusual marbled pattern was permanent. Marbled patterns are also known in other Hyla species, but were not so far recorded in H. intermedia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic structure and dispersal dynamics of reptile populations are profoundly influenced by natural processes and human activities. While natural dispersal is shaped by species' characteristics and paleogeographical features, human-mediated translocations have become increasingly prevalent, posing ecological challenges. Mitochondrial genetic markers have been pivotal in untangling invasion pathways for various species. Our study focuses on the Dalmatian Algyroides, Algyroides nigropunctatus (Duméril & Bibron, 1839), a lizard species endemic to the Balkan Peninsula, where recent observations in the Apulian region of Italy suggest an introduced population. Genetic analyses employing two mtDNA markers (16S and ND4 genes) elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of the Dalmatian Algyroides and trace the geographic origin of the introduced population. Our findings reveal areas in western Greece and southwestern Albania as the most probable areas of the source population, while we identify two previously undetected geographical lineages in the native range, highlighting the complex evolutionary history of the species in the region. Additionally, indications of potential glacial refugia and post-glacial dispersal patterns shed more light on the species' demographic dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the diet of Vipera aspis hugyi (South-Italian Asp Viper).

Natural history museums are irreplaceable tools to study and preserve the biological diversity around the globe and among the primary actors in the recognition of species and the logical repositories for their type specimens. In this paper we surveyed the consistency of the preserved specimens of amphibians and reptiles housed in the major Italian scientific collections, and verified the presence of threatened species according to the IUCN Red List, including the Extinct (EX), Extinct in the Wild (EW), Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), and Vulnerable (VU) categories. Altogether, we analyzed 39 Italian zoological collections. We confirmed the presence of one extinct reptile (Chioninia coctei) and five extinct or extinct in the wild amphibian species (Atelopus longirostris, Nectophrynoides asperginis, Pseudophilautus leucorhinus, P. nasutus, and P. variabilis). Seven CR amphibians, fourteen CR reptile species and the extinct skink C. coctei are shared by more than one institution. Museums which host the highest number of threatened and extinct amphibian species are respectively Turin (17 CR and 1 EX), Florence (13 CR and 1 EX), and Trento (15 CR and 1 EW), while for reptiles the richest museums are those from Genoa (15 CR and 1 EX), Florence (11 CR and 1 EX), and Pisa (7 CR). Finally, we discussed the utility of natural history museums and the strategies to follow for the implementation of their functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atractaspidines are poorly studied, fossorial snakes that are found throughout Africa and western Asia, including the Middle East. We employed concatenated gene-tree analyses and divergence dating approaches to investigate evolutionary relationships and biogeographic patterns of atractaspidines with a multi-locus data set consisting of three mitochondrial (16S, cyt b, and ND4) and two nuclear genes (c-mos and RAG1). We sampled 91 individuals from both atractaspidine genera (Atractaspis and Homoroselaps). Additionally, we used ancestral-state reconstructions to investigate fang and diet evolution within Atractaspidinae and its sister lineage (Aparallactinae). Our results indicated that current classification of atractaspidines underestimates diversity within the group. Diversification occurred predominantly between the Miocene and Pliocene. Ancestral-state reconstructions suggest that snake dentition in these taxa might be highly plastic within relatively short periods of time to facilitate adaptations to dynamic foraging and life-history strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new stiletto snake, Atractaspis, from western Liberia and southeastern Guinea. The new species shares with morphologically similar western African Atractaspis species, A. reticulata and A. corpulenta, the fusion of the 2nd infralabial with the inframaxillary. From A. corpulenta the new species differs by a more slender body (276-288 ventrals and 19 or 20 dorsal scale rows versus 178-208 ventrals with 23-29 dorsal scale rows), a divided anal plate and divided subcaudal scales (both non-divided in A. corpulenta). The new species differs from most A. reticulata by having 19 or 20 dorsal scale rows at midbody (versus 21-23, rarely 19), and a lower ventral count (276-288 versus 304-370). The new species thus has a relatively longer tail: snout-vent-length / tail-length in the female holotype (15.7) and paratype (21.5) versus a mean of 23.6 in seven female A. reticulata. The new Atractaspis likely is endemic to the western part of the Upper Guinea forest zone and thus adds to the uniqueness of this diverse and threatened biogeographic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the snake subfamily Aparallactinae occur in various habitats throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The monophyly of aparallactine snakes is well established, but relationships within the subfamily are poorly known. We sampled 158 individuals from six of eight aparallactine genera in sub-Saharan Africa. We employed concatenated gene-tree analyses, divergence dating approaches, and ancestral-area reconstructions to infer phylogenies and biogeographic patterns with a multi-locus data set consisting of three mitochondrial ( 16S , cyt b, and ND4 ) and two nuclear genes ( c-mos and RAG1 ). As a result, we uncover several cryptic lineages and elevate a lineage of Polemon to full species status. Diversification occurred predominantly during the Miocene, with a few speciation events occurring subsequently in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Biogeographic analyses suggested that the Zambezian biogeographic region, comprising grasslands and woodlands, facilitated radiations, vicariance, and dispersal for many aparallactines. Moreover, the geographic distributions of many forest species were fragmented during xeric and cooler conditions, which likely led to diversification events. Biogeographic patterns of aparallactine snakes are consistent with previous studies of other sub-Saharan herpetofauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]