O. G. Dely szerk.: Vertebrata Hungarica 21. (Budapest, 1982)
Alekperov, A. M.: The present state of rare and threatened species and subspecies of herpetofauna in Azerbaidzhan 19-24. o.
clearsings of forests and during the breeding season fenwoods, too. The reproduction of this subspecies has not been studied as yet. Particular conservation measures have not yet been elaborated. REPTILIA Testudo graeca ibera Pallas, 1814 The distribution and size of the populations of this species decrease rapidly. It may be encountered everywhere and it inhabits dry steppes and semideserts, hilly and shrubby submountain regions, as well as lowland forests and orchards. Along a 10 km route in the Shirvansteppe under shrubs 21 individuals were found, in orchards and vegetable gardens 17, on riverand canal-banks 17, and in fields 7 specimens (ALEKPEROV & SHARIFOV 1968). The Testudo graeca lber a reaches sexual maturity at the age of 12-14 years. Mating is observable from April to May, sometimes to the middle of June. Females lay eggs three times a year: in June, July and August (BANNIKOV 1951). Remains of young turtles may be found in stomachs of foxes and predatory birds. The decrease of its population size during the last 20 years was caused by uncontrolled hunting and by the tillage of the natural habitats of this subspecies (ALEKPEROV 1975), which is under protection in the Shirvan Natural Conservancy Area. This species has been entered into the Red Book of USSR (DAREVSKIÏ 1975). Agama ruderata Olivier, 1804 This is a rare species with decreasing population size. It lives in the south and south-east of Azerbaidzhan, in Dzhabrail and Zangelan districts and in Zuvand (ALEKPEROV 1978, ALEKPEROV & DZAFAROVA 1978, DROZDOV 1966). It inhabits arid stony places, the precipices of mountain steppes and river valleys with scattered vegetation (ALEKPEROV 1978, ALEKPEROV & DZAFAROVA 1978). Along a 1 km route in Dzhebrall district (near the village Shuku-Breili) 4 or 5 individuals were found. Its reproduction and mating system have not been studied sufficiently. This lizard has been entered into the Red Book of USSR, but particular measures for its protection have not been elaborated so far. It needs protection on the unbroken lands near the village Shuku-Breili, district Dzhebrall. Phrynocephalus helioscopus (Pallas, 1771) This species with of its populations decreasing in size and number has a restricted area of occurrence in Nakhitshevan ASSR, in the south-eastern part of Azerbaidzhan (Zuvand), and in a small area on the south-eastern half of the Apsheron peninsula (between stations Puta and Karadag), but at the last locality it has been rarely found in recent years. This lizard inhabits small takirs, i.e. the dry grounds of temporary lakelets with solonchaksoil, sand-hills, as well as on gritty soils with scattered vegetation. On a wheat-field of half a hectare with 10-12 individuals of were counted (S.K. DZHAFAROVA, pers comm.). The mating in this lizard has been studied unsatisfactorily. Reduction of its population size in Nakhitshevan ASSR may be ascribed to the tilling of takirs, which are its biotopes of primary importance. Particular conservation measures have not been elaborated as yet. It will be necessary to take some takirs under natural conservancy in Nakhitshevan ASSR (ALEKPEROV 1978). Mabuya aurata (Linnaeus, 1758) It is a rare lizard species of Azerbaidzhan and has been found in the Ordubad district of Nakhitshevan ASSR, where it Is represented by the subspecies Mabuya aurata septemtaenlata (Reuss). It inhabits semi-deserts and rarely submountain regions with rock-glaciers covered by xerophytous plant communities. In a course of a two-hour excursion, only 5 individuals of this subspecies of lizard were found. The size of its populations, however is constant (ALEKPEROV 1978, CHERNOV 1939). Particular conservation measures for this species have not been elaborated as yet.
