O. G. Dely szerk.: Vertebrata Hungarica 21. (Budapest, 1982)
Rustamov, A. K. ; Shammakov, S.: On the herpetofauna of Turkmenistan 215-226. o.
(Table 3. coat.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Boiga trigonatum + ++ + + Psammophis lineolatum + ++ + + + Naja oxiana + + + ++ Vipera lebetina + + ++ Echis carinatus + ++ + + + Agkistrodon halys + ++ + Species characteristic of the given biotope are marked with {++), and those non-characteristic with (+) Data from Table 4 give an idea of the vertical distribution of the species of reptiles in question. It can be seen from this table that many species do not penetrate up in the mountains as high as in other parts of Central Asia, in Kazakhstan, in the Crimea, in the Caucasus, in Afghanistan, in Pakistan and in Iran. This is due to the ecological conditions favourable to reptiles being restricted to medium-altitude highlands in Turkmenistan. The fact that our ridges are "mountains in the desert" is also of significance. The desert conditions affect them rather seriously and that is why the reptiles of the plains penetrate into the mountains up to the aridity limits along certain ecological channels. 3. Abundance The abundance of reptilian species in Lowland Turkmenistan is given in Table 5. According to the scale adopted here, species with 10 and more individuals per hectare are attributed to the category of "abundant". There are 7 such species in the herpetofauna of Lowland Turkmenistan. In cases with 1 to 10 individuals per ha the species fall in the category of "common". There are 29 such species. Finally, 17 species of the herpetofauna belong with the category of "uncommon" and "rare", their densities do not exceed 1 individual per 1 ha. Here, however, certain reservations are needed. The abundant species of Alsoph.ylax laevi s, A. loricatu s and A. pipien s have an extremely limited distribution. Due to the development of arid lands, their habitats are being heavily degraded and therefore the populations of these species are decreasing and being scattered. For this reason these species are included in the Red Data Book oi the U.S.S.R. (second edition, under preparation for publication) and in the Red Data Book of the Turkmen S.S.R. For that matter, take Phrynocephalus maculatu s: this lizard is shown in Table 5 as being a common species because its relic population in a small area has an average of 4.3 individuals per 1 ha. But in fact this population is in danger of extinction. Intensive hydro-economic work is being carried out in its habitats. In order to prevent the total extinction of the population, some of the individuals have been recently transferred to secure places. The species, though attributed to the category of "common", is indicated in the Red Data Book of the U.S.S.R. and is included in the Red Data Book of the Turkmen S.S.R. for the reason of its relic population being in imminent danger of extinction. Discussing the abundance of reptiles, some facts should be dwelt on concerning cheir concentration over rather small areas. Thus, for example, in one of the fruit orchards situated within an encirclement of cotton plantations in the north of Turkmenistan, about 2.000 individuals of the species Ablepharus desert i were found on 1 hectare. Concentrations of Gymnodactylus ca spiu s were recorded in abandoned mud houses. Up to 900 individuals of this species were counted up within 15 such constructions. About 3.500 individuals of Natrix te s sel lat a were counted in a water basin of about 0.2 ha in area in the southwest of Turkmenistan (SHAMMAKOV & VELIKANOV 1980). About 120 individuals of Echis carinatu 3 per 1 ha were found to inhabit the ruins of an old fortress and its neighbourhood in the south of Turkmenistan. These and other observations on the concentration of reptiles are connected with the availability of food and protection conditions favourable to them, found in small areas.
