Morphological, Osteological and Serological Investigations on Bufo viridis (Anura: Bufonidae) Populations in Turkey

Authors: MURAT TOSUNOĞLU

Abstract: In this study, 863 (446 males ; 417 females ) adults and 120 juvenile B.viridis specimens collected from various localities in Turkey were examined by morphological, osteological and serological methods. Our results did not establish any qualitative or quantitative differences which are significant between the populations examined. However the populations from the southern parts of Anatolia (Mersin, Adana, Antakya and Urfa) were found to be relatively different than those of the other regions of Turkey in colour and pattern. By polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis, blood serum proteins generally could be seperated into 9-13 fractions or fraction groups. The qualititative comparison of the serum proteins established that the populations from the southern parts of Anatolia showed some differences from the other samples especially in the globulines group. Based on the analyses conducted, we are of the opinion that all of the populations of B.viridis in Turkey belong to the nominate race.

Keywords: Amphibia, Bufo viridis, Morphology, Osteology, Serology

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