Comparative Morphology of Trunk and Sacral Vertebrae of Tailed Amphibians of Russia and Adjacent Countries

Vyacheslav Yu. Ratnikov, Spartak N. Litvinchuk

Abstract


Trunk and sacral vertebrae of three species of the family Hynobiidae (Onychodactylus fischeri, Ranodon sibiricus, and Salamandrella keyserlingii) and nine species of the family Salamandridae (Lissotriton montandoni, Lissotriton vulgaris, Mertensiella caucasica, Mesotriton alpestris, Ommatotriton ophryticus, Salamandra salamandra, Triturus cristatus, Triturus dobrogicus, and Triturus karelinii) were studied. Analysis of individual variation of vertebrae of these species along the axial column and systematic descriptions of these species are given. Our comparative analysis revealed that all species studied have peculiarities which allow diagnosing them. Geographic variation in height of neurapophysis was found in Triturus karelinii. Specimens of the species from the Crimea and the Balkans have low neurapophyses, and newts from eastern Georgia and Dagestan are characterized by high ones.

Keywords


Salamandridae; Hynobiidae; trunk vertebrae; sacrum

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2007-14-3-177-190

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