The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of <i>Alsophylax</i> (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Uzbekistan
The high level of endemism in Fergana Valley has been well documented in numerous studies for various groups of animals and plants. In a relatively small area, there are 45 endemic plant species, five endemic insect species, and five endemic reptile species. In surveying this area for data on distri...
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| author | Roman A. Nazarov Timur V. Abduraupov Evgeniya Yu. Shepelya Mariya A. Gritsina Daniel A. Melnikov Matthew D. Buehler Jack D. Lapin Nikolay A. Poyarkov Jesse L. Grismer |
| author_facet | Roman A. Nazarov Timur V. Abduraupov Evgeniya Yu. Shepelya Mariya A. Gritsina Daniel A. Melnikov Matthew D. Buehler Jack D. Lapin Nikolay A. Poyarkov Jesse L. Grismer |
| author_sort | Roman A. Nazarov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The high level of endemism in Fergana Valley has been well documented in numerous studies for various groups of animals and plants. In a relatively small area, there are 45 endemic plant species, five endemic insect species, and five endemic reptile species. In surveying this area for data on distribution, abundance, acoustics, and genetic samples for species of reptiles, we discovered two new species of gecko from the genus <i>Alsophylax</i>. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences indicate the relatives of these new species are the even-fingered gecko, <i>Alsophylax pipiens</i>, and the southern even-fingered gecko, <i>Alsophylax laevis</i>, located hundreds of kilometers to the northwest and southwest of the Fergana Valley. The threats to these new endemic species are significant given the amount of continued agricultural development that involves new territories previously considered “unsuitable” for any species of significance that is leading to the further reduction in, fragmentation of, and degradation of the remaining natural ecosystems in the Fergana Valley. The conservation of these rare and locally endemic species depends directly on the readiness of the state to create areas with IUCN I and II protection. The many studies documenting levels of endemism, along with the data published in this study, are the basis for the justification for state-protected areas in the Fergana Valley. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:32:21Z |
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| id | doaj.art-780b52d6cc2846d79a1cad9bfba24b83 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:32:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-780b52d6cc2846d79a1cad9bfba24b832023-11-18T22:34:06ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-08-011315251610.3390/ani13152516The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of <i>Alsophylax</i> (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern UzbekistanRoman A. Nazarov0Timur V. Abduraupov1Evgeniya Yu. Shepelya2Mariya A. Gritsina3Daniel A. Melnikov4Matthew D. Buehler5Jack D. Lapin6Nikolay A. Poyarkov7Jesse L. Grismer8Zoological Museum, Lomonosov Moscow State University, B. Nikitskaya 2, 125009 Moscow, RussiaInstitute of Zoology Academy of Science of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Bagishamol Str., 232b, Tashkent 100053, UzbekistanZoological Museum, Lomonosov Moscow State University, B. Nikitskaya 2, 125009 Moscow, RussiaInstitute of Zoology Academy of Science of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Bagishamol Str., 232b, Tashkent 100053, UzbekistanZoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, 199034 St. Petersburg, RussiaDepartment of Biological Sciences and Museum of Natural History, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USABiodiversity Institute, Dyche Hall, University of Kansas, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045, USAFaculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, RussiaDepartment of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA 92505, USAThe high level of endemism in Fergana Valley has been well documented in numerous studies for various groups of animals and plants. In a relatively small area, there are 45 endemic plant species, five endemic insect species, and five endemic reptile species. In surveying this area for data on distribution, abundance, acoustics, and genetic samples for species of reptiles, we discovered two new species of gecko from the genus <i>Alsophylax</i>. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences indicate the relatives of these new species are the even-fingered gecko, <i>Alsophylax pipiens</i>, and the southern even-fingered gecko, <i>Alsophylax laevis</i>, located hundreds of kilometers to the northwest and southwest of the Fergana Valley. The threats to these new endemic species are significant given the amount of continued agricultural development that involves new territories previously considered “unsuitable” for any species of significance that is leading to the further reduction in, fragmentation of, and degradation of the remaining natural ecosystems in the Fergana Valley. The conservation of these rare and locally endemic species depends directly on the readiness of the state to create areas with IUCN I and II protection. The many studies documenting levels of endemism, along with the data published in this study, are the basis for the justification for state-protected areas in the Fergana Valley.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/15/2516reptilesconservationtaxonomyGekkonidae<i>Alsophylax</i>Fergana Valley |
| spellingShingle | Roman A. Nazarov Timur V. Abduraupov Evgeniya Yu. Shepelya Mariya A. Gritsina Daniel A. Melnikov Matthew D. Buehler Jack D. Lapin Nikolay A. Poyarkov Jesse L. Grismer The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of <i>Alsophylax</i> (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Uzbekistan Animals reptiles conservation taxonomy Gekkonidae <i>Alsophylax</i> Fergana Valley |
| title | The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of <i>Alsophylax</i> (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Uzbekistan |
| title_full | The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of <i>Alsophylax</i> (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Uzbekistan |
| title_fullStr | The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of <i>Alsophylax</i> (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Uzbekistan |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of <i>Alsophylax</i> (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Uzbekistan |
| title_short | The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of <i>Alsophylax</i> (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Uzbekistan |
| title_sort | fergana valley is an isolate of biodiversity a discussion of the endemic herpetofauna and description of two new species of i alsophylax i sauria gekkonidae from eastern uzbekistan |
| topic | reptiles conservation taxonomy Gekkonidae <i>Alsophylax</i> Fergana Valley |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/15/2516 |
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