Herpetofaunal Diversity of Şanlıurfa Province (southeastern Turkey) with Comments on the Taxonomic Status of Platyceps karelini in Turkey

Abstract

In this study, we report the amphibians and reptile species from Şanlıurfa Province. We conducted fieldwork for 60 days between 2016 – 2018 and additionally, we used the observation data from previous field excursions during the period from 2005 to 2016. A total of 53 amphibians and reptiles (six anurans, three chelonians, one amphisbaenian, twenty-one lizards, and twenty-two snake species) were reported from Şanlıurfa Province. A colubrid snake Platyceps ventromaculatus previously reported for the Turkey is misidentified P. karelini confirming that P. ventromaculatus does not occur in Turkey.