Melanistic zootoca

[Paul Lambourne]

Whilst out berus spotting this weekend I found this little stunner.. I think both Jurgen and Peter would approve I was really stoked to see this little fella.. its my first melanistic zootoca and to see it it in the UK was mint.. I am not all about the berus

standard zootoca..but still cute

Cheers Paul

[Peter Oefinger]

Cool - never seen that!

[Paul Lambourne]

Peter,

It would appear the site holds a small colony of these cool little black lizards.. if your every over in Blighty, give me a shout..

Cheers Paul

[Andre Schmid]

I also miss this cool black lizards. Very nice animal, congrats

[Jürgen Gebhart]

I think the “normal” are much nicer than the blacks, but it is always a big surprise, excited and pretty cool to find them.
Black rocks (sorry Jeroen )

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

Joking aside, I would of course also like to see that some day.

Supposedly, this melanism follows the standard Mendelian genetics, so the occurrence of more than one together becomes indeed plausible, as soon as 2 black parents mate. Being black naturally allows for swifter heat retention, yet might cause elevated predation risk, so it's an alternative strategy with ups and downs (of course also applies to Vipera species with more regular presence of black animals alongside 'normal' ones in the same population). Sorry if you all already knew this...

[Michal Szkudlarek]

Are Zootoca vivipara pannonica and Zootoca vivipara sachalinensis nowadays considered as synonyms of Zootoca vivipara vivipara?
Greetings

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

Are Zootoca vivipara pannonica and Zootoca vivipara sachalinensis nowadays considered as synonyms of Zootoca vivipara vivipara?

Good question - Mario, any idea from Werner maybe? I'm too lazy to check

[Mario Schweiger]

Comment from Werner - for my herps database (will be online until Christmas):

sachaliensis is a "nomen nudum" - therefore not valid!
pannonica (or what people think they are) are a mixture of different haplotypes. If ever, the name pannonica should only be used for specimens close from the terra typica.

Mario

[Mario Schweiger]

I have to leave now.
More details during late afternoon to evening!

Mario