1997

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 7, pp. 27-31

On the Distribution of Diploid and Tetraploid Green Toads of the Bufo Viridis
Complex (Anura; Bufonidae) in Southern Kazakhstan
Tatjaina Dujsebayeva

1,Sergio Castellano 2 Cristina Giacoma 2 Emilio Balletto 2.

,AND GAETANO ODIERNA,

3

Department of Biology, Kazakh State University. Timirjaseva Street, 46. Almaty, 480121 Kazakhstan;.

-Department of Animal Biology, University of Torino, \ ia Accademia Alhertina 1 7. 1-10123. Torino, Italy;

Department of Comparative and Evolutionary Biology, University ofNapoli. Via Mezzocannone 8, ISO 1 34,Napoli, Italy-115 specimens of Green Toads belonging to the Bufo viridis complex were sampled from 8
populations in south Kazakhstan during the breeding seasons of 1994 and 1995. Subsequent karyological

Abstract.

analysis revealed a single diploid population (Kopa) with a 2n=22 karyotype and large snout-vent length. Allother seven populations proved tetraploid with a 4n=44 karyotype and smaller size.
Information on thedistribution of diploid and tetraploid toads in southern Kazakhstan is discussed in connection withKey words:

Amphibia. Bufonidae. diploid Bufo

viridis, tetraploid

previous data.

Bufo danatensis Kazakhstan, geographic

distribution.

Introduction

Kazakhstan, however, the vast territory of this Republic is still

Following the discovery of some polyploid Asiatic
Green Toad populations (Masik et al. 1976) and thedescription of a new species, Bufo danatensis Pisanetz(Pisanetz 1978). two distinct species, diploid Bufo vir-very poor studied in this respect.

In
1994-1995 a combined expedition by theDepartment of Animal Biology of the University ofTorino (Italy) and the Department of Biology ofidis and tetraploid Bufo danatensis. have been known

Kazakh State University at Almaty (Kazakhstan) car-occur in ex Soviet central Asia, where only Bufo

ried out some field work on the Bufo viridis complex

toviridis Laurenti,

in south1768 was formerly recognized.

Using literature data on a number of populations(Bachmann et al. 1978; Pisanetz 1978; Pisanetz andSzczerbak

1979;

Pisanetz etal.

1985; Toktosunov1984). as well as their own data. Borkin et al. (1986a)

have drawn a preliminary map of the distribution ofdiploid and tetraploid Green Toads of the Bufo viridis

complex in the territory of the ex Soviet Union. Only
3 records of tetraploid Bufo danatensis were known
for Kazakhstan at the time, whereas diploid Bufo viridis had not yet been reported from this region (Borkinetal. 1986a. p. 141).

During the following nine years many more data
became available on the distribution of diploid andtetraploid Green Toads in Middle Asia, including

Kazakhstan and its bordering countries (China. Mongolia) (Borkin et al. 1986a, 1986b. 1986c, 1996; Fich-tman 1989; Orlova and Terbish 1986: Orlova andUteshev 1986: Schneider and Egiasaryan 1995; Wu
Min and Zhao Yajiang 1987; Fichtman 1989; Zhao Er-mi 1995).

Although some of these data

relatetoOne of the aims of this expedi-Kazakhstan.

tion was to obtain new data on the geographic distri-bution of diploid and tetraploid toads in this territory.

Materials and Methods
1 15 Green Toads were
sampled from 8 populations inSouth Kazakhstan (Fig. 1) during the breeding seasons (May-June) of 1994 and 1995. Preliminary spe-identification
was based on morphometriccomparisons and records of mating calls. In order tocies

obtain the exact determination of the ploidy level ofeach specimen a karyological analysis was subsequently carried out at Naples University. From eachspecimens 100-200

u.1of venous blood were incu-

bated for 4 days at 25* Cin

MEM (Minimal EagleMedium. GIBCO) with 20% calf serum and 3% Phytoaemogglutinin M. Chromosome preparations wereproduced by conventional air-drying method, using
KC1 0.075
as hypotonic solution. Standard stain-Ming

method were performed using Giemsa 5%

phosphate buffer pH 7.

inVol. 7, p. 28

Asiatic Herpetological Research

1997

Figure 1 Known localities of diploid and tatraploid green toads. Bufo viridis complex in Kazakhstan. [Circle = datefrom literature; Square = our own findings. Dark = Bufo danatensis (4n); light = Bufo viridis (2n); hemidark = sympatic locality of Bufo danatensis and Bufo viridis. ? = attibution not supported by karyological analysis].

Bufo danatensis: 1 - Kapchagai, Hi River (Borkin et al.. 1986a); 2 - desert near Burubaital Village, to the soutwest of
the Balkhash Lake (Egemberdieva. 1983); 3 - Aksiir Farm, 12 km to the northwest of the Maikapchagay Village,Zaissan Depression (Szczerbak, Golubev, 1981 ); 4

Chindzhaly River near Andreyevka Village, Taldy-Kurgan
Chimkent Town, Chimkent Region (Mezherin, Pisanetz, 1991); 6, 7 - Almaty (Borkin etBaschii Village, 1 km to the south of the Altyn-Emel Mountain Range (44 10'N; 78 45'E),al., 1996; our data); 8et al., 1996); 9 - Koyandytau Mountain Range, Taldy-Kurgan Region (Borkin et al.,(BorkinTaldy-Kurgan Region

Region (Golubev, 1990); 51996); 10--Ayan-Saz Point, the Borokhudzir River Valley, Taldy-Kurgan Region (Borkin et al., 1996); 1 1 Big Almaty
Lake, Zailijsky Alatau Range; 12 Karaoj Village, to the south of the Balkhasn Lake; 13 Zhidely Channel. Hi River
Kizilkum Desert, 50 km to the southwest of the Bairkum Village, Chimkent Region; 15 - Jabagly Village,delta; 14Chimkent Region (1 1 -1 5, our data).
-----Bufoviridis viridis:

16 - Chornaya Rechka near Guryev Town, Guryev Region (Schneider, Egiasaryan, 1995).

Bufo viridis turanensis: 17 - Almaty (Mezherin, Pisanetz, 1991); 18
Taldy-Kurgan Region (Golubev, 1 990); 1 9data).

-Chindzhaly River near Andreyevka Village,a point in 20 km to the south of the Kopa Station, Almaty Region (our-Asiatic Herpetological Research

1997

Vol. 7. p. 29

Some preliminary results of the study of green toad of Bufo viridis complex in South Kazakhstan. In 1 994
and 1995. specimens have been collected in two different regions of Almaty town and are. therefore, considered
Table 1.

as distinct samples
Locality

Almaty*Year

Longitude

Latitude

Altitude

Sample size(m)males/females

Karyotype

SVL min-max

mmAsiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 7, p. 30

Our record of tetraploid toads within the town of
Almaty (Table1 )kin et al. (1996).

is in

an agreement with data by Bor-

who identified a tetraploid popula-same area by flow cytometry analysis, but
contradict data of Mezherin and Pisanetz

tion in themay(Mezherin and Pisanetz

Pisanetz

1991:1991,seeabove) who reported the presence of diploid Bufo viridis turanensis from Almaty.

A high mountain popula-from the Big Almaty Lake (Transvalley Alatau
Range. 2300 in) also has a tetraploid 4n=44 karyotype

1997

Borkin. L.J. and S. L. Kuzmin.

1988.

.

ians of Mongolia].
reptiles of[The Amphib-Pp. 30-197. In Amphibians andMNR. Moscow, Nauka. (In Russian).

Borkin. L. J., A. E. Vinogradov, Z. K. Brushko., andS. L.

Kuzmin.

{Bufoviridis

1996.

New records of tetraploid toadsgroup) from Alma-Ata and Taldy-Kur-gan region, Kazakhstan. Russian Journal of Herpetol-ogy 2 (2): 174-175.

tion(Table1

For the time being, however, we cannot).

exclude the possibility of the presence in the Almaty
region of diploid and tetraploid synthopic populations
and further investigations are necessary in order toizmenchivosti pozvonochnykh zhivot-nykh]. Pp. 81-1 14.

In Ecologo-geneticheskie osnovy
izmenchivosti pozvonochnykh zhivotnykh.
Frunze.
(In Russian).

Fichtman. B.S.

settle this point.

Mezherin and Pisanetz (1991) were first to reporton the presence of a tetraploid population in thesoutheast region of Kazakhstan, near the town ofChimkent. All specimens from the south east examined by us (Kizilkum Desert and Jabagly Village. Fig.
1 )Egemberdieva, G. Ch. 1983. [Differenciruyushchaya
rol izolyacii v

are indeed tetraploid.

vent length (Table 1)

They share a similar snout-

but inhabit ecologically different

1989.

[On the diagnosis of the green

toad of Bufo viridis complex
264.

dumka.

in Kirgizia].

Problems of Herpetology.

InKiev,Pp. 263-Naukova(In Russian).

Golubev, M. L.

1990. [New records of amphibiansand reptiles in the territory of Kazakhstan], Vestnik

Zoologii, Kiev 5:76-78.

(InRussian with Englishsummary).

At Kizilkum. toads were found at a pond

Masik, E. J., B. K. Kadyrova, A. T. Toktosunov. 1976.

located in a sand-dunes area and formed by water[Karyotype pattern in the green toad Bufo viridis inKirgizia], Zoologichesky Zhurnal 55:1740-1742. (Inbiotopes.

overflowing from a water hole (altitude 250 m).

AtJabagly. toads were caught in small ponds and in a

Russian with English summary).

stream, by a mountain village, at an altitude of 1100

Mezherin. S. V, and E. M. Pisanetz. 1990.

m.

and origin of asiatic tetraploid toad. Bufo
danatensis Pisanetz, 1978). Doklades of Ukrainian

Acknowledgments

Academy of Sciences 3B(8):71-73.

[GeneticstructureWe are very grateful to Vladimir Dubyansky for providing technical assistance in preparing thismanu-English summary).

Mezherin, E. J., and E. M. Pisanetz.

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