. Asiatic herpetological research. Reptiles -- Asia Periodicals; Amphibians -- Asia Periodicals. Fig. 2. Asymblepharus alaicus. in July 1995 we observed 16 adult specimens in an area of 200 x 30 m in the course of half of hour on the Ulken-Kaindy Pass (2900 m). Transect accounting on the way down to 2400 m revealed 8 specimens over an in area of 40 x 4 m. Using secondary ranges and lat- eral splinters of the main ridge the skinks can come down to a slope as low as 1500 m (extremely rare to 1200 m) where they have very low population density. The habitats of Asymblepharus alaicus in the Aksu-Dj
. Asiatic herpetological research. Reptiles -- Asia Periodicals; Amphibians -- Asia Periodicals. Fig. 2. Asymblepharus alaicus. in July 1995 we observed 16 adult specimens in an area of 200 x 30 m in the course of half of hour on the Ulken-Kaindy Pass (2900 m). Transect accounting on the way down to 2400 m revealed 8 specimens over an in area of 40 x 4 m. Using secondary ranges and lat- eral splinters of the main ridge the skinks can come down to a slope as low as 1500 m (extremely rare to 1200 m) where they have very low population density. The habitats of Asymblepharus alaicus in the Aksu-Djabagly are very variable. There are alpine meadows scattered with stones (Fig. 3), rocky slopes with Juniperus brush (Fig. 4) and scree slopes. There is practically no Alpine Lidless Skink in sparse Juni- perus forests. A combination of the slopes with differ- ent exposition is the first important condition for Asymblepharus habitats because of the possibility of using them during different times of the day. The sec- ond essential condition is in the presence of suitable refuges represented by bushes, screes or stone rub- bles. Typical habitats for the Desert Lidless Skink in the Aksu-Djabagly Reserve are dry-south exposed slopes of no more than 2000 m in altitude (Fig. 5). As a rule, the plant community includes Ferula plant xer- ofitic steppe, with bushes of Rosa, Honeysucle, Coto- neaster, Spirea scattered juniper trees (Fig. 6). However, the density of Ablepharus deserti popula- tion in the Reserve is not high in general. Only in rare cases we observed the lizards near human settlements. The Aksu and Djabagly rivers with their banks of southern and northern exposure are the natural bound- aries separating the habitats of the Alpine and the Desert Lidless Skinks in the reserve. The two species were found as sympatric in few areas only. This occurs in the valleys of rivers flowing down a slopes. Fig. 3. Subalpic meadow at 3000 m of altitude is a typi- cal locality of Asymblep
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