Kurt, Pınar; Yildirim Doğan, Nalan

Kovalius (Opiliones: Sclerosomatidae: Leiobuninae) is a small genus of harvestmen described by Tchemeris, 2023. The first description of Kovalius logunovi was made from Russia and it was subsequently recorded from Türkiye on the basis of the morphological data. The use of morphological data alone for the identification of taxa and determination of their relationships may lead to limitations and difficulties in some cases. As a result, the use of molecular data in addition to the morphological data in the identification of new taxa and determination of phylogenetic relationships increases the reliability of studies. In this study, the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene region of the Kovalius logunovi species was examined for the first time and a sequence of approximately 408 bp was obtained. Based on these data, the phylogenetic relationships of the species with similar species were revealed.

Bayram, Çağatay; Çelebi, Turan Meriç; Çevik, Emre; Kuyucu, Arda Cem; Kurnaz, Muammer; Şahin, Mehmet Kürşat

Tail autotomy is a common and highly effective defensive mechanism observed in many lizard species, allowing individuals to escape predators by shedding a portion of their tail. This behavior, while beneficial for survival, can sometimes result in typical outcomes during tail regeneration. One such rare disorder is tail bifurcation often due to incomplete or misdirected regenerative processes. On June 23, 2025, during fieldwork in the rural areas of Afyonkarahisar Province, a female snake-eyed lizard (Ophisops elegans), belonging to the Lacertidae family, was observed with a clearly bifurcated tail. The specimen was captured and examined briefly, and morphometric, biotic, and environmental data were recorded. Photographs were taken to document the anomaly, and the specimen was subsequently released in its habitat. This field observation contributes to the growing number of bifurcated tail reports in Lacertidae and emphasizes the value of in situ herpetological monitoring. Observations in this study enhance our understanding of caudal autotomy and tail regeneration and also provide insights into developmental biology, wound healing, and ecological implications of tail malformations in natural populations.