Variation in microplastic characteristics among amphibian larvae: a comparative study across different species and the influence of human activity.

Microplastic pollution is a significant global environmental issue, and impacts span from individual organisms to the entire ecosystems. This study investigated the properties of microplastics in amphibian larvae, shedding light on their environmental interactions and potential ecological consequences. We examined microplastics extracted from amphibian larvae of 10 taxa, sampled from sites experiencing different levels of human impact.

Similarity of Microplastic Characteristics between Amphibian Larvae and Their Aquatic Environment.

Microplastics, pervasive environmental pollutants, are found across various ecosystems, including small inland water bodies. They are reported in different environmental media, yet little is known about the mutual relationships of microplastics' properties across components of small inland water bodies. Here, having extracted and analyzed these particles from water, sediment, and amphibian larvae from 23 sites, we test within-site similarities regarding shape (morphological type), color, and chemical composition (polymer type).

Melanism, body size, and sex ratio in snakes-new data on the grass snake (Natrix natrix) and synthesis.

It is postulated that melanism in ectotherms is adaptive by enhancing thermoregulation, subsequent resource acquisition, and growth. Such effects may differ between the sexes as a result of the differential costs of self-maintenance and reproduction, but empirical support for the sex-specific consequences of melanism remains inconsistent. We studied the effects of melanism on body size and sex ratio in a population of the European grass snake (Natrix natrix) in SE Poland and also carried out a systematic review of the literature on the consequences of melanism in terrestrial snakes.

Recent Findings of Potentially Lethal Salamander Fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans.

The distribution of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans continues to expand in Europe. During 2014-2018, we collected 1,135 samples from salamanders and newts in 6 countries in Europe. We identified 5 cases of B.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Italian slow-worm Pollini, 1818, and its comparison with mitogenomes of other species.

In this paper, we present complete mitochondrial genome of the Italian legless lizard species Pollini, 1818. The complete mtDNA consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNA genes which in total formed a DNA strand of 17,322 bp. mitogenome had the same gene order as two other compared .

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Eastern slow worm, (Nordmann, 1840).

Here, we present complete mitochondrial genome of the Eastern Slow Worm, (Nordmann, 1840). Mitogenome complete sequence is 17,097 bp long and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes and one control region. mitochondrial genome has the same gene order as other mitogenomes of spp.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the endemic legless lizard Werner, 1894 and its comparison with mitogenome of Linnaeus, 1758.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Peloponnese endemic lizard species is presented in this study. The complete sequence is 17 208 bp long and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes and one control region. The gene order is same as in the relative species .