The Study of Lizards and Turtles Fauna of Hezar Jarib Hunting Prohibited Area in Mazandaran Province

Hezarjarib Hunting Prohibited Area is a montaineous region with 49000 Hectares area is located in the Southeast of Behshahr County. This area with specific habitat worth has appropriate potential to revive species of various animals such as lizards and turtles. Sampling was carried out by use of hand, lasso (to catch lizards in far distances) and small net (to trapping turtles), from April to late November 2015. In this study, the lizards and turtle species and their morphomeristic characters were analysed. During the present research, 54 lizard and turtle specimens has been collected totally. As a result, 9 lizard species from 7 families and 10 genera, and 2 turtle species from two families and two genera has been identified. Relative abundance of the collected lizard and turtle species are as follows respectively: Darevskia caspica (26%), Tenuidactylus caspius caspius (21%), Cyrtopodion scabrum (17%), Lacerta strigata (11%), Pseudopus apodus apodus (9%), Darevskia schaekeli (7%), Paralaudakia caucasia (6%), Anguis colchica orientalis (4%), Ablepharus pannonicus (2%), Emys orbicularis persica (71%) and Mauremys caspica caspica (29%).