Spatial Distribution and a Retrospective Analysis of the Herpetofauna in the City of Plovdiv, Bulgaria

The current study presents the contemporary status and distribution of the amphibians and reptiles in the city of Plovdiv. To track changes in the status of amphibians and reptiles in the research area through time, a retrospective analysis was made based on available literary data. During the past 100 years four species of amphibians (Triturus karelinii, Lissotriton vulgaris, Bombina bombina, B. variegata) and four species of reptiles (Coronella austriaca, Zamenis longissimus, Elaphe sauromates, Vipera ammodytes) probably have disappeared from the study area; one amphibian species (Bufo bufo) and one reptile (Natrix natrix) have not changed their status, one amphibian (Pelobates syriacus) and two reptile species (Ablepharus kitaibelii, Podarcis muralis) have reduced their localities and four amphibian species (Epidalea viridis, Rana dalmatina, Pelophylax ridibundus, Hyla arborea) and seven species of reptiles (Mediodactylus kotschyi, Lacerta trilineata, Lacerta viridis, Podarcis tauricus, Emys orbicularis, Dolichophis caspius, Natrix tessellata) have increased their localities and frequency of occurrence. The records of the two tortoise species (Testudo hermanni and T. graeca) in the city, and the presence of the Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) should be considered as accidental. Important Herpetological Areas (IHA) in the study region are also identified.