A serological investigation of the Bufo bufo (Anura, Bufonidae) populations in Southern Marmara (Manyas, Bahkesir) and Eastern Black Sea (Çamhhemşin, Rize) regions

Abstract

Conventional taxonomic treatment has resulted in uncertainty as to the taxonomic status of the two subspecies Bufo bufo spino sus and B. b. verrucosissimus in Turkey. Blood‐serum proteins of the B. bufo specimens from Manyas and Çamhhemşin were com pared qualitatively and quantitatively by polyacrylamide‐disc elec‐trophoresis and densitometry. The Authors found no significant differences between the blood‐serum proteins of the two popula tions examined, and therefore recommend that B. b. verrucosis simus be synonymized with B. b. spinosus.

Key words:

• Bufo bufo
• Blood serum proteins
• Electrophore‐sis