Predicting climate-driven distribution shifts in Hyalomma marginatum (Ixodidae).

Hyalomma marginatum is an important tick species which is the main vector of Crimean­Congo haemorrhagic fever and spotted fever. The species is predominantly distributed in parts of southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia. However, due to ongoing climate change and increasing reports of H. marginatum in central and northern Europe, the expansion of this range poses a potential future risk. In this study, an ecological niche modelling approach to model the current and future climatic suitability of H. marginatum was followed. Using high-resolution climatic variables from the Chelsa dataset and an updated list of locations for H. marginatum, ecological niche models were constructed under current environmental conditions using MaxEnt for both current conditions and future projections under the ssp370 and ssp585 scenarios. Models show that the climatically suitable region for H. marginatum matches the current distributional area in the Mediterranean basin and West Asia. When applied to future projections, the models suggest a considerable expansion of H. marginatum's range in the north in Europe as a result of rising temperatures. However, a decline in central Anatolia is also predicted, potentially due to the exacerbation of drought conditions in that region.

Thermal biology of two sympatric Lacertid lizards (Lacerta diplochondrodes and Parvilacerta parva) from Western Anatolia.

Sympatric lizard species present convenient models for studying differentiation in thermal behavior and the role of morphological differences in their thermal biology. Here we studied the thermal biology of two sympatric lizard species which occur sympatrically in the Phrygian Valley of Western Anatolia. These two species differ in body size, with Lacerta diplochondrodes being larger than Parvilacerta parva. The surface body temperatures of the individuals belonging to both species were recorded when active in the field. Additionally, several environmental parameters including solar radiation, substrate temperature, air temperature and wind speed were monitored to investigate the relative effects of these abiotic parameters on the thermal biology of the two species. The surface body temperature and temperature excess (difference between body and substrate temperature) of the two species, while being relatively close to each other, showed seasonal differences. Solar radiation, substrate temperature and air temperature were the main factors influencing their thermal biology. Additionally, although body size did not have a direct effect on body temperature or temperature excess, the interaction between body size and solar radiation on temperature excess was significant. In conclusion, our study partially supports the conservation of body temperature of related lizard species.

The relation between melanism and thermal biology in a colour polymorphic bush cricket, Isophya rizeensis.

According to the thermal melanism hypothesis, darker coloured melanic individuals heat up faster and to higher temperatures than lighter coloured individuals due to lower skin reflectance. Consequently, it is assumed that darker melanic types may be advantageous compared to light coloured types in colder regions. As temperature gradually decreases with elevation and latitude the degree of melanism is expected to increase along these gradients in ectothermic species. Isophya rizeensis, a colour polymorphic bush cricket species endemic to Northeastern Turkey is an interesting case since the degree of melanism decreases with elevation, contrary to the thermal melanism hypothesis. In order to investigate the relation between colouration and thermal biology of this species, body temperatures (Tb) of crickets from different colour morphs, environmental temperatures (Ta), solar radiation and vegetation height were measured to test the relation between these variables and thermoregulation. Field results showed that solar radiation was the most effective factor on temperature excess (Tex), the difference between body and ambient temperature. Additionally, Tex values showed negative correlation with vegetation height. Although Tex values did not differ significantly between colour morphs, paired experiments under sunlight showed that darker morphs heated up faster and attained higher body temperatures than light morphs. We conclude that, since higher Tex values at alpine short swards might also increase the risk of facing deleterious temperatures at high elevations, protection against overheating might be one of the factors responsible for this polymorphism.