Nedávné molekulárně biologické studie scinků (Scincidae) severní Afriky, Kanárských ostrovů, jižní Evropy a Blízkého východu ukazují, že Maroko lze považovat za centrum vzniku předků většiny druhů z oblasti Středomoří a Sahary a že má mezi těmito zeměmi druhově nejbohatší zastoupení scinků. Navíc v rámci marocké herpetofauny jde o jednu z nejpočetnějších skupin plazů, a to s nejvyšší mírou endemismu z 20–24 druhů a poddruhů je 9–11 endemických. and Recent molecular studies in skinks (Scincidae) of North Africa, the Canary Islands, southern Europe and the Middle East have shown that Morocco can be considered the centre of origin for most Mediterranean and Saharan species. It is the country with the highest skink species richness in the entire region. In addition, in Morocco, skinks are one of the most numerous reptile groups, with the highest endemism.
Butterflies of the genus Phengaris have a highly specialised life cycle involving an obligatory relationship with Myrmica ants. A knowledge of the host ant specificity is essential for understanding the relationship between a particular Phengaris species and its hosts and also important for the conservation of these butterflies. Data on host ant specificity were collected in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine. Five different Myrmica species were used by P. teleius as hosts (M. scabrinodis, M. rubra, M. ruginodis, M. rugulosa and M. gallienii) and at most localities it was not possible to distinguish a primary host - i.e. several Myrmica species were parasitized to similar extents. Three populations of P. nausithous were found in Poland and Ukraine. In every case, M. rubra was its primary host, although in the Kraków region (Poland) two nests of M. scabrinodis and two of M. ruginodis were infested by this butterfly species. P. alcon in the four populations investigated in Poland and Ukraine invariably only used M. scabrinodis as a host despite the presence of other Myrmica species. These results obtained suggest lack of host specificity in P. teleius and high host specificity in P. nausithous, which mainly uses M. rubra as its host across Europe. Moreover, the three populations of P. alcon investigated seem to be highly specific and use M. scabrinodis as a host, which confirms the high local specialisation of these populations.
Přiblížení nového pohledu na taxonomii a fylogeografii západopalearktických druhů želv rodu Mauremys pomocí molekulárně biologických metod, hlavně u druhu Mauremys leprosa z Iberského poloostrova a severozápadní Afriky. and Using molecular genetic methods, the authors present the most recent taxonomy and phylogeography of pond turtles classified within the genus Mauremys and inhabiting the West Palearctic, particularly those of the Mediterranean Pond Turtle (Mauremys leprosa), also known as the Spanish Terrapin.