Iran is usually considered as a bridge between Oriental and African zoogeographical region, and also the 20th global biodiversity hotspot. Herpetofauna of the Iranian Plateau has a high diversity compared to other areas in the region and has always been interesting for herpetologists in terms of biogeography, ecology and zoogeography. In this study, distribution maps of 215 terrestrial reptilian species (of which 50 were endemic to Iran) were digitized and the species richness pattems were correlated with 13 environmental factors using spatial analyses methods. Our results showed that the hotspot regions for all reptilian species are concentrated on south and southwest of Iran. This result is consistent with the Irano-Anatolian biodiversity hotspot. Based on spatial analyses, species richness in the area is affected by seven environmental variables which are associated with temperature and probably interpreted as the most important factor on reptile richness in Iran.

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Concentrations of total serum calcium and17β-estradiol (E2) were measured during four stages of ovarian growth in Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus. Total calcium and E2 increased from stage II (cortical alveolus) and reached their highest levels (6.67 ± 1.15 mg/dl and 5.33 ± 1.06 ng/ml, respectively) during stage III (vitellogenic). Levels of both total calcium and E2 decrease during stage IV (ripe). A decline in serum calcium level was observed postspawning (stage V). Total serum calcium exhibited a linear relationship (r2=0.6789) with plasma E2 (P<0.01). Both E2 and total serum calcium can be utilized to identify mature vitellogenic (stage III) females in sturgeon broodstocks.