110 Short Communications Rheinbach, 20 May 2009 ISSN 0036-3375 110-114 2 45 SALAMANDRA Short Communications http://www.salamandra-journal.com © 2009 Deutsche Gesellschaf für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde e.V. (DGHT) New locality records of eremial snake species in southeastern Turkey (Ophidia: Colubridae, Elapidae, Typhlopidae, Leptotyphlopidae) Bayram Göçmen, Michael Franzen, Mehmet Zulfu Yildiz, Bahadır Akman & Deniz Yalçınkaya Abstract. We present several considerable range extensions for eremial snake species in the arid regions of southeastern Turkey. Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus is first recorded from westernmost localities near Kilis (Küplüce village), Hassa (Aktepe village), and Reyhanlı (Kilis and Hatay provinces). Spalerosophis diadema and Walterinnesia morgani are recorded from localities near Kilis (Polateli and Çörten villages, respectively). Letheobia episcopus, formerly known only from the type locality in the Euphrates valley, is first recorded from a karstic area near Şanlıurfa. Key words. Reptilia, Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus, Letheobia episcopus, Spalerosophis diadema, Walterin- nesia morgani, Turkey, distribution. Herpetological research in the eremial belt of southeastern Turkey, i.e. the arid low karstic plateaus and alluvial plains along the Syrian border, has been neglected for a long time. Recent increased scientific activities have led to a number of new faunistic records (e.g. Ommatotriton vittatus: Franzen 200; Eublepharis angramainyu: Göçmen et al. 2002; Walterinnesia morgani: Uğurtaş et al. 200) and even the description of new species (Letheobia episcopus: Franzen & Wallach 2002; Acanthodactylus harranensis: Baran et al. 2006a). We surveyed the region repeatedly while conducting field work on the status of Stenodactylus populations in the Gaziantep- Kilis area, and here present some remarkable new snake records. Tese records represent considerable range extensions for rare spe- cies known from very few localities in Tur- key (Fig ). Institutional abbreviations are: ZDEU – Zoological Department of the Ege University, Bornova-İzmir; ZSM – Zoolo- gische Staatssammlung München. Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus (Jan, 1860) Material: ZDEU 2007/48, 24 specimens, near Küplüce village (ca. 2 km [air distance] E Ki- lis, Kilis province), 36°44’49’’N, 37°5’04’’E, 60 m elevation, 24.04.2007; ZDEU 2007/63,  specimen, near Aktepe village (ca.  km [air distance] S Hassa, Hatay province), 36°4’55’’N, 36°29’43’’E, 270 m elevation, Fig. 1. Map of southeastern Turkey and position of the new snake localities.