Because of their diversity, microplastics (MPs), which are synthetic particles smaller than 5 mm, are highly bioavailable and widely distributed. The prevalence of microplastics in aquatic habitats has been extensively studied but less is known about their presence in terrestrial environments and biota. This study examined MP intake in terrestrial environments utilizing gastrointestinal tracts (GITs), with a particular focus on the Turkish worm lizard (Blanus strauchi). Suspected particles discovered in the GITs were removed, measured, and characterized based on size, shape, color, and polymer type in order to evaluate MP ingestion. Out of 118 samples analyzed, 29 specimens (or 24.57%) had microplastic particlesMP length did not significantly correlate with snout–vent length (SVL) and weight. These correlations were tested to determine whether the size or weight of Blanus strauchi influenced the amount or size of MPs found within the GITs. Also, MP consumption by the worm lizard did not correlate with the year of sampling. All particles identified as fibers through FT-IR spectroscopy analysis. The most common type of microplastic was polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The most often detected color was blue, with mean MP lengths ranging from 133 µm to 2929 µm. It has been demonstrated that worm lizards inhabiting soil or sheltering under stones in bushy areas with sparse vegetation consume MPs. Predation is regarded to be the most likely way through which MPs infiltrate terrestrial food webs.

This study investigated the presence, characteristics, and distribution of ingested microplastics (MPs) in Apathya cappadocica, a regional endemic lizard species. A total of 93 individuals were examined, and MPs were found in 19.35% (n = 18) of them. A total of 27 microplastic particles were detected, averaging 1.5 MPs per positive individual and 0.29 MPs per individual across the sample. MP sizes ranged from 50 to 1727 µm, with a mean size of 355.46 ± 73 µm. Most MPs (93%) were fibers, while the rest were fragments. The dominant color was navy blue (41%), followed by red and black (19% each). Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was the most common polymer (67%), followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE). Statistical tests revealed no significant differences in MP size based on shape, color, or type, nor any correlation between MP size and gastrointestinal tract weight. However, microplastic shape was significantly associated with polymer type; fiber MPs consisted mainly of PET and PVA, while fragments were equally split between PVA and PE. These findings indicate that terrestrial reptiles are exposed to microplastic pollution and that microplastic characteristics may provide insights into their potential environmental sources.

This study was conducted to investigate the presence of microplastics (MPs) in individuals of Hyla orientalis and Hyla savignyi , two tree frog species naturally distributed in Türkiye, to determine the qualitative and quantitative distribution of these particles in their gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) and to analyze their morphological (color, shape, size) and chemical (polymer type) properties in detail. A total of 276 individuals were examined within the scope of the research, 76 of which belonged to H. orientalis and 200 to H. savignyi . A total of 192 microplastic particles were detected in their GITs, and the average size of these particles was determined to be 206.56 ± 12.88 µm. The most common microplastic type was PET (67.20%), its shape was fiber (76.00%), and its color was navy blue (25.50%). The highest proportion of microplastic-containing individuals was observed in H. savignyi (56.50%), and microplastic was found in only 11.84% of H. orientalis individuals. No statistically significant difference was found between the two species in terms of polymer type, microplastic shape, and color ( p > 0.05). Data obtained from 24 different provinces across Türkiye indicate that microplastic contamination has a wide geographical distribution. The highest microplastic amount was recorded from Hatay-Hassa (44 pieces), followed by Kilis and Bitlis provinces. Significant differences were found between provinces in terms of color, shape, and polymer type ( p < 0.001). These findings suggest that microplastic pollution is widespread in terrestrial vertebrates and may vary among species and geographic regions, suggesting that amphibians may be important bioindicators for monitoring ecosystem health.

In this study, it is aimed to contribute to the systematic situation of Bufo bufo and B. verrucosissimus by comparing some blood parameters for the first time. For that, fieldwork was done in Lake Borçka Karagöl, Artvin for B. verrucosissimus and Lake Uzungöl, Trabzon for B. bufo in 2022. A total of 6 adult individuals (3 males, 3 females) were captured per species. For each individual, 1 ml blood sample was acquired from spontaneously pulsating heart ventricle and blood smears were prepared. Under a microscope, 40 randomly chosen erythrocytes from each smear were measured to acquire 9 distinct blood cell parameters. Additionally, erythrocyte and leukocyte counts were calculated using Neubauer hemacytometer. It was found that female individuals had larger values for measurement of blood cell parameters. Mean erythrocyte and leucocyte numbers were higher in the blood of B. bufo than B. verrucosissimus but there was not a significant difference between species for erythrocyte and leukocyte counts. In females, erythrocytes were larger and narrower in B. verrucosissimus than B. bufo species. Alike, nuclei were larger and narrower as observed in B. verrucosissimus, similar to erythrocytes. However, B. bufo had larger and wider erythrocytes but larger and narrower nuclei in males. Given the differences between sexes, these characters thought as not diagnostic. In addition, PCA analysis showed overlapped position of species in morphospace and supported the weak discrimination power of the characters. Our findings will contribute to the future studies as a reference source for basic blood parameters.