Taxanomic status of some Eirenis (Reptilia: Serpentes) species (E. aurolineatus, E. barani, E coronelloides, E. eiselti, E. levantinus) from eastern Mediterranean (Hatay, Osmaniye, Adana, Mersin, Kilis and Gaziantep)

Although many species or subspecies belong to genus Eirenis have been described especially from Eastern Mediterranean in recent years (E. aurolineatus, E. barani, E. barani bischofforum, E. levantinus, E. modestus cilicius, E. modestus semimaculatus), some of them have approached with suspicion some researchers. For this reason, especially the populations of Eirenis aurolineatus (7 ??, 8 ?? and 7 Juveniles), Eirenis barani (49 ??, 40 ?? and 33 Juveniles), Eirenis coronelloides (6 ??, 6 ?? and 1 Juveniles), Eirenis eiselti (26 ??, 12 ?? and 12 Juveniles) and Eirenis levantinus (52 ??, 52 ?? and 21 Juveniles) belong to genus Eirenis that thought to be problematic were investigated in this area. For this aim, totally five field studies, three of them in 2006 and two of them in 2007 were carried out in the area which includes Hatay, Osmaniye, Adana, Mersin, Kilis and Gaziantep Provinces. Totally 332 (140 ??, 118 ?? and 74 Juveniles) specimens which were collected from these field studies and present in the collections of Adnan Menderes, Dokuz Eylül, Ege Universities and ZSM (Zoologische Staatssammlung München) were investigated. The taxonomic statuses of the populations were exposed by determination of pholidosis characters, body measurement, ratio and index values, and color and pattern characteristics belong to investigated specimens.Besides, bands on pileus region which thought to be important for discrimination of new taxa were drawn and ?Reduction indexes? were calculated for every taxon. According to this, the taxon which was showed minimum deviation from the maximum value was found as Eirenis aurolineatus (RI: 98,61) and the taxon which was showed maximum deviation from the maximum value was found as Eirenis coronelloides (RI: 13,91).On the other hand, the distribution areas of the species were determined, information about the ecological characteristics of localities of the species was given and description key were also prepared to distinguish the taxa.