Myriopholis macrorhyncha | UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles

Taxa
Myriopholis macrorhyncha | (Jan, 1860)
Publication
UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles
Location
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Scope (Assessment)
National
Taxon
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Reptiles
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
This taxon is thought to be a complex of species that is in need of revision (Wallach et al. 2014; S. Baha El Din pers. comm.). West African members of this complex are no longer considered to belong to M. macrorhyncha (J.-F. Trape pers. comm. 2002), but the identity of populations from the MiData deficientle East, Pakistan and northwest India are still in need of clarification (Broadley and Wallach 2007). Adalsteinsson et al. (2009) assigned the species to their new genus, Myriopholis. These authors resurrected Leptotyphlops phillipsi from synonymy with M. macrorhyncha, however this action was apparently taken without examining specimens and as such this account treats this taxon as a junior synonym of M. macrorhyhncha pending resolution of this issue.
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is widespread throughout the sandy deserts from sea level to 300 m asl (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). It is more frequently recorded north of Abu Dhabi through the sandy deserts to Ras al Khaimah.Globally, this species ranges from Egypt, south through Sudan (but apparently absent from South Sudan; Broadley and Wallach 2007), Somalia and Ethiopia to Kenya and northern Tanzania, and east from Israel, Jordan, Syria and southeastern Turkey, through Iran (Khuzestan Province) and Iraq to the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan and northwestern India. It is not present in Lebanon.
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The species is found on sand, sandy soil, cultivated land with some vegetation (Gardner 2013). The species is fossorial and only encountered occasionally during the night or after rains on the surface.It is a specialised termite eater and produces chemicals that prevent the soldier termites from attacking them (Gardner 2013). Their diet may also include ants and other small invertebrates, invertebrate eggs, larvae and pupae. Due to their small mouths, the soft abdomens of large termites are crushed and their contents squeezed out (Gardner 2013). They lay small clutches of tiny eggs (Gardner 2013).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Least Concern
Assessment status abreviation
LC
Assessment rationale/justification
Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is widespread throughout the sandy areas. The species is listed as Least Concern due to its presumed large population and because it is not thought to be subject to major threats throughout its extent of occurrence and area of occupancy. This taxon is not a non-breeding visitor, and it is presumed that any immigration from populations outside the UAE is not significant, and therefore there is no adjustment to the Category according to the IUCN regional and national Guidelines (IUCN 2012).
About the assessment
Assessment year
2018
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1 + Regional Guidelines v4.0
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
There appear to be no major threats to this species.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Myriopholis macrorhyncha Animalia Chordata Reptilia Squamata Leptotyphlopidae Myriopholis