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

Taxa
Pseudocerastes persicus | (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
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
We provisionally treat Pseudocerastes fieldi Schmidt, 1930 as a distinct species (Uetz and Hallermann 2010, Uetz et al. 2018, Šmíd and Tolley 2019), although in some accounts it is treated as a subspecies of P. persicus (Leviton et al. 1992).Pseudocerastes bicornis Wall, 1913, described from a single locality on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at the eastern range limit for the genus, has long been considered a junior synonym of P. persicus (Sindaco et al. 2013), and this scheme is followed here, but is listed as a valid species without comment by Khan (2006).Recent studies have confirmed that Pseudocerastes persicus from Oman and the United Arab Emirates are genetically the same as those from Iran (de Pous et al. 2016).
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is presumed to be widespread throughout the Hajar Mountains from 300 m to 1,400 m asl, including Jebel Hafeet in Abu Dhabi Emirate (Cunningham 2002, de Pous et al. 2016, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press).Globally, this species ranges from northeast Iraq, northwest Iran and southern Azerbaijan, south to the Arabian Peninsula, and eastwards to western Pakistan. The species is widespread in Iran (Latifi 1991). In Pakistan, it ranges as far east as Manguli in southwestern Kalat (Minton 1966). It is also reported to occur in Afghanistan, however this may be based on a record taken close to the Afghan border in Pakistan and it is still correct, as observed by Leviton and Anderson (1970), that no documented records of this species appear to exist from Afghanistan (Wagner et al. 2016). This species is unlikely to occur in southeast Turkey, from where reports of this species are considered to be erroneous (Sindaco et al. 2013), or in northwestern Azerbaijan, and presence in these areas needs to be confirmed. Khan (2006) reports that it occurs up to 2,200 m asl.
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 in vegetated rocky mountains and mountain wadis (Gardner 2013).They are predominantly nocturnal but may be active or bask among rocks during the day in the cooler months or at twilight (Gardner 2013). They prey on small mammals, lizards and birds (Gardner 2013). They are oviparous, laying 11-21 eggs, and the embryos are well-advanced and hatch after about 30 days incubation (Gardner 2013). Very little further is known about the ecology of this species.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Least Concern
Assessment status abreviation
LC
Assessment rationale/justification
The species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution and no known widespread threats that may cause a decline in the population to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The species was previously listed in 2012 as Vulnerable for the Arabian Peninsula (Cox et al. 2012) due to its restricted range, however, since then, more data have been obtained on the species distribution which expanded its known range within the Hajar Mountains of the United Arab Emirates. 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
Because of its habit of congregating in smaller areas of suitable habitat in the winter, it is relatively easy to extirpate local populations or to collect for trade. In the United Arab Emirates, it may be threatened by increasing levels of quarrying in some parts of its range.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Pseudocerastes persicus Animalia Chordata Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Pseudocerastes