Spalerosophis diadema ssp. cliffordii | UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles
Taxa
Spalerosophis diadema ssp. cliffordii | (Schlegel, 1837)
Location
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
Subspecies
Taxonomic Notes
Trape and Mané (2006) treat the West African form of this species as a full species, Spalerosophis cliffordi, however Schätti et al. (2009) note that no rationale was presented to justify this treatment. These authors adopt the traditional concept of this form as a subspecies of S. diadema, and this scheme is followed here.
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is known to occur along the western side of the Hajar Mountains and the gravel plains surrounding the mountains from Al Ain to Ras Al Khaimah from sea level to 500 m asl (Egan 2007, Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press).Globally, this species range is known from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, western Pakistan, north India, southern Turkmenistan, south Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, and Jordan (Trape and Mané 2006, Schätti et al. 2009).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The species is found on gravel plains and rocky areas in well-vegetated habitats along the western side of the Hajar Mountains. It adapts to altered habitats and is frequently encountered in cultivated areas and residential gardens.The species activity patterns will fluctuate throughout the seasons from diurnal to nocturnal. It is a harmless species which preys on lizards, geckos, rats, mice and small birds through constriction. Breeding occurs in summer and spring with females producing one to two clutches of 3-16 eggs in the season which will hatch after a period of 60-65 days. It is a large species known to reach a total length of 1,140 mm (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
The species is listed as Least Concern for the UAE as it has limited threats within its range, none of which caused any known population reductions, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. 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
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
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
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
Within the species range quarrying and urban development are ongoing, but with limited impact on the species, mainly through habitat degradation and persecution. The species is known to adapt to artificial habitats such as cultivated land.
Conservation Measures
Conservation measures:
Scientific Name
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Spalerosophis diadema ssp. cliffordii
Animalia
Chordata
Reptilia
Squamata
Colubridae
Spalerosophis
