Taxon name
Eryx jayakari
Boulenger, 1888
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Eryx jayakari
Boulenger, 1888
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Reptiles
Species authority
Boulenger, 1888
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Least Concern
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species is common across its range within the United Arab Emirates, where it is found in sandy soils. It is absent from the Hajar Mountains, and with isolated records along the east coast. It is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, 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).
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
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.
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Within the United Arab Emirates, the species is common across its range in sandy soils, from the west, east to the Hajar Mountains. It is absent from the Hajar Mountains, with isolated records along the east coast of the United Arab Emirates (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). The species occurs from sea level to 300 m asl.Globally, this species is found from the Arabian Peninsula to Iran, where it has been recorded from Khuzistan, Bushehr, and Kerman (west of Sirjan) provinces, and is probably present in all active dunes within this area (Latifi 1991, S.C. Anderson and T. Papenfuss pers. comm. 2008).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The species is found in sand and sandy soils including dunes and sand sheets, cultivated land, sandy desert plains (Gardner 2013) from sea level to 300 m asl. It is a nocturnal and fossorial species that is adapted for burrowing and moving through soft sand. Its prey consists mainly of geckos such as Stenodactylus spp. and Bunopus tuberculatus (Gardner 2013) and small rodents. This species is oviparous, laying small clutches of four to six eggs in early summer which have an incubation period of around 66 days (Gardner 2013).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
This is a widespread species with an extensive habitat and no major threats to the species as a whole, although localised impacts from development. This species has been recorded in the pet trade, although this is not considered to be a threat.
Publication
Els, J., Allen, D., Hilton-Taylor, C., Harding, K. (2019). UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles. MOCCAE, UAE
