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NRLD - 330076 | Ablepharus pannonicus

Assessment ID
330076
Taxon name
Ablepharus pannonicus
(Fitzinger, 1824)
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Ablepharus pannonicus
(Fitzinger, 1824)
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Reptiles
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
reptilia
Order
squamata
Family
scincidae
Genus
Ablepharus
Species
pannonicus
Species authority
(Fitzinger, 1824)
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
Barabanov and Milto (2017) give the authority of this species as 'Lichtenstein, 1823', however, the name Scincus pannonicus was reported in this source (correctly, Fitzinger in Lichtenstein, 1823) without an associated description, and is consequently considered a nomen nudum by Uetz et al. (2018). The correct authority is consequently 'Fitzinger, 1824', in which publication the species was formally described (P. Uetz pers. comm. 2018).
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)
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Least Concern
Abbreviated status
LC
Criteria system used
IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification
Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is known from the Hajar Mountains between Asimah and Daftah, however, the distribution may extend further. The species is listed as Least Concern, despite its limited known area of occupancy (EOO) of 12 km<sup>2</sup> and extent of occurrence (EOO) 21 km<sup>2</sup>, which may be attributed to under-sampling due to its small size and semi-fossorial habits. It is able to adapt to habitat modification and appears to thrive within cultivated areas, and there are no known threats to the species which may cause it to decline in the near future to qualify for listing in a 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
Year assessed
2018
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, this species is known from the Hajar Mountains between Asimah and Daftah (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press) and occurs at between 400-900 m asl. The species distribution might extend further, but due to its semi-fossorial habits, small size and difficulty to observe, it is under-sampled in surveys. This species is the most widely distributed member of its genus and has been recorded from southwestern Saudi Arabia, Yemen, southeast Kuwait, northern Oman, Iraq, northern and western Iran, southern Turkmenistan, southern Tajikistan, southeastern Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan (from Quetta to Chitral; Minton 1966), reaching its eastern range limit in the Indian state of Jammu-Kashmir (Sahi and Duda 1986). In Afghanistan Sindaco and Jeremçenko (2008) mapped lowland localities along the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Turkmenistan, however, the records provided by Wagner et al. (2016) suggest that the species is confined to montane areas in this country. A single specimen has also been reported from Syria (Aleppo; Jeremäenko and Szczerbak 1986), but the occurrence in this country needs to be confirmed, as do reports of its occurrence in Azerbaijan and Georgia (Sindaco and Jeremäenko 2008). It can occur up to 2,500 m asl.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Not_assigned
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The species is found in the Hajar Mountains especially in well-vegetated areas, oases, date gardens and orchards (Gardner 2013). It may also enter small crevices, hide under stones, leaves, or in cracks in the soil. It is a diurnal species with a semi-fossorial habit that preys on invertebrates such as ants, small beetles and crickets (Gardner 2013). It is presumed that the breeding season is during spring and summer. Females will lay a clutch of three to four eggs (Gardner 2013).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
There appear to be no major threats to this species within its limited known area of occupancy. The species can adapt to habitat modifications and appear to thrive within cultivated areas.
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