Taxon name
Acanthodactylus gongrorhynchatus
Leviton & Anderson, 1967
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Acanthodactylus gongrorhynchatus
Leviton & Anderson, 1967
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Reptiles
Species authority
Leviton & Anderson, 1967
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
Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is widespread, with scattered localities throughout the sandy areas (aeolian sand habitats, including sandy plains, sand sheets and dunes) from near the western borders of Abu Dhabi with Saudi Arabia to Al Ain and Dubai. The species 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, this species is widespread with scattered localities throughout the sandy areas from near the western borders of Abu Dhabi with Saudi Arabia to Al Ain and Dubai (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). It occurs from sea level to 400 m asl.This species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula, where it has been recorded from eastern Saudi Arabia and western United Arab Emirates (Sindaco and Jeremäenko 2008). There are at present no records from Oman, but presence there is likely.
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 aeolian sand habitats, including sandy plains, sand sheets and dunes (Gardner 2013). It is a diurnal and ground-dwelling species. During hot seasons, activity starts one to two hours after sunrise and continues for four to five hours, with another period of activity in the late afternoon (Gardner 2013). The species predates on invertebrates. Burrows are dug into the sand often on firm, sloping surfaces or at the base of vegetation (Gardner 2013). No information is known about their reproduction, presumed similar to other Acanthodactylus species.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
The species is threatened with real estate development in the United Arab Emirates.
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
