Eryx jayakari - UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles
Location
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
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
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).
Habitats and Ecology
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).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Least Concern
Assessment status abreviation
LC
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).
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
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
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.
Conservation Measures
Conservation measures:
