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Chalcides ocellatus ssp. ocellatus - UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles

Publication
UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles
Location
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
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
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is non-native but introduced prior to 1,500 CE through transport and trade. The species is known from coastal areas of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and inland around Al Ain (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). It is also recorded on Sir Bani Yas, Dalma and Abu al Abyadh islands. The species is easily transported by accident and has been very widely introduced. It has also made inroads into the Hatta Hills (Hatta Hill Park; pers. obs. in 2016; M.A.R. Khan pers. comm. 2018). It occurs from sea level to 300 m asl. Globally, this species originally had a Mediterranean distribution, with a probable origin in Morocco (Carranza et al. 2007), but has been widely introduced globally. The species is known from Malta, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Turkey (Anatolia), Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, southern Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Morocco, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Niger, Israel, Kenya, Somali, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Chad, Yemen, Iran, western Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. It is considered introduced to Italy (Sardinia, Sicily, Lampedusa island) and Greece (Crete, Karpathos, Rhodos, Kythnos, Kasos).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Found in residential gardens, oases, orchards and city parks (Gardner 2013). The species distribution is mainly associated with urban gardens and cultivated land. It is mainly a diurnal species which burrow under leaves or in the soil during the hottest period of the day. During the summer, they are crepuscular and nocturnal. They are active hunters, feeding on invertebrates, small geckos and possibly plant material (Gardner 2013). They shuttle between sun and shade during activity periods to maintain temperature and hence prefer a complex micro-habitat such as provided by dense vegetation (Gardner 2013). It is viviparous, giving birth to four to six young (Gardner 2013).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Not Applicable
Assessment rationale/justification
This species occurs within the United Arab Emirates as a result of historical introduction. The species is known from coastal areas of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and inland around Al Ain. The species is considered Not Applicable for the UAE national Red List as a non-native introduction. 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
Assessment year
2018
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
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
There appear to be no major threats to this species, however, it is preyed on by domestic and feral cats (Felis catus).
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures: