Uromastyx aegyptia ssp. microlepis | UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles
Taxa
Uromastyx aegyptia ssp. microlepis | Arnold, 1980
Publication
Asessment status in full
Vulnerable
Assessment status abreviation
VU
Assessment status criteria
A2abcd+4abcd
Assessment rationale/justification
In the United Arab Emirates, this subspecies is found in the south and west of the Abu Dhabi Emirate. The extent of occurrence (EOO) is moderately large, approaching 45,375 km<sup>2</sup>, however, the area of occupancy (AOO) is restricted, at just 324 km<sup>2</sup>. Its primary habitat, sandy or gravel plains, is impacted by a range of threats such as urban development, oil and gas exploitation, etc, which may result in local extirpations. As a result, the subspecies is assessed as Vulnerable (VU A2abcd+4abcd) based on observed and inferred (declines in AOO and habitat quality, and levels of exploitation) population decline in the past and ongoing that exceeds 30%. The population is suspected to have undergone a decline of at least 30% in the previous three generations (30 years) as a result of habitat loss, and a future decline of at least 10% is suspected as a result of ongoing habitat loss. The subspecies faces a wide range of threats in addition to urban development, including loss of vegetation cover, and persecution. The subspecies is unlikely to be declining fast enough for this subspecies to qualify for listing in a more threatened category and viable populations are present in several Protected Areas. 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).Conservation actions are required for this subspecies. Education is required to ensure that the existing Federal Law of the United Arab Emirates that prohibits the hunting, collection, and disturbance of the species is implemented, and habitat protected. Further research is required, including habitat and population monitoring.
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 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.
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Threats listed in assessment
Although a widespread the subspecies, it is not evenly distributed over its range, being dependent on sandy or gravel plains for its burrows, and generally avoiding soft sand or dunes (Gardner 2013). As a result, it makes the subspecies vulnerable to threats such as urban development, road construction, oil and gas exploitation etc, which may result in local extirpations. Over-grazing on the plains leads to the loss of vegetation cover, whilst tree-planting impacts the subspecies elsewhere. The subspecies is also subject to persecution.The combination of extended drought duration and over-grazing (even in protected areas), leading to the loss of essential vegetation cover, is hard to estimate but may be significant.
Conservation Measures
Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:
Scientific Name | Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Uromastyx aegyptia ssp. microlepis | Animalia | Chordata | Reptilia | Squamata | Agamidae | Uromastyx |