Taxon name
Hemidactylus robustus
Heyden, 1827
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Hemidactylus robustus
Heyden, 1827
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Reptiles
Species authority
Heyden, 1827
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
This species has been considered to be a synonym of H. turcicus; while it is now recognized as valid (Baha El Din 2005, Carranza and Arnold 2012), its range limits remain unclear as a result of this former synonymy. The observation that many specimens exhibit apparently intermediate sets of characteristics (Loveridge 1947) is borne out by examination of Ethiopian H. sinaitus (Largen and Spawls 2006). B. Lanza (in Largen and Spawls 2006) attributes these shared characteristics to the existence of possible hybrids, but it may be that the relationship between H. robustus and H. sinaitus is in need of further investigation.Comparison of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences of geckos from Iran and Pakistan with H. robustus from Egypt and the UAE confirms that this species extends at least as far as Sind (Bauer et al. 2006). A recent study on the degree of molecular and morphological differentiation within the H. robustus species group allowed the redescription of H. robustus and the formal description of three new species of Hemidactylus -“ H. adensis and H. mandebensis from Yemen and H. awashensis from Ethiopia (Šmíd et al. 2015).Hemidactylus porbandarensis Sharma, 1981 is a synonym of Hemidactylus robustus Heyden, 1827 (Bauer et al. 2012).
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 in the sandy deserts, gravel plains and at lower elevations in the mountainous regions, and it is frequently encountered in urban and disturbed environments. There are no widespread threats, and the species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a degree of habitat modification, 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 in the sandy deserts, gravel plains and in the mountainous regions at lower elevations, and is also found on many of the islands (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). It occurs from sea level to 500 m asl. It is frequently encountered in urban and disturbed environments. The species is considered native to the Arabian Peninsula.This species is distributed (Carranza and Arnold 2006, Sindaco and Jeremäenko 2008) through Somalia (where it is found in nearly all regions; Lanza 1990), in Eritrea and Djibouti (Ineich 2001), along the Red Sea coast of Sudan and southern Egypt (north to Quseir; Baha El Din 2001), much of the Arabian Peninsula (and also on Socotra Island) (Cogä'lniceanu et al. 2013), east to Iran (Anderson 1999) and Pakistan (Baha El Din 2005). It is a coastal species generally found at or close to sea level, however, inland records exist for Ethiopia and extreme northeastern Kenya (Spawls et al. 2002, Largen and Spawls 2006, 2010). It has possibly been introduced to some of the port cities of Iran and Pakistan (T. Papenfuss pers. comm. 2008). It is found in coastal areas around the Red Sea, Hadhramaut (Yemen; Šmíd et al. 2015), and the southern Arabian littoral zone as far as the eastern United Arab Emirates, southern Iran and Pakistan (Arnold 1980). A record from Zanzibar represents an introduced population of Hemidactylus puccionii.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
In the United Arab Emirates this species is commonly encountered in urban areas, gardens, on trees in sand deserts and wadis (Gardner 2013).Elsewhere across its distribution, the species is found in coastal salt marshes under halophytic vegetation, in mangroves, under coastal debris, and on traditional buildings. This species is widespread across both mainland and island coastlines, from rocky hillsides and scrubland to salt marsh (Carranza and Arnold 2012, Carranza et al. 2018). In Oman, and presumably elsewhere, it is never encountered far from human habitation (Arnold 1980). It is however generally less well-adapted to urbanization and development than H. turcicus. It is generally not found in rocky areas. It is an egg-laying species.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
There are no known threats to the species within the United Arab Emirates. The species is highly adaptable to artificial environments and are commonly encountered within urban areas. It doesn't appear to be collected for the pet trade.
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
