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NRLD - 330721 | Chalcides ocellatus ssp. ocellatus

Assessment ID
330721
Taxon name
Chalcides ocellatus ssp. ocellatus
(Forskål, 1775)
Infrarank
Chalcides ocellatus ocellatus
Infratype
Subspecies (animalia)
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Chalcides ocellatus ssp. ocellatus
(Forskål, 1775)
Assessed taxon level
Subspecies
Infrarank
Chalcides ocellatus ocellatus
Infratype
Subspecies (animalia)
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Reptiles
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
chordata
Class
reptilia
Order
squamata
Family
scincidae
Genus
Chalcides
Species
ocellatus
Species authority
(Forskål, 1775)
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)
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Not Applicable
Criteria system used
IUCN

(see Assessment details)

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).
Assessment details
Year assessed
2018
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 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).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Not_assigned
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).
Threats and conservation measures listed
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).
Publication
UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles
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