Within the United Arab Emirates, this species occurs inland from Sharjah south to Abu Dhabi inwards to Al Ain (Gardner 2013) from sea level to 300 m asl, with an isolated record also known from the vicinity of Khor Fakkan on the east coast (Böhme and Leptien 1990, Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press).Globally, the species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula, where it has been recorded from the United Arab Emirates, Oman (including Masirah Island) and eastern Yemen (Arnold 1977, 1980; Carranza et al. 2018). There is a questionable record from the northern Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia. It is very localised in Yemen, where only one record is known.

Within the United Arab Emirates, the species occurs throughout the Hajar Mountains from sea level to 600 m asl (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). Globally, the species is endemic to the central and western Hajar Mountains, ranging from the Musandam Peninsula in Oman through the United Arab Emirates to Jebel Akhdar in Oman (Gardner 2013, Carranza et al. 2018). It has been found from sea level up to 1,700 m asl.

Within the United Arab Emirates, this species occurs throughout the Hajar Mountains (Babocsay 2004, Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press) from sea level to 1,000 m asl. The species also occurs in Jebel Hafeet near Al Ain.This species is endemic to the Hajar Mountain of Oman and the United Arab Emirates (Egan 2007). The animals are seldom found above 800 m asl.

In the United Arab Emirates, this species has been recorded from the Sila area through the coastal deserts of Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah, and further inland around Sweihan and Al Ain (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). The species has also been recorded along the east coast of the United Arab Emirates but is absent from the Hajar Mountains. The species is found from sea level to 400 m asl.This species is present in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters (Soorae et al. 2006, 2010; Buzás et al. 2018). It is found in both the Arabian Gulf and in the Gulf of Oman. Breeding has been confirmed in the waters off the east coast (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). On the east coast, it is found from 2.7-9.7 km offshore (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). The depth range is not certain, but likely to be found to c.45 m depth along the east coast. Museum records are available for the UAE in the Al Mayya Sanctuary, Fujairah. Recent museum specimens include those from Muscat, Oman (Boulenger 1887), Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz (Gasperetti 1988). The first museum specimens for the region were collected in Dubai and Sharjah (Arabian Gulf, UAE) by M.D. Gallagher in 1972 (Gasperetii 1988).Globally, this species is found in the Arabian Gulf eastwards to India and Sri Lanka (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Heatwole 1999), and to the west coast of peninsular Thailand, Melanesia and Singapore (Rasmussen et al. 2010).

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters (Gasperetti 1988, Egan 2007, Soorae et al. 2006, Gardner 2013, Buzás et al. 2018), with confirmed records from the Arabian Gulf (from small numbers of strandings) and the Gulf of Oman, where it is primarily found up to 8.9 km offshore, but seen at 13.8, 34.5, 44 and 78 km offshore; as a pelagic species, it can be found anywhere within the EEZ (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). The depth range is not certain, but likely to be found to c.5 m depth, as this is a surface-dwelling species. Recent museum records are available for the UAE in the Al Mayya Sanctuary, Fujairah.Globally, this species is very widespread in the tropical parts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans between the 18-20'º C isotherms (Dunson and Ehlert 1971, Graham et al. 1971). It is known from the coasts of eastern Africa, north to the Arabian Gulf, east along the Asian coast of the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, northward to Japan and eastward to the western coasts of the Americas (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Heatwole 1999). Currents occasionally carry the snakes into temperate waters, but these are almost certainly far from their breeding and feeding waters (Guinea et al. 2017). The species has been reported, from a small number of records, from Atlantic waters (Atlantic coast of Africa and the Caribbean coast of Columbia), which suggests that colonization of the Atlantic Ocean is a possibility (Lillywhite et al. 2018).

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters (Soorae et al. 2006, Buzás et al. 2018). It is found in both the Arabian Gulf and in the Gulf of Oman. Breeding is confirmed, as juveniles are found in the waters off the east coast (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). On the east coast, it is found up to 8 km offshore (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). The depth range is not certain, but likely to be found to c. 45 m depth along the east coast. Museum specimens from Muscat, Oman (Boulenger 1887), Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz (Gasperetti 1988). Recent museum records are available for the UAE in the Al Mayya Sanctuary, Fujairah.Globally, this species is found in the Arabian Gulf, east to Indonesia, China, and Taiwan (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Heatwole 1999), and south to New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands (Ineich and Rasmussen 1997).

Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is widespread throughout the sandy deserts from sea level to 300 m asl (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). It is more frequently recorded north of Abu Dhabi through the sandy deserts to Ras al Khaimah.Globally, this species ranges from Egypt, south through Sudan (but apparently absent from South Sudan; Broadley and Wallach 2007), Somalia and Ethiopia to Kenya and northern Tanzania, and east from Israel, Jordan, Syria and southeastern Turkey, through Iran (Khuzestan Province) and Iraq to the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan and northwestern India. It is not present in Lebanon.

Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is widespread throughout the sandy desert and gravel plains from sea level to 199 m asl. It is generally found in coastal areas and associated with man (Gardner 2013). Isolated records exist of the species at higher elevation from 900 to 1,000 m asl. It is also known from Dalma and Sir Bani Yas islands of the United Arab Emirates (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). Within the UAE, this species also appears to be associated with development and urbanisation in parts of its range.The natural range of this species is not clear since it appears to have been introduced over much of its range (S. Baha El Din pers. comm. 2009). Populations on the African coast have almost certainly been introduced (Largen and Spawls 2010) and the only report from Eritrea is that of von Heyden (1827), so there is considerable doubt about whether the species still persists there. The current global range (Sindaco and Jeremäenko 2008) of this species is from Eritrea, through Sudan (where it was reported from Port Sudan; Loveridge 1947), Egypt (Flower 1933), Israel (introduced to Eilat; Hoofien 1995, Dolev and Perevelotsky 2002, Werner 1987), southwestern and northeastern Jordan (Sindaco et al. 1995, Disi et al. 2001, Disi 2002), eastern Syria (Disi and Böhme 1996, Martens 1997), Turkey (southeast Anatolia only; Baran and Atatür 1998, Sindaco et al. 2000), most of Iraq, western and southwestern Iran (Anderson 1999), northwestern, northern and eastern Saudi Arabia (with isolated central populations), southwestern Yemen, Kuwait, Qatar, northern United Arab Emirates, eastern and southern Oman (van der Kooij 2000, Carranza et al. 2018), eastwards to Afghanistan (Leviton and Anderson 1963), Pakistan (Baig 1998, Baig et al. 2008, Masroor 2009, Rais et al. 2015) and India (Pardeshi et al. 2010, Vyas 2011). It has also been introduced to the USA (Texas) where it is currently believed to be expanding its range. This species can be found from sea level to 1,800 m asl.

Within the United Arab Emirates, this species is known from the Hajar Mountains between Asimah and Daftah (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press) and occurs at between 400-900 m asl. The species distribution might extend further, but due to its semi-fossorial habits, small size and difficulty to observe, it is under-sampled in surveys. This species is the most widely distributed member of its genus and has been recorded from southwestern Saudi Arabia, Yemen, southeast Kuwait, northern Oman, Iraq, northern and western Iran, southern Turkmenistan, southern Tajikistan, southeastern Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan (from Quetta to Chitral; Minton 1966), reaching its eastern range limit in the Indian state of Jammu-Kashmir (Sahi and Duda 1986). In Afghanistan Sindaco and Jeremçenko (2008) mapped lowland localities along the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Turkmenistan, however, the records provided by Wagner et al. (2016) suggest that the species is confined to montane areas in this country. A single specimen has also been reported from Syria (Aleppo; Jeremäenko and Szczerbak 1986), but the occurrence in this country needs to be confirmed, as do reports of its occurrence in Azerbaijan and Georgia (Sindaco and Jeremäenko 2008). It can occur up to 2,500 m asl.