1999

Vol. 8, pp. 85-89

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchFirst Record of the Lacertid Acanthodactylus boskianus (Sauria: Lacertidae)

for IranNasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani
Department of Zoology, Goteborg University. Box 463, SE 405 30 Goteborg, Sweden

The first record of the lacertid li/.ard Acanthodactylus boskianus for Iran is presented based onmaterial collected by the author in 1995 and 1996 from 2 km west of Harsin, Kermanshah province, western Iran,

Abstract.-mon the Astragalus -covered sandy hills at about 1420
elevation. Systematics and distribution of this lizard arediscussed and its conventional known subspecies are questioned.

Key words.- Acanthodactylus boskianus, Lacertidae, Subspecies,

New record. Western Iran, Kermanshah

province, Harsin, Systematics, Distribution.

Figurel The distribution of Acanthodactylus boskianus innorth Africa and the Middle East.
.

Introduction
The lacertid genus Acanthodactylus Wiegman, 1834
consists of about

30 species, distributed from Spain

and Portugal across the Sahara desert and its periphery to theRed Sea, over most of Arabia and as far

north as Cyprus and the Syrian-Turkish border; it also

extends through Iraq, southern, and eastern Iran,southern Afghanistan. Pakistan and northwestern
India (Arnold, 1983).

Apart from the present record, four additional spegenus occur in Iran, mainly in southernand eastern parts of the country
1974; Anderson,A.

(A. micropholis, A.

and A. blanfordi) (Anderson,in press;Salvador, 1982). As well,opheodurus Arnold, may occur in lowland south-(Anderson, in press). The genus is
Saharo-Sindian in its affinities and distribution andwestern

Irandoes not penetrate to a great extent into the IranianPlateau and only two species go beyond the plateau as
far east as

Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwestern

India (A. cantorisof Kermanshah Province, western Iran. (|) = Harsin,() = Locality of A. boskianus specimens.
Salvador. 1982). This genus has recently been revisedby Salvador (1982) and Arnold (1983) who divide it
into 9 species groups. Among these groups is the "A.

boskianus and A. schreiberi "group defined by several
distinguishing characters (Arnold, 1983: 315).

cies of thisgrandis, A. schmidti,

Figure 2. The locality of Acanthodactylus boskianus specimens collected by the author from Harsin, southeastand A. micropholis) (Clark, 1990;

So far, there is no record in the literature for theoccurrence of A. boskianus

in Iran. In this paper,I

report this taxon for the first time inside Iranian terri-

tory based on three specimens (two adults and onejuvenile) collected from Kermanshah province, west-ern Iran during my two long-term excursions on theIranian Plateau in 1995 and 1996.

Acanthodactylus boskianus (Daudin, 1802)
Lacerta boskiana Daudin, 1802, 3: 188, PI. 36, Fig.
2 (type locality: Egypt).
Bosc's fringe-toed lizard.

1999

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 8. p. 86

Distribution:

A. boskianus

isthe most widespread

species of the genus and occupies a large area fromj&k*.

north Africa (Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria,Mali,Niger, Tunisia, Libya, Chad, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethioeastward into the Middle East (Israel,pia, Egypt)

Lebanon, Jordan,Iraq,Syria, Turkey,and Arabianpeninsula) (Salvador, 1982). It is also reported for thefirst timefrom Iran [(present paper) (Figs. 1-2)].

Collecting of A. boskianus specimensI

conducted two long-term excursions and field workinvarious parts of the Iranian plateau in 1995 andOn July 8, 1995, I surveyed the area around1996.

Figure 3. Acanthodactylus boskianus, top to bottom:
male, female, juvenile.
Definition: Usually 4 entire supraoculars, occasionear pectinate;ally the 1st divided; anterior border of

temporal scales more or less keeled; eyelids slightlydenticulated; conspicuous gular told; 3 series ofscales around fingers; ventrals

sometimes
large,12)

keeled,usuallyin

10 (andstraight longitudinal rows; usuallyimbricate dorsals (sometimes small,keeled and imbricate); granular scales onflanks; moderate to strong fringe on 4th toe: upper

slightly

surface of tail with large, imbricate, sharply keeled

Harsin, a small

town

in

southeastern

Kermanshah

province, western Iran to collect Trapelus ruderatus
for ongoing research. In 2 km
and Laudakia nupta(34° 17' N, 47° 24' E) on the sandy
covered by various species of Astragalus, I col-west of Harsin
hills

lected a lacertid specimen incidentally. It was an adultmale of A. boskianus(GNHM Re. ex. 5142).

I

sur-veyed this locality several times in 1995, but I could
not find more specimens of A. boskianus. Again, on

August 29, 1996, and during my second field trip toIran, I surveyed the same area and collected two otherspecimens of A. boskianus, an adult female and a(GNHM Re. ex. 5143-4) (Fig. 3). I collectedjuvenile
scales.
all

specimens on an Astragalus -covered sandy hill.
£*:•<Figure 4. Acanthodactylus boskianus on the top of an Astragalus bush, 2western Iran.

km west of Harsin, Kermanshah Province,among or under the Astragalus

bushes. It seems thatforliving

among and on the spiny bushes of Astragalus(Fig.

have acquired specialtheyVol. 8. p. 87

Asiatic Herpetological Research

1999

adaptations

ish on neck, disappears

towards the posterior part ofback.

Systematic account4).

As pointed out before, Acanthodactylus boskianus

Remarksismost widespread species of its genus. It occurs
throughout a wide range which is extended from norththeThe three specimens which I collected 2 km west ofHarsin, Kermanshah province, western Iran, have theAfrica into the Middle East.

Itisa polytypic taxon

most other A. boskianus

and very well represented in most museum collections

specimens except that the dorsal scales are relatively
small, as is the case in the Iraqi and Syrian popula-and shows obvious geographic variation in different
hasparts of its range. Traditionally, A. boskianus

tions. The main characteristics of these specimens arebeen divided into three subspecies;

as follows:(Daudin, 1802)

Maximum SVL (Snout-Vent Length) = 65.5 mm;
maximum TL (Tail Length) = 134 mm; scales acrossSinai,generalcharacteristics of

mid-dorsal region 43-48: ventral plates in 10 longitudinal rows with an extra row of smaller plates on eachfour

entire supraoculars; temporal region
subocular does not reach the mouth
keeled,slightlyand is wedged between the 4th and 5th supralabial; 7side;

upper and 7/7 lower labials; temporal scales feebly keeled: anterior edge of tympanum feebly ser-5/5

supraciliaries; 22-25 femoral pores; dorsal scales
scalestively small and feebly keeled: 3 rows ofaround fingers; 8-9 collar plates; distinct gular fold;rela-

25-27 scales in a longitudinal row from symphysis ofchin shields to collar; 2 1-23 keeled lamellae under theforth toe which is not exceptionally pectinate;

plates in 25-30 transverse rows;

ventral13-15 scales between

hindlegs; 25-26 scales on the 5th caudal whorl behindthe vent.

Coloration and color pattern:

In the male speci-

men dorsum sandy grey with two light dorsolateral
stripes on each side enclosing a broad brown bandwith light reticulations, also a weakly visible darkbrown vertebral stripe present; base of tail with twolight lateral stripes, distal 4 / 5 of tailuniformly grey
dorsally, upper surface of limbs greyish-brown withnumerous light spots: upper surface of head olive-brown; all of the ventral surfaces whitish.

b.

boskianus

Boulenger 1919, fromeuphraticus

range (Arnold, 1983; Boulenger, 1919, 1921; Salvador, 1982).

Boulenger (1919, 1921) divided the populations ofA. boskianus into three varieties (subspecies):

The first subspecies, A.b. boskianus (forma typica),characterized by the lack of subocular contact

with the lip, the common division of the first supraoc-

and the small and numerous dorsal scales (34The
second subspecies, A. b. asper, characterized52).
ular,

by a subocular which does not border the lip, an undivided first supraocular, and the large, relatively few
dorsal scales (23-38). And the third subspecies, whichhave examined the syntypes, A. b. euphraticus(described based on 8 specimens collected atIRamadieh on
1918 bythe Euphrates Front, central Iraq, inBoulenger's son Capt. C. L. Boulenger), ischaracterized by a subocular which is usually border-= 87.5%), 38ing the mouth (in 7 out of 8 specimens
43 scales across middle of body, 14-16 scales between
hind limbs, and 23-37 femoral pores on each side.
This simple tripartite divisionisnot satisfactory,

for some of the supposedly distinctive features of A. b.

euphraticus are not consistent and there is some differentiation within the populations assigned to A. b.

asper (Arnold, 1983).

In the female specimen dorsum is dark brown with

7 narrow, light stripes, theb.

A.

and some parts ofRamadieh (central Iraq), and A. b. asper (Audouin,1829) which covers almost the whole of the species/ 7

rated: feeble to moderate pectination of eyelids;A.

in the Nile delta

two dorsolateral ones on

As the separation or contact of subocular with thelip is not a fixed character,it

can not be considered ofeach side being lighter and in strong contrast with thedark-brown pattern of back, the three vertebral andtaxonomic value. As well, scale counts which wereparavertebral ones duller, proximal 1/4 ventral part ofand are therefore not apt to discriminate subspecies

tailwhitish, distal 3/4 pink or bright-red, other ventral

surfaces whitish.

once thought typical for subspecies proved to be clinal(Schleichetal., 1996).

On the other hand, Salvador (1982) divided vari-In the juvenile specimen, upper surface of head is6

ous populations of -4. boskianus into four groups;
north African populations, Egyptian populations, Ara-strongly contrasting light lines, vertebral stripe whit-

bian populations, and Iraq, Syria, and Jordan popula-

lightolive,

dorsumdark-brownish-blackwithtions.

Accordingto this author, the populationsofAsiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 8, p. 88

north Africa are

relativelyuniform,suggestinga1999

weakly keeled,intactsupraocular, and lack of

first

recent invasion to this region. There is a progressive

subocular contact with the mouth. These specimens

degree of variation towards the eastern part of therange, in the Middle East. As the position of the sub-do not entirely fit into the Boulenger's tripartite key

ocular greatly varies in individuals throughout thisspecies entire area of distribution (this being espe-rial atcially so in Iraq), the taxonomic value of this charac-

intraspecific treatment of A. boskianus

ter is greatly reduced (Salvador, 1982). According toscope of this paper. Thus, I have chosen not to use aArnold 1983), over most of north Africa, the number

subspecificof dorsal scales in a transverse row at mid-body varies

thorough and knowledgeable revisionary work on thiswidespread and polytypic taxon. In spite of the con-(from 26-41. I have examined specimens of A. boskianus

from Sudan, Morocco, and Libya (see under(Boulenger, 1919, 1921 ). Since there is no more matehand, it may be difficult to say if they represent

form of A. boskianus or not. An adequate

the fourthname for my own

siderable variationisbeyond thematerial, pending awhich occurs in A. boskianus, asmaterial examined). All of these specimens have 35-mentioned above, there

37 scales across mid-body and, apparently, belong todence

A. b. asper. As well, Arnold (1980) regards all popula-appears that A. schreiberi has originated as an isolateof A. boskianus (Arnold, 1983).

tions of this lizard in the Arabian peninsula as A.

b.

that

itas yet no definitive evimore than one species. Itisconsists ofasper. In the Nile delta and north Sinai, populations

assigned to A. b. boskianus have high dorsal scalecounts (34-52). Populations with high dorsal counts(38-48) also occur in northeast of Jordan, northernand central Iraq, east Syria and adjoining Turkey. In
one specimen from Jordan (GNM.Re. ex. 4799)
which I have examined, there are 40-43 scales acrossmiddle of dorsum. Arnold (1983) believes that geographic variation in A. boskianus reflects differencesin niche across its range. This species is often associ-Material examined
Acanthodactylus boskianus (n = 3): GNHM. Re. ex.
5142-44, from Harsin (34° 17' N, 47° 24' E), Ker-manshah province, western Iran.
Acanthodactylus boskianus euphraticus(n=8):BMNH 1946. 8. 4. 83-90, from Ramadieh, Iraq (33°25'N,43° 17' E).

GNHM.

ated with dense vegetation and large dorsal scales

Acanthodactylus boskianus asper (n = 4):Re. ex.
3333, 3346, 4799, 4937, frommay well be protective when shrubs are rigid andMorocco, Libya, and Gaza respectively.

spiny. The fine-scaled populations occur in relatively

Acanthodactylus schreiberi (n = 3): GNHM. Re. ex.
4646 (1-3), from Cyprus.

mesic areas where vegetation is less damaging than inmore arid regions. Reed and Marx 1959) reported A.
numerous dorsal scales,Sudan,(schreiberi, based on havingfrom Jarmu. Kirkuk Liwa. northern Iraq, in an isolated area far

from the nearest known

localities forLebanon. Salvador (1982) examinedthese specimens and attributed them to A. boskianus.
taxon

thisDuetoin

scarcityschreiberiof material, the presence of A.
needs more confirmation. I havein Iraq

Abbreviations

BMNH=GNHM.

Re.

MuseumBritish(Natural= Gothenburg

ex.

History);

NaturalHistory

Museum, Reptilia exotica.

Acknowledgements

threeofA.
schreiberi
specimens(GNM.Re.ex. 4646 [1-3]) from Cyprus. They have

I wish to thank Goran Nilson, for
critically reviewingof the manuscript as well as providing me Acantho-51-59 small, rather granular,

dactylus boskianus and A. schreiberi specimens fromthecollections of Gothenburg
Natural History

studiedsmooth,orweaklykeeled, scales across widest part of dorsum and 12
ventral plates across the widest part of venter. As well,Museum.

Iwouldthank Colin MacCarthy,

like toMuseum

the temporal scales are smooth and the anterior edge

Department of Zoology, Britishof tympanum

History) for loan of syntypes of Acanthodactylus(Naturalnot serrated or very weakly so.
According to Khalaf (1959), both A. b. asper and A.

boskianus euphraticus.

euphraticus occur in Iraq without specifying their
exact localities. Also. Leviton et al. ( 1992) regard A. b.

Science Department, University of the Pacific, Stock-isb.

asper as the subspecies found in Iraq.

Based on the fore mentioned discussion, and withrespect to characteristics of specimens collected bythe author, it is evident that these specimens belong toa form with fine and numerous dorsal scales which areIton,am also grateful to
California,

forS.

allC. Anderson, Biologicalof his

recommendations,encouragements, and sending informative
especially his unpublishedliterature,

work concerning the Ira-nian lacertids, as well as critically reviewing of thispaper.

Asiatic Herpetological Research

1999

Also, my special thanks go to the Razi University
Authorities (Kermanshah, Iran) and Ali Rassuli for
theirunsparing helps during

field

workinwestern

Iran.

Boulcnger, G. A. 1919. On a new variety of Acanthodactylus boskianus

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (Hiertza-Retzius Fond), Anna Ahrenbergs and Wilhelm and Martina Lundgrens Foundations.

Daudin, from the Euphrates. Pp.

459-460. In Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. Ser. 9, Vol. 3.
Boulcnger, G. A.

This work was partly supported by grants from theVol. 8, p. 89

1921.

Monograph of the Lacertidae.

Vol. 2, British Museum (Natural History), London.

Clark, R., 1990. A report on herpetological observations in Afghanistan. Brit. Herp. Soc. Bull., 33: 20-24.

Daudin, F. M. 1802. Histoire naturelle generale et particuliere des reptiles. Dufart, Paris.

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Knalaf, K. T. 1959. Reptiles of Iraq, with some notes

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96 pp.

65: 27-44.

Leviton, A. E., S. C. Anderson., K. Adler., and S. A.

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Audouin,J.

V.

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Explication