Bull
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Ali N. Al-Barazengy
Bull. Iraq Nat. Hist. Mus.
(2014) 13 (2): 119-125
FIRST OBSERVATIONS ON PHRYNOCEPHALUS MACULATUS
LONGICAUDATUS HAAS, 1957 (SQUAMATA: SAURIA: AGAMIDAE)
IN IRAQ
Ali N. Al-Barazengy
Iraqi Ministry of Environment/Center of Sustainable Management for
Natural Ecosystem-biodiversity unit
Email: ali_bio_84@yahoo.com
Phone: +9647703211822
ABSTRACT
The present paper confirmed the presence of Phrynocephalus maculatus longicaudatus
Haas, 1957 in Iraq and recorded the first observations of this taxon in Al-Muthanna province
southwestern of Iraq. The existence of the species is yet uncertain in Iraq. The habitat and
morphological characteristics of this species were reviewed.
KEY WORDS: Reptilia, Squamata, Sauria, Agamidae, Phrynocephalus maculate,
observation, southern Iraq, taxonomy
INTRODUCTION
Phrynocephalus maculatus Anderson, 1872 is widely distributed from South West
Pakistan, South Afghanistan, through Iran to Eastern Arabia and South East Jordan Sindaco
and Jeremcenko (2008) and Schultz et al. (1992). Phrynocephalus maculatus maculatus
Anderson, 1872 distributed the Central Plateau of Iran, at elevations from 500-3000 meters
east through southern Afghanistan and Baluchistan as far as Nushki, Pakistan, and
Phrynocephalus maculatus longicaudatus Haas, 1957 is found along the gulf coast of Saudi
Arabia Leviton et al. (1992) and Anderson (1999). The occurrence of P. m. maculatus in Iraq
was reported by Khalaf (1959) without further information. For these reasons there were
some doubts on its occurrence because there are neither museum specimens nor published
records on this species in Iraq Leviton et al. (1992). Afrasiab and Ali (1989) did not record
Phrynocephalus in their list for Romaila reptiles, South of Iraq. Also it was not included in
the family Agamidae in the check list of reptiles and amphibians of Iraq that giving by Amr
(2009) and. Furthermore, there are seven species of phrynocephalus has been recorded in
Iran including P. maculatus Rastegar-Pouyani et al. (2008), and two species of
phrynocephalus has been recorded in Jordan, P. maculatus and P. arabicus Abu Baker et al.
(2005).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sawa Lake is an enclosed lake located Northern of Al-Muthanna province and Al-
Wuhashih hill a desert area located to the East of Al-Muthanna province (30 Km south of
AL-Khader city). These two sites are regularly surveyed to study the wild birds in the
province. Most habitats in those sites are semi desert and sandy desert. Adult of P. maculatus
was photographed for the first time in area called Um Al-Rouge (fig.1) (a sandy area on the
road leading to Al-Wuhashih hill (N: 31.0384°, E: 45.57053°, altitude approximately (2 m)
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First Record of Bostrichuscapucinus
in 14 May 2013). The other P. maculatus was photographed once more near Sawa lake (fig.2)
(N: 31.32123°, E: 45.03544°, altitude approximately (10 m) in 28 Aug 2013).
Two Canon EOS camera bodies is used (Canon EOS 450D and Canon EOS 550D)
equipped with lenses Canon EF 100-400 mm (f 4-5.6), Canon EF 400 mm (f 5.6) and Canon
EFS 18-55mm (f 3.5-5.6) to take close-up photos to confirm field identifications for the
species, and to take a landscape photographs the area which the agama was presented there.
We also used a Garmin eTrex GPS device to record locations (longitude, latitude, and
elevation).
Phrynocephalus maculatus longicaudatus Haas, 1957 diagnosed depending on Haas (1957),
Leviton et al. (1992) and Anderson (1999)
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In summer 2013 the Iraqi Ministry of Environment carried out a field survey to study the
wild birds in the important biodiversity areas in AL-Muthanna province, which is one of the
largest provinces South West part of Iraq. Most of the province is located in Ecoregion:
Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands (PA1303) according to World
Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the encyclopedia of earth. The biodiversity of this region is the
least known in Iraq (Iraq fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity
2010). Many sites North, South, East and West the province were surveyed, during which two
specimens of P. maculatus were collected, for the first time in late spring to the South of Al-
Khader city (40Km Southeast of Al-Samawah city) in the part of sandstone North and
Northeast of the province; the other one seen in mid-summer sandy area Eastern of Sawa Lake
(28Km Southeast of Al-Samawah city).
Fig.1: Habitat of P. maculatus at Um Al-Rouge area-Al-Muthanna province / South
West Iraq. (Photographs by Ali N. Al-Barazengy/ May 2013)
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Ali N. Al-Barazengy
Fig.2: Habitat of P.maculatus, Eastern Sawa Lake –Al-Muthanna province / South
West Iraq. (Photographs by Ali N. Al-Barazengy/ August 2013).
OBSERVATIONS
In our surveys we found one P. maculatus in each site. The first was climber on plant
Haloxylon salicornicum, the other was procumbent on the sand. The phenotypic characteristics
of the tow specimens coincide with diagnosis of P. m. longicaudatus Haas, 1957, (figs. 3, 4).
The head is short and broad, roughly looks like a heart on top view. Forehead convex, with
slightly enlarged scales, slot big mouth, no cutaneous folds at angle of mouth, no fringe of
scales on posterior border of thigh and side of tail, side of head and neck without projecting
fringe-like scales, dorsal scales homogeneous, no enlarged scales along flanks, scales on
vertebral region considerably larger than those on flanks, nostrils are separated by one to three
scales. Differs from P. m. maculatus in having posterior supraorbital scales strikingly flattened
and enlarged, longer than wide, and larger than mid-dorsal scales; a few dorsal scales are
keeled or with an indication of mucronation; nostrils are directed forward instead of upward;
tail is longer than twice the distance from the gular fold to the vent; dark coloration of the
distal part of the tail is pronounced ventrally.
Fig.3: (A) Female Phrynocephalus maculatus longicaudatus Haas, 1957. (B) Side view of the
head showing 5 rows of scales between eye and lip. And have enlarged posterior
supraorbital scales larger than mid-dorsal scales typical for ssp. longicaudatus Haas,
1957. (C) Rearward view showing no fringe of scales on posterior border of thigh and
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First Record of Bostrichuscapucinus
side of tail. (Photographs by Ali N. Al-Barazengy Um Al-Rouge area Al-Muthanna
province in may 2013).
Coloration
Individual that located in Um Al-Rouge area is colored by silver-grey on dorsum, barred
transversally with five wide light brown bars ended on vertebral region of the back, each bar
ended with dark brown spot on dorsum. The belly, under head and under tail was white. Toes
barred with dark grey strips. Tail barred with seven dark strips and thin zigzag strips in-
between, the ventral end of the tail was black. The other Individual that located in Eastern
Sawa Lake is colored by pale light grey to sandy color on dorsum and toes spotted with tight
brown, the head paler than dorsum. The belly, under head was white, under tail has orange
coloration from the vent across the anterior half of its length. Tail barred and spotted with dark
grey and the tip of tail is black.
Habitat
Um Al-Rouge area is located in South East AL-Samawa city, the site is small sandy dunes
in wide shrubs desert, the growing plants in the site are mostly of one species Haloxylon
salicornicum (fig.1). The other site is Sawa lake is a small enclosed lake with neither input nor
output water sources surrounded with shrubs desert. Sahara in the east and west side of the
lake is sandy shrub desert most plants in eastern side are Salicornia europaea, Bienertia
cycloptera, Suaeda vermiculata, Cornulaca leucantha sp., neurada procumbens (fig. 2).
Fig.4: (A) Adult Phrynocephalus maculatus longicaudatus Haas, 1957. (B) Dorsal view of the head
showing enlarged posterior supraorbital scales, typical for ssp. longicaudatus Haas, 1957 (C)
Rearward view showing no fringe of scales on posterior border of thigh and side of tail. (D)
Frontal view showing the nostrils separated by three scales, directed forward instead of upward.
(E) Side view of the head showing 4 rows of scales between eye and lip. (Photographs by Ali N.
Al-Barazengy, Eastern Sawa Lake -Muthanna province, Aug 2013).
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Ali N. Al-Barazengy
Key to the species of the genus phrynocephalus in the Middle East
- Fringes of pointed scales on toes strong, scales surrounding nostrils typically in contact on
midline; often 3or 4 rows of scales between eye and lip; usually brownish above with
some yellow or orange in pattern …………... Phrynocephalus arabicus.
- Fringes of pointed scales on toes moderate; scales surrounding nostrils typically separated
from each other on midline; often 5 or 6 rows of scales between eye and lip; dorsal with
five dark crossbars……... Phrynocephalus maculatus longicaudatus.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude to all of:
Iraqi Ministry of Environment (IMoE), for support the field surveys in south Iraq, Saman
R. Afrasiab herpetologist in Iraq Natural history research center and museum/ Baghdad
university for his comments on Phrynocephalus maculatus in Iraq. Omar F. Al-Sheikhly a
Zoologist in College of Science/ University of Baghdad, for his comments on
Phrynocephalus maculatus in Iraq. Ali Haloob a Botanist in Center of Sustainable
Management for Natural Ecosystem (IMoE), for his help graciously in the classification of
plants in the region. Farah T. Abd Alhamid a biology in Center of Sustainable Management
for Natural Ecosystem (IMoE), Mohamed Abbas Natural Systems Division / Al-Muthanna
Environment Directorate.
LITERATURE CITED
Abu-Baker M. .P. Siroky. ,Z. Amr., & D. Modry 2005. Discovery of a population of
Phrynocephalus maculatus Anderson in Hashemit Kingdom of Jordan. Herpetozoa 18(3/4):
107-113.
Afrasiab, S.R. &Ali, H. A., 1989. Report on collection of reptiles from Rumaila desert, South
of Iraq. Bull. Iraq nat.hist. Mus. 8:65-73.
Amr, Z. 2009. Nature Iraq Species Checklist - Reptiles and Amphibians of Iraq. Sulaimani,
Iraq: Nature Iraq. Publication No. NI-0209-003: 1-9.
Anderson, S. C., 1999. The lizards of Iran. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.
Oxford, Ohio. 442 pp.
Haas, G. 1957. Some amphibians and reptiles from Arabia. Proceedings of the California
academy of sciences fourth series 29 (3): 47-86.
Khalaf, K. T. 1959. Reptiles of Iraq, with some notes on the amphibians. Ar-Rabitta Press,
Baghdad. Vii+96pp. Iraq.
Leviton, A. E., Anderson, S.C., Adler K . & MintonS.A.1992. Hand book to the Middle East
amphibians and reptiles. Ithaca, New York, SSAR: 252 pp.
Ministry of Environment, Republic of Iraq 2010. Iraq fourth National Report to the
Convention on Biological Diversity. Retrieved 10 July 2014 from:
http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/iq/iq-nr-04-en.pdf
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First Record of Bostrichuscapucinus
Rastegar-Pouyani, N., H.G. Kami, M. Rajabzadeh, S. Shafiei, & Anderson, S. C. 2008.
Annotated checklist of Amphibians and Reptiles of Iran-Iranian journal of Animal
biosystematics (IJAB) 1: 43-66.
Schultz, S., Siegenthaler, F., Radspieler ,C., and Wilms, TH.M. 2013. A new locality record
of Phrynocephalus maculatus Anderson, 1872, from Jordan [Short Note] Herpetozoa 25
Sindaco, R. And Jeremcenko, V. K. 2008. The Reptiles of the Western Palearctic. 1.
Annotated Checklist and Distributional Atlas of the Turtles, Crocodiles, Amphisbaenians and
Lizards of Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. Edizioni Belvedere, Latina:
579 pp.
The encyclopedia of earth. Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands,
Retrieved 25 January 2015 from: http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150161/
WWF. Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund, Retrieved 11 July 2014 from
http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions/item1847.html. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
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Ali N. Al-Barazengy
Bull. Iraq Nat. Hist. Mus.
(2014) 13 (2): 119-125
Phrynocephalus maculatusالمشبٌذاث األَلى للحشرَن
longicaudatus Haas, 1957فً العشاق
علً البشصوجً
َصاسة البٍئت
الخالصت
Phrynocephalus maculatus ٌُضح ٌزا البحث حبلت َجُد الىُع
longicaudatus Haas, 1957 ًفً العشاق َتسجٍل المشبٌذاث األَلى لً ف
ٌَعتبش ٌزا الىُع مه , محبفظت المثىى فً الجضء الجىُبً الغشبً مه العشاق
الضَاحف التببعت لفصٍلت الحشرَن ٌَُ مه األوُاع غٍش مؤكذة الُجُد فً
كزلك , العشاق َلم ٌصف أي أحذ مه قبل مكبن تُاجذي فً العشاق حتى أالن
ٌستعشض المُئل الزي َجذ فًٍ َالصفبث المظٍشٌت للىُع