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The Iranian Plateau is an area of highly complex landscape and incredibly diverse habitats, from salt deserts to temperate forests. Such a heterogeneous environment, at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa, fuels the high diversity and uniqueness of the Iranian fauna and flora. Nevertheless, our understanding of the historical processes that shaped the Iranian biodiversity remains limited. In this context, we revisit the evolutionary history of the two most widespread lizard species on the Iranian Plateau (Eremias persica and Mesalina watsonana) to explore whether these two taxa of similar ecology have been subjected to similar historical processes. To achieve that, we performed a series of phylogenetic analyses and thoroughly tested all possible alternative topologies based on available mitochondrial sequences (cytochrome b and 12S ribosomal RNA). Additionally, we estimated the number of mitochondrial clusters based on a novel single-locus delimitation method and the time of their divergence, using recently inferred evolutionary rates for lacertid species. The results indicate that the two taxa have been shaped by similar physiographic and climatic barriers since both phytogenies split into similar geographical clusters. However, E. persica has twice as long evolutionary time on the Iranian Plateau than M. watsonana. The first divergence of E. persica was estimated in the Middle Miocene (~13 Mya), at the time of the major uplift of the Zagros mountain range. The Upper Miocene tectonic rearrangement that resulted in the uplift of the Alborz mountains coincides with the original split in M. watsonana (~6.6 Mya) and several contemporaneous splits within E. persica.

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TERRA TYPICA. Synd, between Karachi and Sukkur. DISTRIBUTION. The species is widely distributed on the whole Iranian Plateau and in Afghanistan, comes into southern Turkmenistan. In North Eurasia it occurs only in the south of Turkmenistan up to the vicinity of the town Chärjew in the east. Previously this form was considered as a subspecies of M. guttulata. CONSERVATION STATUS. In Turkmenistan the status of the populations is rather stable and does not require special conservation measures. It is protected on the territory of the Badkhyz Nature Reserve.

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One hundred seventy-seven species of amphibians and reptiles in sixty-fiv genera have been recorded from within the political boundaries of Iran. The actual number of species may prove to be somewhat less when problems of synonymy have been more extensively investigated. Thirty-three species or 19 per cent of the known herpetofauna, are represented in the present collection. The majority of these (21 species) were collected in the western foothills of the Zagros Mountains in southwestern Iran. Relatively few collections have been made in Iran, and many species have been recorded from single localities. Many taxonomic problems must await the collection of further specimens and examination of typical material. Distribution is incompletely known for all species. Many of the early locality records are not precise, and require confirmation. The aridity and prolonged hot season impose severe limitations on the fauna of the foothill region of southwestern Iran. The length of the growing seasonn varies with the duration of the winter and spring rainy season. The vegetation is almost entirely herbaceous in this area, and is extensively grazed by sheep and goats. By late spring the hills are completely denuded, The large numbers of insects, which coincide with the blooming of herbaceous plants in the spring, dwindle through the summer. Grasshoppers and ants form the bulk of the food supply for many species throughout the summer. Various behavioral adaptations enable the amphibians and reptiles to survive the long summer. Foraging activity begins in the early morning hours, diurnal lizards quickly reaching temperatures of normal activity by exposing a maximum surface area to the direct rays of the sun. As ambient temperatures rise, the period of activity is extended by utilization of small areas of shade (particularly the case with lacertids), brief dashes being made into direct sunlight. The agamid lizards may remain in the sun, but position themselves so that the sun´s rays strike a minimum surface area, and at a small angle. Agama agilis ascends low bushes during extremely hot periods, and thus may escape much of the reradiated heat from the hot ground surface. The agamid lizards may benefit from changes in their albedo. They are dark in color when basking, and much lighter during the heat of the day. These color changes may supplement behavioral temperature regulation. The reptiles retreat to shelter during the hottest hours. Deep crevices in limestone outcrops provide shelter for Agama nupta, Mabuya aurata septemtaeniata, and several of the snakes. Agama agilis and Eremias guttulata watsonana seek refuge under small rocks or in rock piles on level ground. The latter species also utilizes small holes and cracks in the hard-packed soil. A few small streams persist throughout the summer, ofter only as intermittent pools. In many dry stream beds, moisture may be found a few inches beneath the surface. A moist, cool, microclimate is also maintained in small caves and ssinkholes in the gypsium formations. These areas provide a summer refuge for the amphibians, and shelter nocturnal reptiles during the day. These cracks and crevices are also utilized by Agama nupta during the hottest hours, and presumably at night. Several species of geckos and snakes are able to exist in the area due to their nocturnal habits, and the fact that temperatures do not drop below their normal activity range at night during the summer. Dune-dwelling species are able to escape the severe midday temperatures by retreating the burrows a few inches below the sand surface. Anal temperatures indicate that the normal activity range for most of the diurnal lizards of southwestern Iran is between 38.0° and 42.0°C. Uromastix loricatus was actively foraging at times when its anal temperature exceeded 43°C. Agama agilis was consistently found in direct sunlicht, the anal temperature above 40°C. Critical maximum temperatures for most diurnal lizards are between 46° and 49°C. Both Uromastix loricatus and Scincus conirostris recovered from temperatures above 50°C. Cowles and Bogert (1944) found that the normal activity range of diurnal lizards of the deserts of the southwestern U.S. was approximately 35°-43°C., and that the lizards preferred temperatures of about 37°C. They found that lizards avoided temperatures above 40°C. Critical maximum temperatures were reported to bte 43°-49°C. As air and surface temperatures increased during the late spring and summer in southwestern Iran, a shift in the periods of reptilian activity was noted. During the moderate spring temperatures, activity was confined to the midday hours. By midsummer, foraging activity was noted only during the earliest daylight hours,a nd again in late afternoon. A detailed zoogeographic analysis of the Iranian herpetofauna must await more extensive locality data, and the analysis of many systematic problems. Nevertheless, it is apparent that the several geographic and ecologic provinces of Iran are characterized by distinct differences in the composition of their faunas. Southwestern Iran and the northwestern highlands have a greater number of species with Mediterranean affinities than do the regions east of the Zagros Mountains. Southeastern Iran shares species with Pakistan and India, while elements of the Central Asia fauna are present in the northeast of the country. Apparently there is a relatively high degree of ebndemism on the central plateau of Iran. A European fauna prevails north of the Elburz Mountains on the south coast of the Caspian Sea. The majority of amphibians and reptiles known Iran are restricted in their distribution to the Middle East. Southwest Asia has apparently existed as a geographic unit long enough to have developed a characteristic herpetofauna, particularly at the species level. Acanthodactylus cantoris blanfordi, Acanthodactylus cantoris schmidti, Eremias guttulata watsonana, Ophisops elegans elegans.

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Acanthodactylus blanfordi, Acanthodactylus boskianus, Acanthodactylus grandis, Acanthodactylus micropholis, Acanthodactylus nilsoni, Acanthodactylus opheodurus, Acanthodactylus schmidti, Eremias acutirostris, Eremias andersoni, Eremias arguta, Eremias fasciata, Eremias grammica, Eremias intermedia, Eremias lalezharica, Eremias lineolata, Eremias nigrocellata, Eremias nigrolateralis, Eremias persica, Eremias pleskei, Eremias scripta, Eremias strauchi strauchi, Eremias strauchi kopetdaghica, Eremias velox velox, Lacerta brandtii, Lacerta cappadocica urmiana, Lacerta chlorogaster, Lacerta defilippii, Lacerta media media, Lacerta mostoufi, Lacerta praticola praticola, Lacerta princeps princeps, Lacerta princeps kurdistanica. Lacerta raddei raddei, Lacerta raddei vanensis, Lacerta steineri, Lacerta strigata, Lacerta valentini valentini, Lacerta zagrosica, Mesalina brevirostris brevirostris, Mesalina brevirostris fieldi, Mesalina watsonana, Ophisops elegans.

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Relatively little is known about the ecology of lizards in Iran. This paper serves as a brief introduction to five representative biotopes and their associated lizard species living syntopically, based largely on my own observations. The selected localities are found in 1) Masjed Soleyman, foothills of the Zagros Mountains, Khuzestan; 2) Kupal dunes, on the Mesopotamian Plain, Khuzestan; 3) Shah ‘Abbas Caravanserai, Dasht-e Kavir, on the Central Plateau; 4) an abandoned village in Sistan, ruined buildings and loose loess substrate; 5) Hyrcanian Forest, northern slopes of lower Alborz Mountains and the Gorgan region. The biotopes are characterized briefly and the concept of syntopy is discussed.

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The collection of amphibians and reptiles made by the Street Expedition to Afghanistan 1965 consists of 247 specimens, including six species of amphibians and 38 species of reptiles. Definite Afghan localities are recorded for the first time for the following species: Agama agrorensis, Agama erythrogaster, Agama himalayana, Agama lehmanni, Agama nuristanica (new species herein described), Agama abdakhshana (new species herein described), Cyrtodactylus watsoni, Hemidactylus flaviviridis, Eremias nigrocellata, Eryx elegans (type was recorded as coming from Afghanistan, but n precise locality was given, An analysis of the zoogeographic significance of this and other collections from Afghanistan is contemplated for the future. Acanthodactylus cantoris, Eremias guttulata watsonana, Eremias nigrocellata, Eremias velox persica.

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The basic anatomy of the lacertid hemipenis (intromittent organ) and methods for its investigation are described. In many members of the Lacertidae, the hemipenis has a structure quite unlike that of other squamate reptiles: the distal lobes of the retracted organ are complexly folded and there is a well-defined supporting structure of dense connective tissue, the armature. This incorporates blood sinuses and has an intramuscular portion embedded in the m. retractor penis magnus and two club-shaped bodies, the clavulae, that support the lobes in the erect organ. Unarmatured hemipenes occur in some lacertids and, like those of other squamates, possess sac-like lobes in the retracted state, but they are singular in having the lobes invested by the m. retractor penis magnus. It is argued that many of these apparently primitive hemipenes are in fact secondary derivatives of the armatured type. There is considerable inter-specific variation in hemipenial structure which is described systematically. In some cases this involves differences in size, asymmetry and simplification, which may arise as physical isolating mechanisms and is useful in distinguishing otherwise very similar species, particularly in the genus Mesalina (p. 1253). Other shared derived hemipenial features provide useful information about relationships between species and higher taxa and a summary of the hypotheses that they support is given (p. 1254).

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The structure of copulatory organs is used very widely in systematics, both for differentiating species and for working out relationships. Differences between taxa may arise from a variety of sources, including non-homology, differences in other parts of the animal, direct selection on copulatory organs, development of physical isolating mechanisms and pleiotropic events. Physical isolating mechanisms seem likely to account for the abrupt differences, involving size, asymmetry and simplifications, that are useful in distinguishing very similar lacertid species. Although these differences usually seem to arise at the end of a speciation event they can simultaneously be the initiating mechanism in a second one. Copulatory organs appear to have high inherent stability, probably resulting from frequent location in strongly homoeostatic environments, single function, insensitivity to niche shift and inertia due to the need to conform to the genitalia of the opposite sex. This stability may be overridden at times by direct selection on the organs themselves or pleiotropic events. Such changes tend to be retained because efficiency in copulation depends not on any absolute genital architecture but on close conformity of the organs. It is the combination of relative stability and tangible input of varied change, which tends to be retained, that so often makes these structures good indicators of relationship.

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Mesalina watsonana is a well-known species of small lacertid lizards with an extensive species distribution that exhibits high genetic diversity. The species has a wide distribution range in Iran, some parts of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwest India. This study aims to generate phylogenetic and phylogeographic evidence to derive taxonomic recommendations supporting. Furthermore, this species can be used as a model for examining Iranian Platuea`s historical biogeography. We conducted a very detailed sampling of its distribution and used genetic approaches. Phylogenetic analyses were done implementing two mitochondrial (Cytb and 16S) and one nuclear (C-mos) gene fragments. Combination of these results indicated that seven well-supported distinct clades exist within this species complex, i.e. Kerman clade, Esfarayen clade, Halil clade, Ardestan clade, M. watsonana clade, Bardaskan Clade, and Khuzestan Clade in Iran. Also, our results revealed that several distinct clades diverged due to geologic events when the Dasht-e-Kavir and the Zagros Mountains were formed. It seems that the ancestor of M. watsonana spread to Iranian Plateau before the formation of the Zagros Mountains. Orogenic activities of the Zagros Mountains and the formation of deserts have influenced the separation of these lineages from the Late Miocene by allopatric speciation. Generally, our findings suggest that each of the seven clades corresponding to distinct geographic regions deserves to be elevated to the species level.

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During herpetological fieldwork from April 2013 to March 2014 on the herpetofauna of the counties of Saravan, Sib and Suran, Zaboli, Sarbaz, and Chabahar in south east of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Southeastern Iran a total of 97 specimens of lizards belonging to 19 species and five subspecies, 16 genera, and six families were collected and identified as follows: Calotes versicolor, Laudakia nupta nupta, L. n. fusca, Phrynocephalus scutellatus, Trapelus agilis agilis (Agamidae); Agamura persica, Bunopus tuberculatus, Cyrtopodion scabrum (Gekkonidae); Acanthodactylus blanfordii, A. micropholis, Eremias fasciata, E. persica , Mesalina watsonana, Ophisops elegans (Lacertidae); Ablepharus grayanus, Eumeces schneiderii zarudnyi, Ophiomorus brevipes, O. tridactylus (Scincidae); Uromastyx asmussi (Uromastycidae); and Varanus griseus caspius (Varanidae). The most diverse families of the present collection are the Lacertidae with six species, followed by Agamidae and Scincidae each with four species. Detailed information of each lizard species was also provided.

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The reptile and mammals fauna of North-East of Iran were investigated and the contraction and fragmentation of some species due to climatic changes and human activities were analyzed. The sampling was carried out in selected stations throughout the Great Khorsan. The results showed that there are approximately 71 reptiles (including 39 species of lizards, 32 snakes and one turtle) and 83 species of mammals. The exact number of vulnerable and threatened reptile and mammal species in Khorasan provinces is not clear, but there are at least 33 reptiles and 10 mammals categorized as threatened species. The distribution and population size of some species has greatly changed during recent years, most probably as a result of recent global warming, i. e. temperature rise, decrease of precipitation, drought and human harmful activities. The human activity in this region, especially urbanization, agricultural activities and cutting of shrubs has caused fragmentation and serious decline of population size in some species and even elimination of some local endemic population of relict species. The conservation of mammals and reptiles in the North-East of Iran demands organized collaborations including education of native people for protection of valuable vertebrate faunae of the area.

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We have studied the terrestrial reptile fauna of the northwest Yazd province (Iran) and present here some of the characters that we examined for common species in the region. In total, 50 specimens from eight families (six lizard families and two snake families) were collected from the region. The collected lizards belonging to 13 species were Laudakia nupta, Phrynocephalus maculatus, Phrynocephalus scutellatus, and Trapelus agilis (Agamidae); Agamura persica and Bunopus crassicaudus (Gekkonidae), Teratoscincus bedriagai (Sphaerodactylidae); Eremias fasciata, Eremias persica, Mesalina watsonana, and Ophisops elegans (Lacertidae); Varanus griseus (Varanidae), and finally Uromastix asmussi belonging to the Uromastycidae. The two species of snakes were Spalerosophis diadema schiraziana (Colubridae) and Psammophis schokari (Lamprophiidae). Based on these results, Agamidae and Lacertidae are the families with highest number of genera and the genera Eremias and Phrynocephalus had the most species. Among the collected lizards, Trapelus agilis, Mesalina watsonana, and Bunopus crassicaudus were the most abundant species in the northwest Yazd province.

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We report observations on the natural history of lizards in the Gando Protected Area, within the Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. The identity of the lizards is recorded, along with remarks on some meristic characteristics. Brief descriptions of their habitats are also given with a distribution map. Lizards (n = 132) were collected and photographed in 2008-09. Twelve species belonging to 9 genera and five families were found: Agamidae: Laudakia melanura lirata, Trapelus agilis, Laudakia fusca; Gekkonidae: Bunopus tuberculatus, Cyrtopodion scabrum, Hemidactylus persicus, Hemidactylus flaviviridis; Lacertidae: Mesalina brevirostris, Mesalina watsonana, Acanthodactylus blanfordi; Scincidae: Eumeces schneiderii zarudnyi; Varanidae: Varanus griseus caspius. This is the first record of Mesalina brevirostris in southeastern Iran.

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In this study an attempt has been done to sample various populations of Mesalina watsonana throughout the range of dispersion in Iran. The intraspecific relationship of different populations was checked according to the statistical methods. With regards to different color patterns of the species on the Iranian Plateau, it was assumed that the species has more variability, but after collecting, surveying and analyzing the data, it was been concluded that all of the observed differences are related to the environmental conditions and factors. The analysis of morphological data specially in scalation suggests that all populations of Mesalina watsonana in Iran can be divided into two new taxa: one is related to the Zagros foothills and another being related to the east of Iran. In this study we couldn’t prepare samples from eastern edge of the range of distribution of Mesalina watsonana from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Also I use molecular method with available samples of Mesalina watsonana from some parts of Iran. Samples were amplified by Cyt b gene and were sequenced, then was drawn a phylogenetic tree by Maximum Parsimony (MP) with PAUP 4.0 software. According to the MP tree, Mesalina watsonana populatioons on the Iranian Plateau show 5 differentioated clades presumably.

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The aim of this study is to detect areas of endemism in lizards in Iran. This is the first study of its kind focusing on this subject. Areas of endemism for two families of lizards (Lacertidae and Gekkonidae) that have the highest number of endemic species than other lizard families in Iran were identified by Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE). Distribution data were collected from previous studies on the Iranian lizards and also from the recent literature on the descriptions of new endemic species. A total of 81 species of lizards were available for analysis. The study area was divided into a 2° × 2° grid of 63 Operational Geographic Units (OGUs). PAE was applied to the data matrix to detect areas of endemism and detected eight areas of endemism in southwestern Iran and near the Persian Gulf. Southern Iran is the main region where most species from Arabia came into Iran and were stopped in their dispersal. Two grids in southern and northeastern Iran were recognized as the areas with the highest density of species in the studied families. Lacertidae and Gekkonidae did not have a shared endemic species in the region (cells 59 and 60) but the area of endemism identified by PAE in the Persian Gulf region suggests that exchange between Iranian and Arabian herpetofauna was very high during interglacial periods. The distribution pattern of the endemic species of these families is concentrated in the region of the Alborz and the Zagros Mountains, but the single area of endemism in southern Iran has an important role in the historical biogeography of the Iranian herpetofauna. During interglacial periods, the Persian Gulf acted as a corridor between the herpetofauna of the two sides and this suggests the importance of this area of endemism for the Gekkonidae family. Also, the OGUs with the highest density of species are located around the country and, the lowest density is in the Central Plateau. PAE detected eight areas of endemism in southwestern Iran, but according to the number of species per units, two OGUs can be identified as high density in northeastern and southern Iran.

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In this study we review the species of lizards in the genus Mesalina (Lacertidae) and present a new key for their identification. We also obtained five photos of each species from the British Museum of Natural History that illustrate the dorsal, lateral (right and left), and ventral views of the head and the femoral pores of each species. The papers with the original descriptions of each species were reviewed and used in preparation of the key. Some remarks about the habitat, natural history, updated distribution map and previous taxonomic changes are explained.

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Over three years (2009-2012), several habitats of Mesalina watsonana were investigated and recorded with GPS. 100 locations were recorded in four major areas: east and the northeast of Iran, central part of the Iranian Plateau, southern Iran, and the east slopes of the Zagros Mountains in Qom Province. According to this study, the species is mainly concentrated in foothills, and most locations in this study are situated between an altitude of 500-1500 m.

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The Persian Long-tailed Desert Lizard, Mesalina watsonana, is one of the most common and most widely distributed lizards on the Iranian Plateau extending from Iran to Pakistan and Afghanistan. The species is frequently encountered in various types of habitats. We collected over 600 distributional records from available literature, museum collections, and our own field work and used bioclimatic and land cover characteristics to develop a model of potential distribution for M. watsonana. According to the model, the most important factors limiting the distribution of M. watsonana are: precipitation in wettest quarter exceeding 250–300 mm, precipitation in coldest quarter lower than 40 mm and exceeding 250 mm, altitudes above 2500 m and slopes steeper than 10.5°. The model suggests that most of the Iranian Plateau is suitable for the species except for some isolated areas such as the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut deserts in Iran, Helmand basin in Afghanistan, the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan, the western Chagai-Kharan deserts of Pakistani Balochistan, and Thar and Cholistan deserts in eastern Pakistan. The most important factor in these regions appears to be the extremely low rainfall during coldest quarter of the year. The outer boundary of the distribution of M. watsonana follows important biogeographic barriers that are also clearly delimited by climatic conditions.

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During extensive fieldwork surveys from August 2009 to September 2011, 60 specimens of Mesalina watsonana were collected from 10 localities representing 3 population groups in Iran. Owing to clear sexual dimorphism, a total of 39 males were selected and examined for various meristic and morphological characters. Statistical analyses (multivariate analyses such as principal component analysis, canonical variate analysis, and cluster analysis) were used to compare morphological variations among specimens from these 3 population groups in Iran. These groups were separated geographically, apparently due to barriers such as Dasht-e-Kavir and Dasht-e-Lut. According to the multivariate analyses, Mesalina watsonana can be divided into 2 major morphological groups in Iran. The Zagrosgroup is related to 2 others; the southern and eastern groups clearly separate and show a break between themselves.

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Surveys along the coastal stretch, from Sandspit to Cape Monze, were undertaken during March 2003 to March 2006, to study the species of lizards. A total of 11 species of lizards belonging to 6 genera were reported from the area.

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This study provides observation on 21 species of amphibians and reptiles obtained during various field trips in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2018. The core of this study is distributional data collected mostly by the second author of this paper that were systematically evaluated. Our records show a notable expansion of the current distribution range for several species and highlight the need for more extensive further sampling within the entire country. The first record of Cyrtopodion agamuroides (Nikolsky, 1900) complex for Afghanistan is presented here, increasing the number of herpetofauna in the country to 117 species.

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Little is known about altitudinal distribution of lizards in Iran. In the present study we studied distribution pattern of members of family Lacertidae along the eleveatinal gradient in Iran. To determine environmental drivers of distribution pattern of 48 lizard species, all known valid members of family Lacertidae, along elevational gradient in Iran. Firstly, we classified Iran digital elevation model (DEM) based on 100m intervals, that resulted in 56 altitudinal bands and number of species in each band was recorded. Secondly, we extracted mean value of following variables; altitude, slop, area, solar radiation index (SRI), normalized differences vegetation index (NDVI), annual precipitation, precipitation of wettest month, precipitation of driest month precipitation, precipitation of wettest quarter, precipitation of driest quarter, and precipitation of warmest quarter, and using VIF measure correlated variables were removed. Finally, we performed a multiple regression and found that area and precipitation of warmest quarter are the most important drivers of distribution pattern of family Lacertidae along elevational gradient in Iran. General distribution pattern of family Lacertidae was unimodal and maximum number of species living from 1475 m to 1675 m.

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Aim We explored the phylogenetic relationships of species of Mesalina, using one nuclear and two mitochondrial loci. This genus of lacertid lizards is widely distributed in North Africa and the Middle East and our goal was to develop a scenario capable of explaining the current distribution and evolutionary patterns within the genus in the context of the wider historical biogeography of the region. Location North Africa and the Middle East. Methods The assembled dataset consisted of 193 Mesalina individuals, representing 12 species distributed across the geographical range of the genus. Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods were used to support phylogenetic inferences on two mitochondrial (cytochrome b and 16S ribosomal RNA) and one nuclear (beta-fibrinogen intron 7) markers. Palaeogeographical and palaeoclimatic data were used to support the inferred phylogeographical patterns. Results Mesalina lizards exhibit high genetic diversity and complex phylogenetic patterns, leading to an unsatisfactory systematic hypothesis of one paraphyletic and three polyphyletic traditional species. The estimated divergence times place the origin of the genus in the early Miocene (c. 22 Ma) and the divergence of most currently recognized species in the middle to late Miocene. The inferred ancestral distribution suggests that the genus and most of its species originated somewhere in Arabia or the Middle East, with the exception of the Mesalina olivieri complex, which may be of African origin. Main conclusions Phylogenetic reconstruction based on the three loci studied suggests a higher than expected cryptic diversity of Mesalina in North Africa and the Middle East. We suggest that the tectonic movements of the Arabian plate, coupled with the climatic changes occurring since the Miocene, may be responsible for the phylogeographical patterns of North African and Middle Eastern Mesalina.

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During recent years several lizard taxa were added to the faunal list of Pakistan. Descriptions and new records are scattered in different publications in the herpetological literature. The present paper puts the information together, and provides a comprehensive list of recent publications on the lizards of Pakistan.

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Aim Body size is instrumental in influencing animal physiology, morphology, ecology and evolution, as well as extinction risk. I examine several hypotheses regarding the influence of body size on lizard evolution and extinction risk, assessing whether body size influences, or is influenced by, species richness, herbivory, island dwelling and extinction risk. Location World-wide. Methods I used literature data and measurements of museum and live specimens to estimate lizard body size distributions. Results I obtained body size data for 99% of the world`s lizard species. The body size–frequency distribution is highly modal and right skewed and similar distributions characterize most lizard families and lizard assemblages across biogeographical realms. There is a strong negative correlation between mean body size within families and species richness. Herbivorous lizards are larger than omnivorous and carnivorous ones, and aquatic lizards are larger than non-aquatic species. Diurnal activity is associated with small body size. Insular lizards tend towards both extremes of the size spectrum. Extinction risk increases with body size of species for which risk has been assessed. Main conclusions Small size seems to promote fast diversification of disparate body plans. The absence of mammalian predators allows insular lizards to attain larger body sizes by means of release from predation and allows them to evolve into the top predator niche. Island living also promotes a high frequency of herbivory, which is also associated with large size. Aquatic and nocturnal lizards probably evolve large size because of thermal constraints. The association between large size and high extinction risk, however, probably reflects a bias in the species in which risk has been studied.

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The etymology of the reptiles, especially the lizards of Iran has not been completely presented in other published works. Iran is a very active geographic area for any animals, and more especially for lizards, due to its wide range deserts and ecology. We have attempted to ascertain, as much as possible, the construction of the Latin binomials of all Iranian lizard species. We believe that a review of these names is instructive, not only in codifying many aspects of the biology of the lizards, but in presenting a historical overview of collectors and taxonomic work in Iran and Middle East region. We have listed all recorded lizards of Iran according to the order of the scientific names in the book of Anderson, The Lizards of Iran. All lizard species and types have been grouped under their proper Families, and then they have been alphabetically ordered based on their scientific binominal nomenclature. We also examined numerous published works in addition to those included in the original papers presenting each binomial.

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The reptile`s fauna of Sabzevar was investigated during 10 years (2003-2013). In total 42 species belonging to 29 genera, 13 families and two orders (Squamata and Testudines) were collected and identified. The most diverse group in the area is lizards with 23 species, followed by snakes with 18 species and the testudines with one species. The most diverse families are Colubridae, Lacertidae with 8 and Gekkonidae with 5 species respectively, followed by Agamidae with 4 species, Viperidae, Boidae and Scincidae with 3 species each, Lamrophiidae and Spherodactylidae with 2 species and 4 families Elapidae, Thyphlopidae, Varanidae and Testudonidae with only one species each.

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Seventeen species of reptiles and one species of amphibians have so far been reported from the Kavir Protected Region in the Kavir desert of Iran. These are Agamura per- sica, Agama a. agilis, Phrynocephalus scutellatus, Phrynocephalus maculatus, Varanus griseus caspius, Eremias andersoni, Eremias persica, Mesalina guttulata watsonana, Eumeces schneiderii princeps, Ophiomorus nuchalis, Coluber k. karelini, Coluber rho- dorhachis ladacensis, Psammophis schokari, Spalerosophis diadema schirazianus, Echis carinatus, Pseudocerastes p. persicus and Bufo kavirensis. A species of Uromastyx, probably U. asmussi, is also registrated from the area. Agama b. blanfordi, Phryno- cephalus helioscopus persicus and Ophisops e. elegans are reported from areas south and west of the Kavir Protected Region but might as weil occur inside it. Some taxo- nomic questions are discussed and data concerning habits and distribution are presented.

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The global struggle to conserve as many species as possible with limited resources requires an improvement of our knowledge on the distribution of biodiversity. In Iran, the state of knowledge is poor for most groups of organisms, except few vertebrate groups and vascular plants. Reptiles are one of the best known, most diverse vertebrate groups in Iran, with a high rate of endemism (ca. 29%), but distribution patterns and related environmental drivers remain poorly understood. In the present study, based on a large publicly available dataset, we use general additive modelling (GAM) to identify explanatory variables for species richness of reptiles in Iran. Results indicate heterogeneity parameters (range +entropy) as the variables with the highest explanatory values. Based on the grid cells of the predicted environmental richness, using hotspot analysis, we suggest seven hotspots of reptile diversity (HRDs) across the country. Our results corroborate the previously recognized HRDs and detect three additional ones, located alongside the major mountain ranges around the central deserts plateau, particularly in the Zagros Mountains. Four of the largest HRDs (ca. 90%) situate within the Irano-Anatolian and Caucasus global biodiversity hotspot. In addition, our results reveal a large gap between identified HRDs and the current network of protected areas (PAs) in the country. While three of the detected HRDs in this study are partially touched (ca. 18%) by the PA network, overall, these areas are only covered by less than 10%. Therefore, the effectiveness of the current PAs for the protection of the reptile diversity of Iran is questionable.

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Mesalina watsonana is one of the most widely distributed lacertid lizards of Iran. To investigate patterns of sexual dimorphism in this taxon, 206 (99 female, 107 male) adult specimens collected either from various regions of the Iranian Plateau during 2005-2008 or examined from museum collections were studied based suggest that in Mesalina watsonana, body size could be the product of sexual and natural selection modified by ecological factors. Further, in all the studied populations, head size parameter has a more pronounced effect on the degree of sexual dimorphism than the length factors.

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Mesalina watsonana is one of the most widely distributed lacertid lizards of Iran. To in- vestigate patterns of sexual dimorphism in this taxon, 206 (99 female, 107 male) adult specimens collected either from various regions of the Iranian Plateau during 2005-2008 or examined from mu- seum collections were studied based on 19 morphometric and nine meristic characters. The results suggest that in Mesalina watsonana, body size could be the product of sexual and natural selection modified by ecological factors. Further, in all the studied populations, head size parameter has a more pronounced effect on the degree of sexual dimorphism than the length factors.

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Many animals display complex colour patterns that comprise several adjacent, often contrasting colour patches. Combining patches of complementary colours increases the overall conspicuousness of the complex pattern, enhancing signal detection. Therefore, selection for conspicuousness may act not only on the design of single colour patches, but also on their combination. Contrasting long- and short-wavelength colour patches are located on the ventral and lateral surfaces of many lacertid lizards. As the combination of long- and short-wavelength-based colours generates local chromatic contrast, we hypothesized that selection may favour the co-occurrence of lateral and ventral contrasting patches, resulting in complex colour patterns that maximize the overall conspicuousness of the signal. To test this hypothesis we performed a comparative phylogenetic study using a categorical colour classification based on spectral data and descriptive information on lacertid coloration collected from the literature. Our results demonstrate that conspicuous ventral (long wavelength-based) and lateral (short wavelength-based) colour patches co-occur throughout the lacertid phylogeny more often than expected by chance, especially in the subfamily Lacertini. These results suggest that selection promotes the evolution of the complex pattern rather than the acquisition of a single conspicuous colour patch, possibly due to the increased conspicuousness caused by the combination of colours with contrasting spectral properties.

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We have studied the terrestrial reptile fauna of the northwest Yazd province (Iran) and present here some of the characters that we examined for common species in the region. In total, 50 specimens from eight families (six lizard families and two snake families) were collected from the region. The collected lizards belonging to 13 species were Laudakia nupta, Phrynocephalus maculatus, Phrynocephalus scutellatus, and Trapelus agilis (Agamidae); Agamura persica and Bunopus crassicaudus (Gekkonidae), Teratoscincus bedriagai (Sphaerodactylidae); Eremias fasciata, Eremias persica, Mesalina watsonana, and Ophisops elegans (Lacertidae); Varanus griseus (Varanidae), and finally Uromastix asmussi belonging to the Uromastycidae. The two species of snakes were Spalerosophis diadema schiraziana (Colubridae) and Psammophis schokari (Lamprophiidae). Based on these results, Agamidae and Lacertidae are the families with highest number of genera and the genera Eremias and Phrynocephalus had the most species. Among the collected lizards, Trapelus agilis, Mesalina watsonana, and Bunopus crassicaudus were the most abundant species in the northwest Yazd province.

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The Arsanjan county has various habitat types (grasslands, mountains, rocky and shrubbery areas) that is located northeast of Fars Province, Iran. The herpetofauna of Arsanjan county is unclear and there is no biosystematic study so far. The aim of the present study is to investigate the lizard’s fauna of Arsanjan. The study area is located between the coordinates as follow: 29°38` _ 30°00` N and 53°07` _ 53°43` E. All the specimens were collected in different regions of Arsanjan county during this survey from 2018 to 2020. Specimens were identified according to the valuable resources. The collected specimens represented ten species, nine genera and four families including: Large scaled rock agama (Laudakia nupta), Brilliant ground agama (Trapelus agilis) and Horny scaled agama (Trapelus ruderatus) (Agamidae); Keeled rock gecko (Cytopodion scabrum) (Gekkonidae); Snake-eyed Lizard (Ophisops elegans), Persian long tailed lizard (Mesalina watsonana), Persian racerunner (Eremias persica) and Zagrosian lizard (Timon princeps) (Lacertidae); Schneider Skink (Eumeces schneiderii) and southern grass skink (Heremites septemtaeniatus) (Scincidae). Among the identified species Timon princeps is a new record from the area.

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An updated checklist of the herpetofauna of Iran is presented based on records of amphibian and reptile species whose presence has been confirmed in Iran as a result of extensive field expeditions, examination of herpetological collections, literature review, and personal communications from researchers. The herpetofauna of Iran consists of 13 species and five subspecies of frogs and toads belonging to five genera and four families, eight species of salamanders belonging to four genera and two families, nine species and six subspecies of turtles, terrapins and tortoises belonging to nine genera and six families, one species of crocodile, one species of amphisbaenian, more than 125 species of lizards belonging to 36 genera and eight families as well as 79 species of snakes belonging to 37 genera and six families

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The genus Mesalina Gray 1838 is a holophyletic genus within the Lacertidae, mostly occurring in the Saharo-Sindian region as well as North Africa. This genus encompasses 13-14 species, 2-3 of which occurring in Iran. The Iranian species of Mesalina are as follows: Mesalina watsonana, M. brevirostris and, most likely, M. gutulatta. Of these, M. watsonana is widely distributed, occurring in most parts of the Iranian Plateau. Based on extensive study and research, systematics and distribution of the Iranian Plateau species of Mesalina are discussed and their distribution maps are given.

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We present an annotated checklist for a total 241 reptiles and 22 amphibians including 5 frogs, 9 toads, 7 newts and salamanders, 1 crocodile, 1 worm lizard, 148 lizards, 79 snakes and 12 turtles and tortoises, includes the most scientific literature up to August 2014 and also based on several field surveys conducted in different Provinces of Iran from 2009 to 2014. We present an up-to-dated checklist of reptiles and amphibians in Iran. We provide a comprehensive listing of taxonomy, names, distribution and conservation status of all amphibians and reptiles of Iran. This checklist includes all recognized named taxa, English names for classes, orders, families, species, subspecies along with Persian names for species, including indication of native and introduced species. For the first time we report two non-native introduced reptiles from natural habitats of Iran. Of the total 22 species of amphibians in Iran, 6 (27.2%) are endemic and of the total 241 species of reptiles, 55 (22.8%) are endemic. Of the 22 amphibians species in Iran, 3 (13%) are Critically Endangered, 2 (9%) are Vulnerable and of the 241 reptile species 3 (1.2%) are Critically Endangered, 4 (1.6%) are Endangered and 10 (4.1%) are Vulnerable. Accordingly, this paper combines significant aspects of taxonomy, common names, conservation status and distribution of the Iranian herpetofauna.

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The herpetological map presented in this paper shows the distribution and abundance of the reptiles in Turkmenistan. The country is divided into 17 complexes and the 84 species and subspecies found in Turmkmeistan are listed as occurring in mountains, plains, or both.

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The latest changes in the taxonomy of amphibians and reptiles are analyzed in the work, among them, in particular, toads, frogs, tortoises, geckoes, agamas, lacertids, boas and colubrids. A new list is published, which provides information for 100 species and subspecies: 6 species of amphibians and 94 species of reptiles (6 turtles, 58 lizards, 30 snakes). The conservation status of reptiles in Turkmenistan was revised according to the IUCN assessments.

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The work provides new information on the distribution and abundance of reptiles in some landscapes of Turkmenistan. The results of the study are following: the registration of new records to clarify the distribution; the discovery of the Afghan awl-headed snake (Lythorhynchus ridgewyi) on the Kaplankyr chink, which moves the boundary of the species distribution from the previously known nearest places (in the vicinity of the village of Kukurtli (former Sulfur Plant) and from the solonchak hollows of Unguz (Shestopal, Akgaev, 2013) to 220 km to the north-west; sunwatcher living in the north of Turkmenistan is identified as nominate subspecies — Phrynocephalus helioscopus helioscopus. Data on the number of reptiles are provided, the most interesting of them are observations in the southern part of the Sarykamysh depression. The density of desert species such as Trapelus sanguinolentus aralensis) and (Eremias intermedia) is twice higher and for Eremias lineolata is 20-times higher in comparison with adjoining territories.

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The lacertid lizard Mesalina watsonana is widely distributed on the Iranian plateau where it is one of the most common lizards. However, the intraspecific variability and the phylogenetic position of this species within the genus still remain unknown. We sequenced a 715bp long fragment of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene from lizards sampled in 10 localities covering the Iranian distribution range of the species. We identified four distinct and geographically isolated clades with an average genetic divergence between them ranging from 9.8 to 13.1% (p-distance) which is comparable to the values of genetic distance commonly reported between Lacertidae species. Analyses combining data from recently published phylogeny of the genus Mesalina with our dataset confirmed the monophyly of M. watsonana. The isolation of this species from the rest of the genus points out the important role of the Zagros Mountains uplift during the Miocene. It is possible that this geological event participated on the isolation of the ancestor of M. watsonana from the rest of the Mesalina lizards and together with the upheaval of the whole Iranian plateau provided suitable environmental conditions for rapid diversification of this species.

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We present a comprehensive summary of the distribution of the lizards of Iran accompanied by an annotated checklist. The updated maps of distribution of all 146 species of 41 genera of 11 families are based on all available bibliographic records, catalogues of museum collections and our own field observations. The final dataset used for the distribution maps contains 8525 georeferenced records and cover 41% of the country when plotted on a grid of 0.25° × 0.25° resolution. The dataset is publicly accessible through GBIF portal (http://www.gbif.org/dataset/7db4f705-61ae-4c6e-9de2-06674e7d46b2). Following the latest biogeographic division of the country, ~53% of the species (76 species) inhabit the Iranian Province, ~41% (60 species) the Western Asian mountain transition zone, ~9% (13 species) the Turanian Province, and ~18% (27 species) the Arabian Province. In addition, ~2% (3 species) reach Iran from the Indo-Malay biogeographic region and ~2% (3 species) are believed to have been introduced to Iran by humans. Endemic species (46) represent ~32% of the known species diversity. The most species-rich family of lizards in Iran is Lacertidae with 47 species, followed by Gekkonidae (41), Agamidae (18), Scincidae (15), Phyllodactylidae (10), Sphaerodactylidae (4), Eublepharidae and Uromastycidae (3), Anguidae and Varanidae (2), and Trogonophidae with one representative.

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The present paper of N. N. SZCZERBAK was originally published in Russian as `Katalog afrikanskih Jascurok` by the Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology, Museum of Zoology, USSR, Kiev (83 pp., 30 maps) in 1975. Lists of synonyms, bibliography, maps and table of contents - all being parts of the original paper - have not been included in this translation which was carried out with the consent of the author by R. GÜNTHER (Berlin) and H. GRILLITSCH (Vienna). The English summary was taken over as provided in the original version. As a SHORT NOTE in this issue of HERPETOZOA subsequent to the translation comments and updated addenda by W. MAYER are provided indicated by [aa* bb* etc.] in the text.

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One species of amphibian, the green toad (Bufo viridis oblongus), and 20 species of reptiles, Comprising the Afghan tortoise (Agricnemys horsfieldi), 4 agamid lizards (Agama agilis, A. n. nupta (?), Phrynocephalus mystaceus galli, Ph. scutellatus), 4 gekkonid lizards (Agamura persica, Cyrtodactylus caspius, Teratoscincus bedriagai , T. scincus) , 4 lacertid lizards (Eremias fasciata (?), E. persica, E. v. velox, Meislina guttulata watsonana) , 1 varanid lizard (Varanus griseus caspius), 1 boiid snake (Eryx tataricus), 4 colubrid snakes (Coluber karelini , C. rhodorhachis ladacensis, Psammophis lineolatus, Spalerosophis diadema schiraziana) , and a single viperid snake (Pseudocerastes p. persicus), are documented from the Turan Biosphere Reserve. Collecting data, ecological information, measurements, and relevant observations are given for those forms within the Reserve, and a tentative zoogeographic analysis of the Turan herpetofauna is attempted.

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First report on herpetofauna of Turkmenian Eastern Kopet Dag is present.

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This article gives a complete overview about the reptiles of western Turkmenistan and their zoogeographical relation. The data were obtained by several expeditions during the last years and completed by compilation of the specific herpetological literature about this area. Ten general landscape units are described along a profile from the Central Karakum desert throughout the Malyi Balkhan chains, the Kyurendag Corridor, the Western Kopetdagh to the state border of Iran. The mountain and plain reptile fauna is analyzed. After discussing the faunal element composition of various landscapes, the Western Kopetdagh was included into the South-West Asian province while the Turanian plain and the Malyi Balkhan were included into the Turanian province of the Palearctic.

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This study explores the relationships between recent Iranian lizard species distributions and the observed climate, as well as potential future distributions of species. For this purpose, an ensemble of seven algorithms was used to forecast the distributions of 30 species for the recent and future (2070) based on the averages of 14 global climate models under optimistic (RCP2.6) and pessimistic (RCP8.5) scenarios. Annual precipitation (n= 16) and annual mean temperature (n= 7) were identifed as the most important variables in determining the distribution of 76.66% (23 out of 30) of the species. The consensus model predicts that the ranges of 83.33% of species (n= 25) have the potential to expand poleward at higher latitudes while preserving the majority of their recent distributions (except for four species). Furthermore, the ranges of the remaining species (n= 5) will be preserved at higher latitudes. However, they (n= 22) may contract slightly (n= 13) or excessively (n= 9) in the south of their distribution range at lower latitudes. These results indicate that species (N= 19) situated in mountainous areas such as the Zagros, Alborz, and Kopet Dagh may move or maintain their range at higher elevations as a result of future climate change. Finally, this study suggests that 30% of species (n= 9) may be threatened by future climate change and that they should be prioritized in conservation eforts.

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Over the past two decades many checklists of reptiles of India and adjacent countries have been published. These publications have furthered the growth of knowledge on systematics, distribution and biogeography of Indian reptiles, and the field of herpetology in India in general. However, the reporting format of most such checklists of Indian reptiles does not provide a basis for direct verification of the information presented. As a result, mistakes in the inclusion and omission of species have been perpetuated and the exact number of reptile species reported from India still remains unclear. A verification of the current listings based on distributional records and review of published checklists revealed that 199 species of lizards (Reptilia: Sauria) are currently validly reported on the basis of distributional records within the boundaries of India. Seventeen other lizard species have erroneously been included in earlier checklists of Indian reptiles. Omissions of species by these checklists have been even more numerous than erroneous inclusions. In this paper, I present a plea to report species lists as annotated checklists which corroborate the inclusion and omission of species by providing valid source references or notes.

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The composition and distribution of the vertebrate fauna of Afghanistan remain poorly documented and in recent decades little new data have become available due to a series of wars and the resulting unstable security conditions. As Afghanistan returns to some semblance of normalcy, baseline faunistic data will be particularly important for establishing national conservation priorities as well as for placing Afghan taxa into their broader phylogenetic and zoogeographic contexts. We here provide an updated checklist of the herpetofauna of Afghanistan based in part upon biodiversity archives of specimen records from several museum and private collec- tions as well as literature references and field research. The herpetofauna of Afghanistan consists of 118 species and subspecies belonging to 58 genera and 21 families. Seven species are endemic to the country, whereas 18 taxa have to be delet- ed from previous lists of the Afghan herpetofauna. Afghanistan’s primary zoogeo- graphic relationship to the Palearctic Region is reaffirmed but with secondary influ- ence from the Oriental Region. Immediately following the checklist, two sections provide information about species probably occurring in Afghanistan and previous- ly mentioned species that are now recognized as absent.

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Kuh-e Bafq Protected Area and Darreh-Anjir Wildlife Refuge are located in Yazd Province, Central Iran. Although reptiles are relatively diverse in this area, little is known regarding their diversity, distribution, and habitat preferences. The present study was carried out from March 2012 to late June 2013. A total of 55 specimens were collected (or observed) and identified, belonging to six families, 14 genera, and 16 species.