Bedriaga, J. von (1912) - Amphibien und Reptilien. - Wissenschaftliche Resultate der von N.M. Przewalski nach Central-Asien unternommenen Reisen. Band III, Abteilung 1.  Liu, J. & Ananjeva, N.A. & Chirikova, M.A. & Milto, K.D. & Guo, X. (2014) - Molecular Assessment and taxonomic status of the Rapid Racerunner (Eremias velox complex) with particular attention to the populations in Northwestern China. - Asian Herpetological Research, 5 (1): 12-25.   × The rapid racerunner, Eremias velox, is a widely distributed lizard from the northern Caucasus across entire Central Asia eastward to China. It is increasingly common to accept E. velox as a species complex in its entire range. To date, published morphological and molecular systematic hypotheses of this complex are only partially congruent, and its taxonomic status and evolutionary history are still far from clear. The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and 12S rRNA sequences were used to evaluate the taxonomy of this complex, with particular attention to the phylogenetic placement of populations in northwestern China. Examination of the phylogenetic analyses recovers seven distinct, biogeographically discrete, and well-supported clades, revealing genetically identifiable populations corresponding to some previously morphology-defined subspecies. Chinese E. v. roborowskii appears to have split from other Central Asian rapid racerunner lizards well before differentiation occurred among the latter taxa. Specifically, we corroborate that there are two subspecies occurring in China, i.e., E. v. velox and £. v. roborowskii. We recommend a novel subspecific status for the phenotypically and genetically distinct populations in southern Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan previously assigned to E. v. velox. Finally, each of the three independently evolving lineages from Iranian Plateau should be recognized as three species new to science under the general lineage concept. Chirikova, M.A. & Dujsebayeva, T. & Liu, J. & Guo, X. (2019) - Geographical Distribution and Morphological Variability of the Rapid Racerunner, Eremias velox (Pallas, 1771) (Reptilia, Lacertidae) in the Eastern Periphery of Its Range. - Asian Herpetological Research, 10 (4): 230-245. × Phenotypic traits are usually correlated with the environment where organism occurs. In this study, the distribution of Eremias velox in the eastern periphery of its range was specified, and its morphological variation was analyzed. Linear dimensions, pholidosis, coloration and pattern features were compared among 135 specimens from nine populations inhabiting the Balkhash, Ili and Alakol basins, Junggar and Turpan depressions in the territory of Southeast Kazakhstan and Xinjiang, Northwest China. The populations from the Junggar Depression (Kuytun, Shihezi and Urumqi) were characterized by higher mean values of linear characters, the number of scales across the middle of the body and gular, and were similar in the dominant coloration patterns. Small size, dark coloration and almost complete dominance of the striped-type coloration pattern among the specimens from the Alakol Lake islands seem to have an adaptive significance associated with the isolation of the population and type of their habitats. The subspecies Eremias velox roborowskii (endemic to the Turpan Depression) is elevated to species level, as supported by morphological divergence congruent with molecular and geographical data, including its peculiar type of coloration pattern, significantly lower amount of femoral pores and a higher percentage of specimens with one enlarged preanal scale (72.7%). These results together confirm a high degree of variability in morphology for E. veloх in the eastern periphery of its range, reflecting a complex orography and the existence of multiple geographical barriers in this territory.
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