Subspecies:

Eremias arguta arguta  (PALLAS, 1773)

Synonyms:

Eremias arguta pontanini  BEDRIAGA, 1912

Types:

Neotype: ZISP (ZIL) 13205 (designated by Szcerbak 1974:149); Holotype: unlocated fide I. Doronin (pers. comm., Nov. 2018)

Terra Typica:

Between Ural River and Emba River, NW Kazakhstan [see Zhao and Adler, 1993:202 and Bauer and Günther, 1995:56 for additional comments].

Taxonomic notes:

POYARKOV et al. (2014) konnten in einer genetischen Analyse alle bislang anerkannten Unterarten bestätigen – außer E. a. potanini, die sich nicht von der Nominatform absetzt und wegen des klinalen Übergangs der Farbmuster nur als Farbform betrachtet und mit E. a. arguta synonymisiert wird.

WERNER MAYER, 2015

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Pallas, P.S. (1773) -  Description of Eremias arguta arguta. -  In: “Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reiches. Vol. 2”. - Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, St. Petersburg. 744 pp.  

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• Bedriaga, J. von (1912) -  Description Eremias arguta potanini. -  In: «Amphibien und Reptilien (Reptilia Przewalskiana)», in: Wissenschaftliche Resultate der von N. M. Przewalski nach Central-Asien unternommenen Reisen. Zoologischer Theil, Bd. 3, Abth. 1, Lfrg. 4, S. 503 – 769.   

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• Poyarkov Jr., N.A. & Orlova, V.F. & Chirikova, M.A. (2014) -  The mitochondrial phylogeography and intraspecific taxonomy of the Steppe Racerunner, Eremias arguta (Pallas) (Lacertidae: Sauria: Reptilia), reflects biogeographic patterns in Middle Asia. -  Zootaxa, 3895 (2): 208-224.    

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  Steppe racerunner, Eremias (Eremias) arguta, is one of the most widespread species of the Asian racerunners (genus Er-emias). Several subspecies were traditionally recognized however, morphological variability is so high that delimitation of these subspecies was always problematic. Here we present a phylogenetic hypothesis for this species based on cyto-chrome b sequences (55 samples from 35 populations, 900 bp partial sequences), infer it biogeography and the revise its subspecific structure. Six major phylogenetic lineages were revealed. The southernmost populations (E. a. uzbekistanica) from Uzbekistan form a clade together with the Issyk-Kul Lake subspecies (E. a. darevskii) based on both molecular and morphological evidence. Within more northern populations, there is a split between populations from Northern Caucasus, Europe and Western Kazakhstan (E. a. deserti) and Central and Eastern Kazakhstan populations (E. a. arguta). Transcau-casian (E. a. transcaucasica) steppe racerunners are grouped with Middle Asian populations. Finally, the easternmost samples, assigned to “E. a. potanini” are nested within the E. a. arguta clade. Populations from the Ili River Valley form a separate lineage sister to the clade joining all other E. arguta lineages and might represent a yet undescribed taxon. Spe-cies distribution in relation to historical biogeography of Middle Asia is discussed.