Tarentola deserti, Bauer & DeBoer & Taylor, 2017

Bauer, Aaron M., DeBoer, Jonathan C. & Taylor, Dylan J., 2017, Atlas of the Reptiles of Libya, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (8), pp. 155-318 : 200-208

Ptyodactylus togoensis Tornier, 1901:68 ( FIG . 19)

1901 Ptyodactylus hasselquisti var. togoensis Tornier, Die Crocodile, Schilkröten und Eidechsen in Togo. Archiv für Naturgeschichte 1901 Beiheft:65–88.

SYNTYPES.— ZMB 16312, 16622, “Mangu” [= Mango , formerly Sansanné-Mango, Togo] .

Ptyodactylus hasselquistii [part], Le Berre 1989:158.

Ptyodactylus ragazzii [part], Schleich, Kästle, and Kabisch 1996:244.

Ptyodactylus ragazzii [part], Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008:124.

Ptyodactylus ragazzii [part], Trape, Trape, and Chirio 2012:266.

DISTRIBUTION.— Mauritania, Mali and Niger through southern Algeria, southwestern Libya, and northern Chad. South across the Sahel from Burkina Faso to Togo and Nigeria, northern Cameroon and extreme southwestern Chad.

Libyan Records (Map 20): FEZZAN: GHAT: 237: Sindaco, pers. obs. 4/20/2008. 241: Sindaco, pers. obs. 4/21/2008. 240: Sindaco , pers. obs. 4/21/2008. 249: CUP R 080–81 ; MCSN 1971 –

72, 1975–76; ZCT 2006.72; Zavatari 1934,

1937; Scortecci 1937a; Loveridge 1947; Frynta et al. 2000; Ibrahim 2008a. 251: CUP R 011,

072–79, 103; Frynta et al. 2000. 257: Sindaco,

pers. obs. 4/21/2008. 261: Sindaco, pers. obs.

4/22/2008. 263: CUP R 071 ; Frynta et al. 2000 .

“ Zone of Ghat ”: Scortecci 1934b. MURZUQ:

298: Essghaier et al. 2015. 303: Zavattari 1937.

313: AIC 2006.1573, ZCT 2006.47–48;

Ibrahim 2008a. 316: NMBA-REPT 15301–03;

ZCT 2006.63–64, 69; Zavattari 1934; Ibrahim

2008a.

COMMENTS.— The distribution of Ptyodactylus ragazzii according to Sindaco and

Jeremčenko (2008) and subsequently modified

(Riva and Padial 2008; Perera and Harris 2010)

extends from Mauritania to the Horn of Africa.

Metallinou et al. (2015) demonstrated that MAP 20. Distribution of Ptyodactylus togoensis in Libya. western populations of P. “ ragazzii ” as far east as the Tassili, Ahaggar ( Algeria), and Aïr Mountains ( Niger) were not sister to true P. ragazzii from Djibouti and Ethiopia and resurrected the name P. togoensis from synonymy for these western forms, which are themselves geographically and genetically fragmented ( Froufe et al. 2013). However, the sampling gap of Metallinou et al. (2015) included all of Libya. Thus, genetic information is lacking regarding the identity of Libyan specimens of Ptyodactylus . Based on the relative proximity of southwestern Libyan records to P. togoensis in the Tassili and elsewhere in southern Algeria, we hypothesize that Libyan material can be referred to this species, although this is subject to genetic confirmation.

IUCN THREAT STATUS.— Not evaluated, but anticipated to be Least Concern.

Tarentola annularis (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827:130) 1827 Gecko annularis Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire , Description des reptiles qui se trouvent en Égypte, pp.

121–160 in M. J.-C. L. de Savigny, (ed.), Description de l’Égypte, ou Recueil des Observations et des Recherches qui ont été Faites en Égypte Pendant l’Expédition de l’Armée Française. Histoire Naturelle. Tome premier. Partie premier. Imprimerie Impériale, Paris, France.

LECTOTYPE:— MNHN 6697 a designated by Joger (1984), “ Égypte ” by implication.

Tarentola annularis, Le Berre 1989:168 .

Tarentola (Sahelogecko) annularis, Schleich, Kästle, and Kabisch 1996:266 .

Tarentola annularis, Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008:133 .

Tarentola annularis, Trape, Trape, and Chirio 2012:268 .

DISTRIBUTION.— North Africa from Western Sahara, Mauritania and Senegal through Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, northern Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Sudan to Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia but absent from most of Morocco, Algeria and Libya (Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008). Recently introduced into Israel ( Jamison et al. 2017). In Libya they are found scattered across the southern portions of the country.

Libyan Records ( Map 21 ): FEZZAN: MURZUQ: 316: NHMW 17969. CYRENAICA: KUFRAH: 574: MZUF 693; Scortecci 1935c; Loveridge 1947. 575: Loveridge 1947; Joger 1984. 584: MZUF 692; Scortecci 1935c; Zavattari 1937; Loveridge 1947; Joger 1984. COMMENTS.— Schleich et al. (1996) and Sindaco and Jeremčenko (2008) suggested that this species was limited to southeastern Libya,

but a record from Murzuq suggests a wider range across the northern Sahara. The Jabal Al

Uwaynat record of Scortecci (1935c) is matched by several records on the Egyptian side of the border. Bshaena (2011) mapped two localities in Libya, presumably corresponding to Jabal Al Uwaynat and Kufrah. The complicated dating of the natural history portions of

Description de l’Égypte has been elucidated by

Sherborn (1897) and Tollitt (1986).

IUCN THREAT STATUS.— Not evaluated,

but anticipated to be Least Concern.

Tarentola deserti Boulenger, 1891:115 , pl. 13, figs. 3a–c ( FIG . 20)

1991 Tarentola mauritanica var. deserti Boulenger , Catalogue of the reptiles and batrachians of Barbary

( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia), based chiefly upon the notes and collections made in 1880–1884 by M. Fernand

Lataste. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London 13: 93–164, pls. 13–18. HOLOTYPE.— BMNH 1885.3.27. 5 fide Joger (1984), “Wargla” [= Ouargla, Oargla Province, Algeria].

Tarentola deserti, Schleich, Kästle, and Kabisch 1996:270 .

Tarentola deserti, Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008:135 .

Tarentola deserti, Trape, Trape, and Chirio 2012:274 . DISTRIBUTION.— From Morocco through northern Algeria and Tunisia to Tripolitania,

Libya. In Libya they are found in Tripoli and the northwest (Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008)

as far east as approximately Misratah ( Bshaena

2011).

Libyan Records (Map 22): TRIPOLITA-

NIA: NUQAT AL KHAMS: 10: SNHM-BS 40102-

5, 40107-25; Bshaena 2011. ZAWIYAH: 18:

SHNM-BS 39945-46, 39948, 39950, 39952-

57, 39997; Bshaena 2011. 20: SNHM-BS

40079-101; Bshaena 2011. TRIPOLI: 45: SMF

57997. MISRATAH: 80: SNHM-BS 40127,

40129; Bshaena 2011. NALUT: 129: Sindaco,

pers. obs. 4/30/2008. “ Tripolitania ”: FMNH-

82947.

COMMENTS.— This taxon was formerly treated as a subspecies of T. mauritanica until MAP 22. Distribution of Tarentola deserti in Libya. Only records of Tarentola deserti (sensu stricto) are illustrated. elevated by Joger (1984). For a description of Records associated with several undescribed subspecies of recent taxonomic revisions relating to this T. deserti ( Bshaena 2011) are plotted as T. fascicularis Comgenus see Joger and Bshaena (2010) and Rato plex.

et al. (2012). Harris et al. (2004) and Rato et al. (2012), the latter authors using a multilocus dataset, identified T. deserti as a lineage embedded within “ T. fascicularis ” (see following species account). Joger (1984) and Le Berre (1989) did not mention any specimens from Libya. Trape et al. (2006) plotted a single degree square in Tripolitania (32°N, 13°E) as did Schleich et al. (1996) and Sindaco and Jeremčenko (2008).

Joger and Bshaenia (2010) and Bshaena and Joger (2013) presented substantially identical phylogenetic trees based on mtDNA derived Bayesian trees. These included numerous Libyan samples, including two, from Rass El Lifa and Azzawiyah, in their clade F, which also includes presumably “true” T. deserti from Tunisia. On the basis of the affinities of these specimens, we tentatively assign the associated localities to T. deserti . Bshaena (2011), however, recognized T. deserti ssp. nov. from these localities in northwestern Tripolitania, suggesting that they differed slightly form the typical form from Tunisia and Algeria. Cyrenaican records of T. deserti cited by Bshaena apply to an undescribed taxon believed by him to be allied to T. deserti , but at present, this is included, along with other unnamed Tarentola , within the T. fascicularis Complex. [Note that the various spellings of the name Bshaena/Bshaenia/Bshena all refer to the same author].

IUCN THREAT STATUS.— Not evaluated, but anticipated to be Least Concern.

Tarentola fascicularis Complex ( Daudin, 1802:144) (FIG. 21)

An XI [1802] Gecko fascicularis Daudin, Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière des Reptiles, Ouvrage faisant Suite aux Oeuvres de Leclerc de Buffon, et Partie du Cours Complet d’Histoire Naturelle Rédigé par C.S. Sonnini, Membre de Plusieurs Sociétés Savantes. Quatrième Tome. F. Dufart Paris, 397 pp, pls xlvi–lviii.

NEOTYPE: ZFMK 35631 designated by Joger (1984), “Ain Zeyanah, 20 km südlich von Benghazi, Libyen ” fide Joger 1984. The original holotype specimen was studied by Lacépède and described by Daudin (1802) but is lost fide Joger (1984). The original type locality was “ Tripoli ” [ Libya] by implication form the common name “geckotte de Tripoli ” (see Comments below).

Tarentola mauritanica [part], Le Berre 1989:174.

Tarentola mauritanica fascicularis, Schleich, Kästle, and Kabisch 1996:276 .

Tarentola mauritanica fascicularis [part], Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008:136.

Complexe Tarentola mauritanica [part], Trape, Trape, and Chirio 2012:280.

DISTRIBUTION.— Southern Tunisia (e.g.,

Gafsa, Gabés and Douz fide Sarra et al. 2013)

through Egypt, with scattered records in northwestern Sinai ( Werner 2016) . In Libya they are found mostly in the north, with numerous scattered records further inland (Sindaco and

Jeremčenko 2008; Joger and Bshaenia 2010;

Bshaena 2011). Bshaena (2011) considered true T. fascicularis to be limited to areas relatively close to the coast in Cyrenaica (see

FIGURE 21. Tarentola fascicularis Complex species from Comments below). Tlili et al. (2014) incorrect- Sabha, Fezzan, Libya. Photo © Adel Ibrahim.

ly stated that this species is a central Tunisian endemic, presumably in error for T. f. wolfgangi, which is limited to that region.

Libyan Records (Map 23): TRIPOLITA-

NIA: NUQAT AL KHAMS: 3: NHMC

80.3.86.101–104. ZAWIYAH: 10: SNHM BS

40106; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena

2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 11: CUP R 142;

Frynta et al. 2000; Sindaco, pers. obs.

4/26/2008. 16: BMNH 1975 .1195; ZSM

79/1938/01–15; Werner 1909; Ghigi 1913;

Zavattari 1934. 18: SNHM BS 39947, 39949;

Bshaena 2011. 19: BMNH 1965.1146. 22:

MCSN 3213, 2004, 2452. JAFARA: 29: Sayers

1964. 31: SNHM BS 39998–40015; Bshaena

2011; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena and

Joger 2013. TRIPOLI: 36: BMNH 1954.1.5. 51–

54. 37: MZUF 689. 38: USNM 148484; ZFMK

MAP 23. Distribution of the Tarentola fascicularis Com- 106936; Joger and Bshaena 2010. 39: USNM plex in Libya. The neotype locality of T. fascicularis is in 148483. 42: MZUT R2557. 43: MCSN 1995; northeastern Cyrenaica and most points outside of this region 3214. 44: ZSM 1463–67/2009; SNHM BS represent undescribed members of the broader T. fascicularis 39944, 39958–59, 40071–78; Bshaena 2011; Complex, which also includes taxa more closely related to T. deserti .

Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena and Joger

2013. 45: BMNH 1955.1.8. 46, 1965.1126–27, xxi.58.e; NHMW 17953, 18097; ZMB 15297–300, 15323–24, 15326; Gray 1845; Peters 1880, 1881; Boulenger 1885; Condorelli Francaviglia 1896; Werner 1909; Ghigi 1913; Zavattari 1934; Loveridge 1947. 56: SNHM BS 39933–43, 39995–96; Bshaena 2011. MURQUB: 60: SNHM BS 40067–70; Peters 1880, 1881; Werner 1909; Ghigi 1913; Zavattari 1934; Loveridge 1947; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 61: BMNH 1901.10.28. 1. 62: Frynta et al. 2000. 63: SNHM BS 40043–66, 40216–24; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 64: SMNS 207. 66: Sindaco, pers. obs. 4/29/2008. 67: Sindaco pers. obs. 4/29/2008. 68: BMNH 1913.12.30. 3–5, 1965.1125; CUP R

069, 096–098, 106, 129; Boulenger 1914; Zavettari 1934; Frynta et al. 2000. 69: BMNH 1965.1147–48; Sayers 1964; Sindaco, pers. obs. 4/28/2008. MISRATAH: 73: SNHM BS 42538, 42539; Bshaena 2011. 80: SNHM BS 40241–46, 40126–30; Zavattari 1934; Loveridge 1947; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 81: Boulenger 1914. NALUT: 101: Frynta et al. 2000. 105: MNHN 2004.0082; Ibrahim and Ineich 2005. 120: NHMC 80.3.86.105– 106; DB2156, 2159; Rato et al. 2012. 126: NHMC 80.3.86.91–100; DB2163; Rato et al. 2012. 127: CUP R 012, 121; Frynta et al. 2000. 128: CUP R 001, 009–10, 021, 038, 120; Frynta et al. 2000. JABAL AL GHARBI: 140: MCSN 4224. 141: SNHM BS 39960–81, 39994; Bshaena 2011. 145: NHMC 80.3.86.90. 146: NHMC 80.3.86.89. 150: NHMC 80.3.86.112. 154: MZUT R2558; NHMW 17952; SNHM BS 40016–42, 40215; Werner 1909; Ghigi 1913; Zavattari 1934; Loveridge 1947; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 155: Werner 1909. 156: Sayers 1964. 160: BMNH 1954.1.5. 49. 161: CUP R 095, 107; Frynta et al. 2000. 162: SNHM BS 42534–37; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. SIRTE: 174: MCSN 1985. 175: SNHM BS 40146–49, 40230–33; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 190: SNHM BS 40138–42, 40189; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 199: MCSN 1992. “ Tripolitania ”: ZIBU 15434–35, 17338; 20995. “ Tripolitania settentrionale ”: Zavattari 1937. “ Meschia ”: Loveridge 1947. “ Sirtica ”: Zavattari 1937; Loveridge 1947. FEZZAN: WADI AL SHATII: 210: Essghaier et al. 2015. 211: Scortecci 1937a. JUFRA: 217: Zavattari 1937; Loveridge 1947. 218: MCSN 1996; ZSM 120/1983/1–4. 221: MCSN 1986, 1991, 2000; Scortecci 1935b; Loveridge 1947. 226: MCSN 4223. GHAT: 235: Zavattari 1934. 253: SNHM BS 42527; Bshaena 2011. WADI AL HAYAA: 271: SNHM BS 42530; Bshaena 2011. 272: MCSN 1988, SNHM BS 42525; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bhsaena and Joger 2013. 275: SNHM BS 42522; Bshaena 2011. 277: SNHM BS 42523–24; Bshaena 2011. 278: SNHM BS 42526; Bshaena 2011. SABHA: 286: BMNH 1954.1.5. 47–48; SNHM BS 40177–88, 42528, 29, 31–33; ZCT 2005.01; Ibrahim 2008a; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013; Essghaier et al. 2015. MURZUQ: 298: Essghaier et al. 2015. 303: Essghaier et al. 2015. 310: AIC 2006.1574; ZCT 2006.45; Ibrahim 2008a. CYRENAICA: BENGHAZI: 335: NHMC 80.3.86.109; DB2155; Rato et al. 2012. 336: BMNH 1965.1142–1143. 337: CUP R 108, 109; Frynta et al. 2000. 340: DB2146, 2165; NHMC 80.3.86.107–108; ZFMK 35631; Rato et al. 2012. 343: SMF 37664. 347: SMF 58514-18. 348: SMF 58519–20. 350: BMNH 1954.1.6. 8.; SMF 33452. 357: BMNH 1945.11.9. 4–5, 1955.1.1. 34–35; MZUF 688; MZUT R2562; SMF 34472; SNHM BS 40162–65, 251–54; Cornalia in Haimann 1882, 1886; Werner 1909; Ghigi 1913, 1920; Umani 1922; Zavattari 1922, 1929, 1930; Calabresi 1923; Loveridge 1947; Bshaena 2011. 366: DB2152; NHMC 80.3.86.113; Rato et al. 2012. 367: CAS 12718; MZUT R2570; Zavattari 1922, 1929, 1930, 1934; Calabresi 1923; Loveridge 1947. 372: CUP R 030–032, 062–064; Frynta et al. 2000. 376: MCSN 1998, 2467; SMF 34466, 34467–69; Scortecci 1935b; Loveridge 1947; Bshaena 2011. MARJ: 382: CUP R 036; Frynta et al. 2000. 383: MZUT R2560; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934; Loveridge 1947. 385: MCSN 2005; MZUT R2571; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1937; Loveridge 1947; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 388: NHMC 80.3.86.110–111. 389: CUP R 037, 133; DB2143, 2158; MZUT R2563; Zavattari 1922, 1929, 1930, 1934; Calabresi 1923; Frynta et al. 2000; Rato et al. 2012. 398: NHMC 80.3.86.12. 400: CUP R 070; Frynta et al. 2000. 401: Tm22; Harris et al. 2004; Rato et al. 2012. 402: MZUT R2567; SNHM BS 40166–71; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930; Loveridge 1947; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 403: NHMC 80.3.86.6. 404: SNHM-BS 40000, 40002-3, 40005-6, 40009; Bshaena 2011. 406: ZSM 243/1980. 457ad: Schleich 1987. 457b: Schleich 1987. 457v: Schleich 1987. 457z: Schleich 1987. JABAL AL AKHDAR: 414: Resetar 1981. 417: CUP R 137; MCSN 2465; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1922, 1929, 1930, 1934; Frynta et al. 2000. 419: FMNH 214956; Resetar 1981; Frynta et al. 2000. 421: Vinciguerra 1927; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934; Gestro and Vinciguerra 1931. 425: Zavattari 1929, 1930; Loveridge 1947. 428: ZSM 121/1983/1–7; Schleich 1987. 430: BMNH 1965.1140; MZUT R2566; Ghigi 1920; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934; Loveridge 1947. 431: SNHM BS 40235–38, 40153–61; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 434: FMNH 214954; USNM 148482; Resetar 1981. 439: FMNH 214955; Resetar 1981. 440: Resetar 1981. 441: Resetar 1981. 443: FMNH 214952; Resetar 1981. 444: FMNH 214951; Resetar 1981. 446: FMNH 214953; Resetar 1981. 447: Frynta et al. 2000. 448: SMF 55407-08. 449: NHMC 80.3.86.7–9, DB2168; Rato et al. 2012. 451: Frynta et al. 2000. 452: Ghigi 1920; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934. 456: SNHM-BS40131-32; Bshaena 2011. 457: FMNH 82946, 82948; KNP 1981/140–143, 148, 150– 151, 153–156, 168, 171, 177, 224, 226–228, 233, 239–241, 244–245, 258–259, 268, 276, 284, 288–289, 293, 304, 314, 328, 337, 345–346, 359, 408, 412, 436, 442, 459–460, 462, 486, 493, 500, 504; ZSM 1471/2009; Resetar 1981; Schleich 1987. 457an: Schleich 1987. 457ap: Schleich 1987. 457aq: Schleich 1987. 457at: Schleich 1987. 457au: Schleich 1987. 457av: Schleich 1987. 457aw: Schleich 1987. 457ba: Schleich 1987. 457bb: Schleich 1987. 457bc: Schleich 1987. 457bd: Schleich 1987. 457be: Schleich 1987. 457bf: Schleich 1987. 457bh: Schleich 1987. 457bj: Schleich 1987. 457bl: Schleich 1987. 457c: Schleich 1987. 457ca: Schleich 1987. 457cc: Schleich 1987. 457ce: Schleich 1987. 457cf: Schleich 1987. 457ch: Schleich 1987. 457ci: Schleich 1987. 457cl: Schleich 1987. 457ct: Schleich 1987. 457cu: Schleich 1987. 457cv: Schleich 1987. 457d: Schleich 1987. 457e: Schleich 1987. 457i: Schleich 1987. 457l: Schleich 1987. 457m: Schleich 1987. DARNAH: 458: NHMC 80.3.86.11. 461: NHMC 80.3.86.10; DB2160; Rato et al. 2012. 462: Ghigi 1920; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930; Loveridge 1947. 465: Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930; Loveridge 1947. 466: MCSN 1989; SMF 34298, 35588, 52996; Werner 1909; Ghigi 1913; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934; Loveridge 1947; Bshaena 2011. 467: Zavattari 1929, 1930. 470: ZSM 119/1983. 472: NHMC 80.3.86.13–16. 473: MZUT R1559; SNHM BS 40150– 52; Tm23; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930; Loveridge 1947; Harris et al. 2004; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013; Rato et al. 2013. 477: NHMC 80.3.86.27– 30. 479: MCSN 1997; Scortecci 1935b. 484: BMNH 1965.1144–45, MZUT R2564; Calabresi 1923; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934; Loveridge 1947. BUTNAN: 490: NHMC 80.3.86.17; SNHM BS 40133–37, 40247–50; Tm26; Harris et al. 2004; Rato et al. 2010, 2012; Bshaena 2011. 493: NHMC 80.3.86.18. 496: SMF 34351-52. 505: Vinciguerra 1927; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934; Gestro and Vinciguerra 1931; Loveridge 1947. 508: NHMC 80.3.86.5; Tm21; Harris et al. 2004; Rato et al. 2010, 2012. AL WAHAT: 529: MCSN 1987, 1990; MNHN 1990.1631–35; NMP 34929; NMP 34929; SNHM BS 40172–76, 40226–29; ZSM 122/1983; Vinciguerra 1931; Zavattari 1934; Scortecci 1935b; Moravec 1995; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 540: BMNH 1965.1141, 1287–88; SNHM BS 40143–45, 40239, 40240; Joger and Bshaenia 2010; Bshaena 2011; Bshaena and Joger 2013. 544: BMNH 1965.1139; Vinciguerra 1931; Zavattari 1934; Loveridge 1947. 548: HUJR 1008. 553: MCSN 1993; Scortecci 1935b; Zavattari 1937; Loveridge 1947. 561: SNHM BS 39982–93; Bshaena 2011. 563: Loveridge 1947. 564: MCSN 2002; Vinciguerra 1931; Zavattari 1929, 1930, 1934, 1937; Loveridge 1947. “ Cyrenaica ”: BMNH 1954.1.5. 45–46. “ Marmarica ”: Zavattari 1937, Loveridge 1947. LIBYA: NHMW 17963.

COMMENTS.— The Tarentola mauritanica group sensu lato has been revised and revisited many times (e.g., Harris et al. 2004, 2009; Rato et al. 2010, 2012, 2016). Tarentola mauritanica itself occurs in southern Europe (Iberian Peninsula, southern France, Italy, Adriadic coast, southern Greece and Crete) and northwestern Africa from Western Sahara to central Tunisia (Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008), with the subspecies T. m. juliae Joger, 1984 and T. m. pallida Geniez et al., 1999 both in Morocco. Harris et al. (2004) demonstrated that northeastern African specimens of T. mauritanica , to which the name T. fascicularis is applicable, were genetically distinct from the remainder of T. mauritanica and subsequently ( Harris et al. 2009) that insular Tarentola from Lampedusa and Congli were assignable to T. [m.] fascicularis . They also showed that T. fascicularis is paraphyletic with respect to T. deserti . Tarentola fascicularis was considered a subspecies by many, including Sindaco and Jeremčenko (2008), until elevated to species level by Joger and Bshaena (2010). Sarra et al. (2013) provided morphometric and karyotypic data supporting the distinctiveness of T. fascicularis from T. mauritanica .

Rato et al. (2012), using a multilocus dataset, confirmed the reciprocal monophyly of the Tarentola fascicularis complex (including T. deserti , T. neglecta and T. mindiae ) and the T. mauritanica complex. They also identified a great deal of substructure within T. fascicularis sensu lato and confirmed that T. deserti is a lineage embedded within “ T. fascicularis .” Libyan populations of “ T. fascicularis ” they sampled were grouped into three mitochondrial groups, two of which were sister to one another and account for the majority of their samples from coastal Cyrenaica, northwestern Egypt and the Tunisian/Libyan border area (their clades XI and XII); the third clade was represented by material from western Libya and the Libyan/Egyptian border area, as well as by material from the Italian islands of Lampedusa and Conigli (their clade VIII). Clade XI included the region in which the type locality of T. fascicularis is located and so unambiguously represents true fascicularis , should further taxonomic subdivision of the group take place. Rato et al. (2012) suggested that some clades within the T. fascicularis complex might deserve specific status, but took no action to name or elevate unnamed clades. Rato et al. (2016) subsequently provided molecular evidence to suggest that populations remaining in T. fascicularis represented additional undescribed taxa and Joger and Bshaenia (2010) explicitly stated that there were undescribed species within Libya. Tarentola fascicularis wolfgangi Joger and Bshaenia, 2010 (incorrectly referred to as T. f. boehmei in Bshaena and Joger 2013), a Tunisian endemic, is a member of Rato et al.’s (2012) clade IX and is deeply embedded within the T. fascicularis complex. Joger and Bshaenia (2010) and Bshaena and Joger (2013) presented substantially similar phylogenetic trees based on mtDNA, including many Libyan samples. In the earlier paper they recommended that their clades C, D, E, G, and H be considered as members of a single (unnamed) species, while they later included only D (“ T. sp. Ajdabiya” and “ T. sp. Ras Lanuf “), E (T. f. wolfgangi), G (T. sp. Sabha ”), and H (“ T. sp. NW Libya ”) in this complex and recommended that they be considered as subspecies of T. fascicularis . Clade C, which included specimens from Um Arrizam and Sidi Massod, Libya, also included a specimen from Egypt and were taken to be “typical” T. fascicularis . This is because Bshaena (2011) considered Tobruk to be the terra typica, although Joger (1984) had earlier designated a neotype from Benghazi. Neither of these populations is likely conspecific with Daudin’s lost Tripolitanian holotype. According to Bshaena (2011), T. fascicularis sensu stricto occurs in Northeastern Cyrenaica up to 180 km from the Mediterranean coast.

Except for the endemic Tunisian T. fascicularis wolfgangi Joger and Bshaenia, 2010 and T. neglecta lanzai Bshaena and Joger, 2013 (which see below), none of the other clades in the T. fascicularis Complex have yet been named, although Bshaena (2011) provided diagnoses and descriptions in his unpublished and nomenclaturally unavailable doctoral dissertation. Because there are no names for these other Libyan clades, and because the taxonomy of Tarentola , especially the T. fascicularis complex, remains in a state of flux, we have chosen to include specimens of Libyan Tarentola not assignable to another named congener within this single account for the T. fascicularis Complex. In addition to the T. fascicularis forms signaled by Bshaena (2011), records listed may also include specimens referable to recognized or undescribed taxa of T. deserti sensu lato or T. neglecta sensu lato that have previously been referred to T. mauritanica , as well as any true T. mauritanica which might be represented by introduced populations in coastal urban centers.

Boulenger (1885) listed several specimens collected by Louis Fraser (corresponding to BMNH 1846.11.4. 16–18) from “ Susa, Tripoli.” However , Fraser was based in 1846 in Tunis and is known to have collected other specimens from Susa (modern Sousse or Soussa), Tunis, approximately 130 km south of Tunis. It is thus likely that these specimens are not from Libya and they have been excluded from our dataset .

IUCN THREAT STATUS.— Included within the assessment of Tarentola mauritanica which has the status Least Concern. Evaluated separately Tarentola fascicularis is also anticipated to be Least Concern.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Ptyodactylus togoensis from Awiss area, Tadrart Akakus, Ghat, Fezzan, Libya, 2008. Photo © Roberto Sindaco.

MAP 21. Distribution of Tarentola annularis in Libya.

FIGURE 20. Tarentola deserti from Hotel Dar Ghadames, Gadamis, Nalut, Tripolitania, Libya, 2008. Photo © Roberto Sindaco.