Trogonophidae, Gray, 1865

Aloufi, Abdulhadi, Zayer, Mohammed Al & Amr, Zuhair S., 2023, Reptiles and Amphibians along the Coastal Area of the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, Ecologica Montenegrina 68, pp. 66-87 : 79

Family Trogonophidae

Diplometopon zarudnyi Nikolsky, 1907 Fig. 8C

Materials examined: EZC004, Al Mezerea Farm , 22.5.2023 . EZC028, Josameen , 9.6.2023 . EZC054, Al Hassa National Park , 4.9.2023 . Observed: Tufaieh , 6.6.2023 . Abo Ma’an ( Al dhahi farms), 30.8.2023 . Abo Ma’an ( Al dhahi farms), 30.8.2023 . Hejrat Al Oseverat , 3.9.2023 . Al Hassa National Park , 3.9.2023 . Jabal Al Araba’a area , 5.9.2023 .

Remarks: This is an Arabian species distributed in western Iran, southern Iraq, Kuwait, north and eastern Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Qatar ( Sindaco & Jeremcenko, 2008). Zarudnyi’s Worm Lizard is a subterranean burrowing species inhabiting sand-blown and sand dunes habitats and found under wooden debris. It was reported from several localities along the coastal regions of the Arabian Gulf; Abqaiq and Salwa ( Haas, 1957, 1961), and from Riyadh province ( Al-Sadoon, 1988; Al-Sadoon et al., 2016b), Al-Zulfi ( Al-Sadoon et al., 1991), Al Jubail ( Martens, 1996), Al-Hassa region ( Al-Sadoon, 2010), Ha’il ( Al-Shammari, 2012).

Zarudnyi’s worm lizard feeds mainly on Dermestes sp. , Dermestes maculatus and Rhynchophorus ferrugineus ( Al-Sadoon et al., 2016b) .

Figures

Figure 8. A. Scincus mitranus. B. Varanus griseus. C. Diplometopon zarudnyi.