Uromastyx acanthinura Bell, 1825:457

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 : 185-188

Uromastyx acanthinura Bell, 1825:457 , pl. xvii. ( FIG . 13)

1825 Uromastyx acanthinurus Bell , Description of a new species of lizard. The Zoological Journal 1: 457–460, pl. xvii.

HOLOTYPE.— OUM 7845 fide Wilms et al. (2007) [originally stated by Bell as “In Mus. Nost.” referring to his own collection, the majority of which was purchased by Rev. Frederick W. Hope and, following the latter’s death in 1862, were donated to the Oxford University Museum in a series of transactions lasting well into the 20 th century (Davies and Hull 1976).], “Habitat in Africâ.” Restricted to “ Algeria ‘near Biskra, northwards to El Kantara” by Flower (1933), based on Hartert’s (1913) description of the distribution of the nominotypical form of the species.

Uromastix acanthinura [part], Le Berre 1989:130.

Uromastyx acanthinura [part], Schleich, Kästle and Kabisch 1996:298

Uromastyx acanthinura, Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008:165 .

Complexe Uromastyx acanthinura, Trape, Trape, and Chirio 2012:168 .

DISTRIBUTION.— Northwestern Africa, from the northern border of Western Sahara to westcentral Libya. Schleich et al. (1996) included all of Libya and Egypt west of Sinai in the distribution of the species and Sindaco and Jeremčenko (2008) plotted several localities in eastern Libya and Egypt as questionably referable to this taxon. However, Wilms (2001, 2005) and Wilms and Böhme (2007) excluded the northeastern quadrant of Libya from the distributional range of the genus Uromastyx and we regard records from this region to be in error.

Libyan Records (Map 10): TRIPOLI: 45:

NHMW 22116; ZSM 112/1983; Werner 1909;

Wilms and Böhme 2001; Wilms et al. 2009. 47:

BMNH 1954.1.1. 13. MURQUB: 57: BMNH

1964.2075; Wilms and Böhme 2001; Wilms et al. 2009. MISRATAH: 88: MZUT R401 . NALUT :

105: AIC (5 specimens) no number provided ;

MNHN 2004.0093; Ibrahim and Ineich 2005.

123: Harris et al. 2007; Brito et al. 2008. 127:

SMNS 596 . 130: Sindaco obs. 4/1/2008. JABAL

AL GHARBI: 154: NMBA-REPT 8323; ZSM

472/79; Werner 1909; Ghigi 1913; Zavattari

1934; Wilms and Böhme 2001; Wilms et al.

2009. SIRTE: 199: MZUF 743; Wilms and

Böhme 2001; Wilms et al. 2009. FEZZAN:

WADI AL SHATII: 210: Essghaier et al. 2015.

JUFRA: 213: MCSN 1799, 1865; ZSM 18/1968

(1)–(4), 181/36; Scortecci 1934b; Wilms and MAP 10. Distribution of Uromastyx acanthinura in Libya. Records from northern Cyrenaica are doubtful and Böhme 2001; Wilms et al. 2009. 215: ZSM have not been plotted.

510/1978; Wilms and Böhme 2001; Wilms et al. 2009. 216: ZMB 18079; Peters 1880, 1881; Zavattari 1934. 217: Zavattari 1937. 218: MCSN 1880. GHAT: 234: Essghaier et al. 2015. SABHA: 268: Kramer and Schnurrenberger 1963; Schnurrenberger 1963. MURZUQ: 298: MCSN 1798. 303: Zavattari 1937; Essghaier et al. 2015. 313: ZCT 2005.31; Ibrahim 2008a. 316: ZCT 2006.70; Ibrahim 2008a. 318: AIC 2006.1550; Ibrahim 2008a. 324: Zavattari 1934. “ Fezzan ”: AMNH R 71839. “ Sahara tripolitain ”: Angel and Lhote 1938. CYRENAICA: AL WAHAT: 562: Zavattari 1937. 564: MCSN 1861; Zavattari 1937. 564a: Zavattari 1934, 1937.

Data in error (not mapped): CYRENAICA: MARJ: 385: MZUF 744; Werner 1909; Wilms and Böhme 2001; Wilms et al., 2009. DARNAH: 466: Werner 1909; Zavattari 1934.

COMMENTS.— Libyan specimens are referable to the nominotypical subspecies. Uromastyx acanthinura nigriventris is restricted to the western portion of the species’ distribution in Western Sahara, Morocco, and western Algeria (Wilms 2001, 2005). Several authors have suggested that, while there are a large number of U. acanthinura samples from southwestern Libya, many of them might have been misidentified and should actually be referred to either U. geyri , or U. alfredschmidti (Wilms and Böhme, 2001; Sindaco et al. 2012), although there appear to be no vouchered Libyan U. geyri records. Schleich et al. (1996) and Trape et al. (2012) incorrectly gave Merrem (1820) as the author of this taxon name. In fact, Merrem’s Uromastyx acanthurus is today the iguanid Ctenosaura acanthurus .

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

Uromastyx alfredschmidti Wilms and Böhme 2001:95 , figs. 15, 16 ( FIG . 14).

2001 Uromastyx alfredschmidti Wilms and Böhme, Revision der Uromastyx acanthinura - Artengruppe, mit Beschreibung einer neuen Art aus der Zentralsahara ( Reptilia: Sauria: Agamidae ). Zoologische Abhandlungen des Staatliches Museum für Tierkunde in Dresden 51(8):73–104.

HOLOTYPE.— ZFMK 24643, “ Algerien, Tassili N’Ajjr , Tamrit Plateau (1600 m), ca. 30 km nordöstlich von Djanet.”

Uromastix acanthinura [part], Le Berre 1989:130.

Uromastyx acanthinura [part], Schleich, Kästle, and Kabisch 1996:298

Uromastyx alfredschmidti, Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008:167 .

Uromastyx alfredschmidti, Trape, Trape, and Chirio 2012:170 .

COMMENTS.— The date of description on the title page of Wilms and Böhme’s description is given as “ 15. Januar 2001.” However,

Wilms (2001) gave the year of publication of

U. alfredschmidti as 2000, although citing the correct journal issue and page number for the description. The Libyan record of Wilms and

Böhme (2001) is based on a photographic voucher. Sindaco et al. (2012) suggested several records formerly associated with U. acanthinura might be referable to U. alfredschmidti .

This is the case for a specimen from Tamrit in the Tassili n’Ajjer ( Joger 1981), and a specimen reported by Frynta et al. (2000) is here likewise assumed to be U. alfredschmidti . However, due to damage to this last specimen Wilms and Böhme (2001) were unable to verify its specific identity. Scortecci (1937a) noted MAP 11. Distribution of Uromastyx alfredschmidti in

Libya. the presence of a Uromastyx , presumably this species, as common in the Akakus Mountains.

IUCN THREAT STATUS.— Near Threatened.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Uromastyx acanthinura from vicinity of Gadamis, Nalut, Tripolitania, Libya, 2008. Photo © Roberto Sindaco.

FIGURE 14. Uromastyx alfredschmidti from Wadi Imlal, Tadrart Akakus, Ghat, Fezzan, Libya, 2008. Photo © Roberto Sindaco.