Paralaudakia badakhshana (Anderson & Leviton, 1969)

Figs 3, 5C-E

Takhar records.

Khilyazi bala Village, 37.4684°N, 69.7585°E, 897 m a.s.l., 13 September 2021, rocky habitat, one adult male (CUHC-PA 212); Khilyazi bala, 37.4682°N, 69.7609°E, 927 m a.s.l., 13 September 2021, rocky habitat, one adult individual of unknown sex (CUHC-PA 213); Khilyazi bala Village, 37.4252°N, 69.7648°E, 884 m a.s.l., 15 September 2021, one subadult individual of unknown sex (CUHC-PA 218).

Distribution in Afghanistan.

Badakhshan, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamiyan, Ghazni, Kabul, Parwan, Takhar, Wardak Provinces (Moheb and Mostafawi 2012; Wagner et al. 2016; Jablonski et al. 2019a), representing 26% of all provinces.

Chorotype.

Western Central-Asiatic Mountains.

Remarks.

We provide the first species records of this taxon for Takhar Province. It is an endemic species for Afghanistan and has never been genetically studied. It is possible that some historical distribution points (e.g. from Ghazni, specimens ZFMK 8608-12 and 13315-16) may represents different species and the range may change in future. Additionally, the type locality "Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan, 36°34'N, 67°05'E, 457 m elevation" is challenged by some authors (Baig et al. 2012). Thus, DNA genotyping and detailed morphological examination of Afghan populations (presumably belonging to P. badakhshana), are necessary to further investigations.