An overview and checklist of the native and alien herpetofauna of the United Arab Emirates

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Herpetological Conservation and Biology

Publication Date

12-1-2010

Abstract

This paper provides an updated checklist of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) native and alien herpetofauna. The UAE, while largely a desert country with a hyper-arid climate, also has a range of more mesic habitats such as islands, mountains, and wadis. As such it has a diverse native herpetofauna of at least 72 species as follows: Two amphibian species (Bufonidae), five marine turtle species (Cheloniidae [four] and Dermochelyidae [one]), 42 lizard species (Agamidae [six], Gekkonidae [19], Lacertidae [10], Scincidae [six], and Varanidae [one]), a single amphisbaenian, and 22 snake species (Leptotyphlopidae [one], Boidae [one], Colubridae [seven], Hydrophiidae [nine], and Viperidae [four]). Additionally, we recorded at least eight alien species, although only the Brahminy Blind Snake (Ramphotyplops braminus) appears to have become naturalized. We also list legislation and international conventions pertinent to the herpetofauna.

ISSN

1931-7603

Volume

5

Issue

3

First Page

529

Last Page

536

Disciplines

Life Sciences

Keywords

Agamidae, Amphibia, Amphisbaenia, Anura, Boidae, Bufonidae, Cheloniidae, Colubridae, Dermochelyidae, Gekkonidae, Hydrophiidae, Lacertidae, Leptotyphlopidae, Ramphotyphlops braminus, Reptilia, Scincidae, Squamata, Testudines, Varanidae, Viperidae

Scopus ID

78651518477

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS