Eremias persica
Species of lizard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eremias persica, the Aralo-Caspian racerunner[2] or Persian racerunner,[3] is a species of lizard native to Iranian Azerbaijan, most of Iran, southern Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and western Pakistan.[2] Eremias intermedia is also known as the Aralo-Caspian racerunner.
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| Eremias persica | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Lacertidae |
| Genus: | Eremias |
| Species: | E. persica |
| Binomial name | |
| Eremias persica Blanford, 1875 | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Taxonomy and conservation
It was described by William Thomas Blanford in 1875.[2][4] The type locality is near Isfahan, Iran.[5] The specific epithet persica refers to its distribution in Persia (now known as Iran).[2]
Eremias persica was assessed for the IUCN Red List in 2016 and considered a species of least concern.[1]
Eremias nigrolateralis Rastegar-Pouyani & Nilson, 1998, the black-sided racerunner,[6] was described based on dorsal color patterning differences but is now considered a synonym of E. persica.[2][3] E. nigrolateralis was considered a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List based on its extensive, suitable habitat, large population, and presumed lack of significant threats.[6] It was considered "unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category".[6]
Description
It is most closely related to Eremias velox, of which it was previously treated as a subspecies, and they share several attributes such as having a wide range distribution across the Iranian Plateau, as well as the number of and shape of their scales.[7][2] It can be morphologically distinguished from E. velox based on several characteristics, including:
- continuous dorsolateral black stripes (vs. E. velox with interrupted, forming ocelli with white spots),
- the stripes strongly contrasting with the base pattern (vs. not strongly contrasting),
- juveniles with 4 dark stripes on the back between dorsolateral white-spotted stripes (vs. 3 dark stripes), and
- juveniles with ventral surface of tail not red (vs. carmine red in E. velox).[7]
Like many other lacertid lizards, the juveniles are more easily distinguished from other species than the adults.[3] Other closely related species of Eremias racerunners include E. kopetdaghica, E. isfahanica, E. lalezharica, E. montana, E. papenfussi, E. strauchi, and E. suphani.[7]
Distribution and habitat
The Persian racerunner occurs in Iran, southern Azerbaijan, southern Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and western Pakistan.[5] In Iran, Eremias persica has a broad distribution in the central plateau south of the Alborz Mountains, including the Zagros Mountains, but it is absent from the central deserts Dasht-e Lut and Dasht-e Kavir.[5] It is found in open plains and slopes, typically in areas of low vegetation and gravel surfaces. It is also found on mixed sand or silt and gravel.[5]