A New Species of Phrynocephalus (Agamidae, Sauria) from Al Sharqiyah Sands, Northeastern Oman, Dedicated to the Memory of Sako Tuniyev (1983 – 2015)

Daniel Melnikov, Ekaterina Melnikova, Roman Nazarov, Awadh Al-Johany, Natalia Ananjeva

Abstract


A revision of taxonomic structure of Phrynocephalus arabicus Anderson, 1894 complex was presented in our previous paper. However further investigations showed that specimens from southern Arabia do not refer to one species. A new species from Al Sharqiyah Sands, northeastern Oman is described. It differs morphologically from all other representatives of Ph. arabicus complex by body and tail proportions, dorsal coloration, undertail coloration and genetic characters. Phrynocephalus arabicus sensu stricto is distributed in Yemen, southwestern Oman, UAE, and southern Saudi Arabia. Phrynocephalus nejdensis Haas, 1957 is valid species, based on the morphological and genetic difference. Taxonomic status of Phrynocephalus macropeltis Haas, 1957 needs further confirmation with material from the type locality.

Keywords


Squamata; Acrodonta; Agamidae; Phrynocephalus sp. nov.; Al Sharqiyah Sands, northeastern Oman

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