Checklist of Amphibians and Reptiles of Morocco: a Taxonomic Update and Standard Arabic Names
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Herpetology Notes, volume 14: 1-14 (2021) (published online on 08 January 2021) Checklist of amphibians and reptiles of Morocco: A taxonomic update and standard Arabic names Abdellah Bouazza1,*, El Hassan El Mouden2, and Abdeslam Rihane3,4 Abstract. Morocco has one of the highest levels of biodiversity and endemism in the Western Palaearctic, which is mainly attributable to the country’s complex topographic and climatic patterns that favoured allopatric speciation. Taxonomic studies of Moroccan amphibians and reptiles have increased noticeably during the last few decades, including the recognition of new species and the revision of other taxa. In this study, we provide a taxonomically updated checklist and notes on nomenclatural changes based on studies published before April 2020. The updated checklist includes 130 extant species (i.e., 14 amphibians and 116 reptiles, including six sea turtles), increasing considerably the number of species compared to previous recent assessments. Arabic names of the species are also provided as a response to the demands of many Moroccan naturalists. Keywords. North Africa, Morocco, Herpetofauna, Species list, Nomenclature Introduction mya) led to a major faunal exchange (e.g., Blain et al., 2013; Mendes et al., 2017) and the climatic events that Morocco has one of the most varied herpetofauna occurred since Miocene and during Plio-Pleistocene in the Western Palearctic and the highest diversities (i.e., shift from tropical to arid environments) promoted of endemism and European relict species among allopatric speciation (e.g., Escoriza et al., 2006; Salvi North African reptiles (Bons and Geniez, 1996; et al., 2018). Pleguezuelos et al., 2010; del Mármol et al., 2019). The earliest studies on Moroccan herpetofauna were This is mainly because Morocco comprises several conducted during the first half of the 19th century (Busack, mountain chains (i.e., Rif and Atlas chains) that form 1976). At that time, the list of Moroccan amphibians distinct geographic barriers and divide the country into and reptiles included only about ten taxa (Gervais, many topographically and climatically complex regions 1836). Since the 1870’s, North Africa has witnessed a (Sobrino and Raissouni, 2000). Moreover, its contact growing interest in herpetology (e.g., Boettger, 1874, with Europe during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (~5.6 1883, 1885; Camerano, 1882; Boulenger, 1889, 1891). During the 20th century, various herpetological research projects have been developed in Morocco among which those with the aim of compiling species lists, providing illustrated keys and identification guides, and mapping 1 Biotechnology, Materials and Environment Laboratory, species distribution (e.g., Boulenger, 1919; Pellegrin, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Taroudant, Ibn Zohr University, 1925; Guibé, 1950; Aellen, 1951; Saint-Girons, 1956; Agadir, Morocco. Pasteur and Bons, 1959, 1960; Bons and Girot, 1962; 2 Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climatic Changes, Mellado and Dakki, 1988; Bons and Geniez, 1996; Faculty of Sciences, Cadi Ayyad University, Semlalia, Schleich et al., 1996). From the outset of the current Marrakech, Morocco. century, and until today, systematic and phylogeographic 3 Département des Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre, Centre Régional des Métiers de l’Education et la Formation oriented studies on Moroccan herpetofauna have (CRMEF) Casablanca-Settat, Casablanca, Morocco. experienced a noticeable increase (e.g., Carranza et 4 Laboratoire d’Ecologie et d’Environnement, Faculté des al., 2002; Vaconcelos et al., 2006; Crochet et al., 2008; Sciences Ben M’sik, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Barata et al., 2012; Vences et al., 2014; Lansari et al., Morocco. 2015; Nicolas et al., 2015; Martínez-Freiría et al., 2017). * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] This resulted in the description of several new taxa and © 2020 by Herpetology Notes. Open Access by CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. changes in the taxonomic status of many species, thus 2 Abdellah Bouazza et al. pointing to a need for regular updates of the Moroccan conclusions followed published decisions. herpetofaunal species list. Our taxonomic list was limited to the specific level During the last decade, Pleguezuelos et al. (2010) while recognising that the subspecies distinction is compiled a list of the Moroccan herpetofauna that maybe valid (e.g., Malpolon monspessulanus ssp.). included 114 species (i.e., 13 amphibians and 101 Authorship and year for family and species nomina, as reptiles including two regionally extinct species, and given in the checklist, have been cross-checked with excluding sea turtles) with the main aim of assessing numerous papers, books, and online resources (e.g., their national conservation status. Few years later, Frost, 2020; Uetz et al., 2020). Arabic names in the Beukema et al. (2013) reviewed the systematics, list are constructed and proposed based on scientific distribution, biogeography, and natural history of names, common names in English and French, and the Moroccan amphibians. Recently, del Mármol et al. encyclopaedia of Ghālib (1988); these names could be (2019) published a new book on Moroccan amphibians reviewed following constructive criticism from Arabic and reptiles, cataloguing 14 amphibians and 103 reptiles scholars. In some cases, Moroccan names (Arabic excluding sea turtles. Since then, a significant number dialect) used by local people are added to the list (e.g., of newly recognised species have been described (e.g., Snakes; Fahd and Pleguezuelos, 2001). Miralles et al., 2020). Herein, we present an updated checklist based on recent biogeographic and taxonomic Results data. Our goal is to provide an accessible and updated The present updated list of amphibians and reptiles reference list that serves as an important tool for of Morocco accounts for 130 extant species (Table 1). herpetologists and other researchers interested in the Amphibians are represented by 14 species belonging biodiversity of Morocco. to two orders (two urodeles and 12 anuran species), seven families, and 12 genera. The reptiles consist of Materials and methods 116 species belonging to two orders, 22 families, and We retained the same delimited geographical area as 54 genera; Chelonians include nine species, of which Bons and Geniez (1996) and del Mármol et al. (2019). six are sea Turtles, while Squamates comprise 107 To update our checklist of Moroccan herpetofauna, we species represented by Amphisbaenians (three species), based our analysis on the list of del Mármol et al. (2019) Ophidians (27 species), and Saurians that is the most as a starting point, with comments on the taxonomic speciose taxa with 80 species. status of particular species. For sea Turtles, which More than one-fourth (i.e., 26%) of the listed were not treated previously by several authors (e.g., herpetofaunal species are considered to be endemic to Pleguezuelos et al., 2010; del Mármol et al., 2019), Morocco, with amphibians and reptiles including two we based our analysis on the book of Bons and Geniez and 31 endemics respectively. The rate of endemism (1996). is highest in the family of Scincidae (nine endemic Our work focused on species and genus level species), followed by Sphaerodactylidae (eight species), changes, as well as some cases of particular interest Lacertidae (seven species), and Blanidae (two species); to the herpetological community. For species-level the remaining endemic species represent one family systematics, we followed the conception of Speybroeck each. et al. (2010) and Hillis (2019). In the main, we adhere to the “Biological Species Concept” and we prefer, Discussion for recognising a species, to put more emphasis on the Amphibians degree of extrinsic or intrinsic reproductive isolation, Endemic species rather than treating all evolutionary units as species. To do so, we considered molecular, morphological, Pelobates varaldii Pasteur and Bons, 1959 is an and ecological information, when available, as possible endemic species to Morocco, whereas Barbarophryne indicators to interpret the degree of isolation. In the brongersmai (Hoogmoed, 1972) and Alytes maurus absence of any information, we assumed that divergent Pasteur and Bons, 1962 are sub-endemics with some taxa, within the same genus and/or family, are better highly localised populations reported in Algeria by treated as valid species. Phylogenetic data were Mateo et al. (2013): B. brongersmai has been recently also considered for the classification of genus-level discovered in the Saharan Atlas of Algeria, while the systematics (Dubois, 2009), however, in most cases, our Hafir forest area in Algeria revealed A. maurus adults and Checklist of amphibians and reptiles of Morocco 3 larvae (Jesús Peña and José A. Mateo, unpublished). The Agama boulengeri same authors indicated the presence of a relict population Boulenger’s Agama is genetically very distinct from of Discoglossus scovazzi Camerano, 1878 in the Saoura all other Agama species (Gonçalves et al., 2018). It Valley (Algeria), but this tentative identification was is an abundant species in rocky areas of Adrar Atar based entirely on the connectivity of the Saoura Valley of Mauritania and few kilometres from the extreme to “intermittent rivers originating in the Moroccan Atlas southeastern border of Moroccan Atlantic Sahara Mountains, where D. scovazzi is common”. However, a (Geniez et al., 2004). Because of its high abundance recent study by Vences et al. (2014) demonstrated that the areas of south-eastern Morocco that