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The Reptiles and Amphibians of Dhofar, Southern Arabia

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The Reptiles and Amphibians of Dhofar, Southern Arabia The Reptiles and Amphibians of Dhofar, Southern Arabia E. N. Arnold Department of Zoology, British Museum (Natural History) CONTENTS Summary 273 Colubridae, typical snakes 314 Introduction 274 Elapidac, cobras 318 Systematic List 275 Vipcridac, vipers 319 Bufoniclae, typical toads 275 Other reptile species 323 Gckkomdae, geckoes 276 Resource Partition among Dliofar Reptiles 324 aniidac, agamic! lizards 291 Regional Affinities of the Dhofar Reptile and Chamaeleoiiitlae, chameleons 294 Amphibian Fauna 328 Lacertidac, laccrtid lizards 295 Further Collecting 329 Scincitlae, skinks 312 Acknowledgements 329 Lcptotyphlopidac, thread snakes 314 References 330 Boidae, boid snakes 314 Summary, Some 500 Dhofar reptiles and amphibians are dis• A. arabicus, A. bianjordii and A. schmidti are all given full species cussed and a minimum oi 4ft terrestrial species recognised for the status; the recognition of Mesalina as a genus independent of area of which 5 were previously undescribed; these arc a gecko, lireunas is confirmed; it is suggested that Atractaspis engeddt-fisis Hemidaciyhs Itmtirtrttis, and the lacertids Acanthodactytus friicis, A. may be conspecific with A. micrdepidoia and that Lytorhynchus opheodurus, A. masirae and Mt'salina ayunensis; a new subspecies oadd i is a synonym of L. diadema; the distinctive population of of gecko from north Oman, Bwiopus spMiltiMS hajarensis is also Eckh carmatus 111 Dhofar appears to be closely related to those in reported. Various other species arc reviewed: it appears that south-west Arabia and adjoining Africa but animals from northern Bunoptis abudltabi is a synonym oi B. bianjordii which is probably Oman and the rest of south-west Asia arc very different. Addition• conspecific with B. mbetculafus; Hmridattyius parkcri is regarded al specimens are reported of Bunopns s. spatalums and Coluber as a subspecies ot H. turcicus; the Arabian againas of the Agama (homasi, both previously known from only 2 individuals. Geo• cyanogaster group are shown, to include 2 species to which the graphical variation of a number of species is described including names adraiviiana and yQtmttmsh are applicable although their 3 geckoes that show very considerable differences within southern status relative to African populations in the group is not clear; Dhofar: Rcmidactylus homoeo!epis, H, yerburii and Tropiocolotes A. jayahari is conspecific with A. jlavimaculaia, and A. ncuwanni scorteccii. with A. i'maita\ Cjiatstack'O chamatieon orictitaiis is similar to Observations on the ecology of many species are noted, especi• more northern populations of G\ chawafkon hut C. c. arabicus is ally (or the aberrant gecko genus Pristurus, one species of which, very well differentiated and may be a separate species; the use of P. carieri, behaves like a small, ground-dwelling diurnal agamid. genitalia 111 the classification of Acanthodactylus is emphasised and Resource partition, at least amongst the lizards, appears to be J. Oman Stud. Spec. Rep. No. zt 19&0: 173-332 273 Accepted for publication April 1979 E. N. ARNOLD largely based on parameters of time, food (especially prey size), forested mountains this takes the form of a near mono• bunting method and space. A number of forms occurring in both culture of high grass (Themeda) amongst which arc north Oman and Dhofar show differences in niche in the two scattered large trees, but this park-like community is areas apparently related to the presence or absence of a competitor. almost certainly an artefact resulting from extensive Several species are recorded from Dhofar for the first time in• cluding Bunopus spafaiurns, i iemidactyius fiaviviridis, H. turcicus cattle grazing and perhaps tree felling as well. Inland parheti, Pristunts minimus, Agama adr ami tana, Acantkodactylus the country slopes gently downwards towards the boskianus, Mabuya teteelUta, Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus and Lytor- Arabian Gulf nearly 800 km away. The inland face of hymhus diadrma. The herpctofauna of the area can be divided into the mountains is much drier than the seaward side but a largely northern clement of descrt-adapted forms widespread in supports appreciable amounts of scattered vegetation the Arabian peninsula and a more peripheral element in the south including frankincense trees (Boswdlia). Further north which shows considerably more afhmty to south-west Arabia than to northern Oman. No reptile or amphibian endemics occur the country becomes increasingly arid and barren in the forested areas of Dhofar but 3 species present in the dry- gravel areas are eventually succeeded by the sands and mcsic habitats on the north side of the mountains may be restricted sabkha (salt flats) that border the great Rub* al Khali to the region. desert. North-east of the mountains the arid habitats approach and in some cases contact the coast. So, Introduction essentially, there is in Dhofar a relatively mesic area Dhofar is the southernmost province of the Sultanate of associated with the mountains that can be divided into Oman and lies on the south-east coast of Arabia. It is the intermit ten tly moist seaward region and a drier bordered to the north-west by Saudi Arabia, to the landward one, and a series of increasingly arid environ• south-west by South Yemen and to the south-cast by ments lying to the north and east of the mesic area. the Arabian Sea; the north-eastern and eastern perim• The reptiles and amphibians of Dhofar have always eters of the area covered by this paper, which is rather been of great potential interest. Material from the more extensive than Dhofar province proper, arc 20°N province would bridge tbc long gap between the and 57°E. The region so delimited extends along the better collected areas of south-west Arabia and nordi coast for some 600 km and inland for about 250 km. Oman and, given the relatively moist climate of south It includes a wide varictv of climatic conditions and Dhofar, there was the possibility that relict forms plant communities, although as yet there is no formal might have survived there from a period when more classification of habitat types in the area (but see Sale, mesic conditions were wider spread in Arabia. But 1980, this volume, for broad ecological zones). In the until recently the herpctofauna of the region has been south-west, mountains run parallel to the coast forming very poorly known. The first specimens to reach a the last part of the high country that extends fairly con• museum were diree chameleons sent to the British tinuously along the south Arabian seaboard from Museum (Natural History) by A. S. G. Jayakar in 1898. Yemen. From west to east, the Dhofar moiuitains are Nothing else seems to have been obtained until Bertram Jabal Qamr (1,460 m),Jabal Qara (1,050 m) andjabal Thomas made his two inland journeys from Salalah. Samhan (2,030 m). The seaward faces of the first two, In early 1930 he travelled with his secretary Ali together with a small adjoining part of Jabal Samhan and the alluvial plain between Jabal Qara and the sea Muhammad, to Ramlat Mugshin on the edge of the 1 on which the town of Salalah stands, form the main Rub al Khali and late that year he collected around region of the south Arabian coast to receive substantial Salalah and in the Dhofar mountains before setting out moisture from the south-west monsoon. From mid- in early 1931 to cross tbc Rub' al Khali to Qatar June to mid-September the steep seaward slopes of (Thomas, 1931a; 1931b; 1932). His material conse• these mountains are largely bidden by dense mist and quently contains specimens from both the mesic and drizzle is frequent- This enables the small area con• desert areas of the province and includes twenty-seven cerned to support much more abundant vegetation species, a number of which were described as new than the surrounding country and there are quite forms by H. W. Parker (1930; 1931), namely Bufo extensive stands of. dense forest. Although dry for dhufaretisis, Pristurus carieri tubcrculatus, Ceramodaciylus much of the year, die land touched by the monsoon major (— Stenodactytus doriae), Uromastyx thomasi and becomes covered by a flush of luxuriant foliage which Coluber thomasi. After Thomas there was a hiatus of persists for some time afterwards. On the crests of the forty years but in the early 1970s people whose employment took them to Dhofar during the emer- 274 REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF DHOFAR gency produced a scattering of specimens and more Accession numbers substantial collections were made by T. D. Rogers and In nearly all cases material discussed is deposited in the S. Moult (in 1975) and especially M. D. Gallagher (in British Museum (Natural History), London; accession 1976-8). In 1977 tbc Oman Flora and Fauna Survey, numbers for this institution are given the prefix BM. organised by die Ministry of Diwan Affairs, visited south-west Dhofar and included the writer among its Collectors participants. Some 350 reptiles and amphibians were Material obtained during the course of the Oman Flora collected, bringing the total number of terrestrial and Fauna Survey 1977 was collected largely but by no species known from Dhofar to forty-eight. In die means entirely by the writer and bears no special following account al) the approximately 500 specimens indication where listed. The names of two frequently available from Dhofar arc reviewed and, where mentioned collectors are abbreviated to save space: possible, information about ecology and behaviour is Bertram Thomas (BT) and Michael Gallagher (MDG). given, being largely based on observations made The names of all others who have presented specimens during the 1977 Survey. Unless otherwise indicated are given in full. statements are based on material in the British Museum Sex and status (Natural History), London. In most cases, sex of specimens is given except for some SPECIMEN DATA individuals which arejuvenile (juv.).
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