ID of syrian reptiles

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ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Nicolas Martinez » Wed Aug 17, 2011 1:41 pm

These are some reptiles found in Syria in spring 2009. I would be happy if somebody could help me with the ID! Thanks Nicolas
Attachments
acacfsch_23.02.09_Syrien1.jpg
Acanthodactylus schreiberi?
chalcides-_28.02.09_Suedsyrien_1.jpg
Chalcides sp. ?
phycfpui_26.02.09_PalmyraSyrien_1.jpg
Phytodactylus puiseuxi ?
mescfbre_26.02.09_PalmyraSyrien_1.jpg
Mesalina brevirostris?
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Re: ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Jeroen Speybroeck » Wed Aug 17, 2011 5:52 pm

First one is also a Mesalina to me, but others will surely know better.
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Re: ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Wed Aug 17, 2011 7:24 pm

First: Acanthodactylus beershebensis
Second: Eumeces schneideri juvenile
Third: Ptyodactylus hasselquisti
Fourth: Mesalina

That`s what I think.
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Re: ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Thomas Bader » Wed Aug 17, 2011 7:50 pm

First: Acanthodactylus grandis subadult
Second: Eumeces schneideri subadult
Third: Ptyodactylus puiseuxi
Fourth: Mesalina sp. (rather guttulata)
my opinion...

why: 1st: compare to grandis male in the Jordan book, grandis is one of the most common Acanthos in Syria
2nd: I agree to Jürgen - orange color
3rd: dark color, toes
Mesalina: hard to say, if guttulata (hard substratum) or brevirostris (more sandy) - also the substratum on the picture gives no hint - how was the surroundings?

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Re: ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Thu Aug 18, 2011 5:20 am

Acanthodactylus is always hard to identify. Where have you been in Syria?

I made a mistake at the Gecko, I always change the species, guttulatus and hasselquisti, sorry!
I think the Ptyodactylus is a guttulatus, because puiseuxi have bigger heads, white spots and black tubercles.
Like this one from Israel.

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Re: ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Nicolas Martinez » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:24 am

Thanks to all of you!

Locations:
Acanthodactylus: 50 km east of Palmyra
Eumeces: Deraa (near the Jordan Border)
Phytodactylus & Mesalina: 50 km north of Palmyra (Bald Ibis colony)

By the way - is there a good ID-book for near eastern species?
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Re: ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Thomas Bader » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:53 am

Dear Nicolas!

there are several good books -

Disi et al. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (sold out?)
Baha el Din A Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Egypt
Franzen et al. Die Amphibien und Reptilien der Südwest-Türkei (different area & species)

For lizards: http://www.lacerta.de helps (pictures, geographic occurrence)

according to this site following Acanthodactylus occur in Syria:
Acanthodactylus boskianus asper (AUDOUIN, 1829)
Acanthodactylus grandis BOULENGER, 1909
Acanthodactylus orientalis ANGEL, 1936
Acanthodactylus robustus WERNER, 1929
Acanthodactylus tristrami (GÜNTHER, 1864)

I absolutely agree with Jürgen - you can hardkly identify Acanthodactylus by one specimen in this area, even because several are very similar and belong to the same species group.

After checking more pictures the Acantho might be a robustus
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Re: ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Jeroen Speybroeck » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:18 am

Jeroen Speybroeck wrote:First one is also a Mesalina to me


Man, I'm still so terribly eurocentric :oops:
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Re: ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:55 am

Palmyra is too far east for beershebensis, so my guess was surly not right.

Jeroen Speybroeck wrote:
Man, I'm still so terribly eurocentric :oops:


What will you do next to open your European horizon? Morocco? Israel?
I know some guides for these area`s! ;)
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Re: ID of syrian reptiles

Postby Nicolas Martinez » Thu Aug 18, 2011 12:23 pm

Thanks again - unfortunately I didn't manage to get the Jordan book and only started with the paper from Disi & Böhme (Article from 1996 in Herpetozoa). Guess for the next time I will have to get one of these books.....
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