Remarks: Recently (2008) Melnikov with co-authors revised a taxonomic status of Phrynocephalus persicus using comparative analysis of morphology and mitochondrial DNA (ND2 gen). This study suggested significant differences between populations from Araks and Urmia basins compared with lizards from and N,C and S Iran. They also noted some closeness of lizards from Araks and Urmia basing to P. helioscopus and suggested to recover the taxonomic name of Phrynocephalus helioscopus horvathi (Mehely, 1894) for these populations. However, later Solovyova et al. (2011), comparing Cytochrome oxidase and Nuclear DNA fingerpring in the number of different populatiions of Phynocephalus persicus and Phrynocephalus helioscopus, suggested that Phrynocephalus helioscopus and Phrynocephalus persicus are deeply isolated groups, which coorrespond to two well distinguished species. According to this study Toad-headed agamas from Araks and Urmia Basins, Absheron peninsula, NW, N and S Iran seem to belong to the P. persicus group. In this regard lizards from Araks an Urmia basins are rather a taxon P. persicus horvathi, than P. helioscopus horvathi. The systematic status of Ph. persicus from Gharabagh, and E-Azerbaijan remains unclear.

References:

Ananjeva N.B., Orlov N.L., Khalikov R.G., Darevsky, I.S., Rjabov S.A., Barabanov A.B., 2004. [Atlas of Reptiles of Northern Eurasia.], St. Petersburg, ZIN RAS, pp. 232 pp.(In Russian)

Barabanov, A.V., Ananjeva, N.B. 2007.Catalogue of available scientific species group names for lizards of the genus Phrynocephalus Kaup, 1825, (Reptilia, Sauria, Agamidae). Zootaxa 1399:1-56

Golubev M. L. , Mezhzherin, S. V. 1999. On The Specific Attribution and The Origin of the Apsheron Population of The Persian Toad-Headed Agama Phrynocephalus persicus (Reptilia, Agamidae)// Bull. Mosc. Soc. Natur. Biological Series. 1999. V. 104, part 1. P.59-61.