Geographic Range
The taxonomic status and geographic range of Ph. persicus was recently disputed (Melnikov et al., 2008). Noted authors consider Araksian and N-W Iranian populations as Phrynocephalus helioscopus horvathi Mehely, 1894. Anyway, Armenian populations of this lizard present the most westward spread taxon of the genus Phrynocephalus. Geographical distribution range of Phrynocephalus helioscopus horvathi covers semideserts of Araks Basin (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey) and neighborhoods of Urmiye Lake (N-W-Iran).
Map. 1. Literary known localities of P. persicus woldwide. This map is created using the data of (Alekperov, 1978; Anderson, 1999; Melnikov and al. 2008). Each dot explains presence of the lizard in 25x25 km quadrat.
According to the reviewed literary data (Chernov, 1939; Darevsky, 1957; Alekperov, 1978; Aslanyan, 2004; Tadevosyan, 2005; Ananjeva et al., 2006) in Armenia there is about 21 localities, where P. persicus was known. However there is no new data about current distribution of this lizard in Armenia.
Map. 2. Literary known localities of P. persicus in Armenia. (The anecdotic data on 2 localities out of Ararat valley (reviewed in Ananjeva et al., 2006) is excluded).
Remarks:
References:
Ananjeva N.B., Borkin L.Ja, Darevsky I.S., Orlov N.L., 1998. [Encyclopedia of The Nature of Russia: Amphibian and Reptiles] M, ABF, 576 pp. (In Russian)
Ananjewa N.B. 1999.Phrynocephalus Kaup 1825 – Krotenkopf-Agamen // Handbuch der Reptilien u. Amphibien Europas. 1981. Bd. 1. S. 178 – 509.
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)
Ananjeva N.B., Myasnikova N.F., Agasyan A.L. 2006. Distribution of Phrynocephalus persicus (Sauria, Agamidae) in Aras River Valley: Using of Geographical Information System. Modern Herpetology, vol. 5/6:18-40 (In Russian).
Anderson, S.C . 1999. Lizards of Iran. New York, Ithaca, 442 p.
Alekperov A.M., 1978. [Amphibains and Reptiles of Azerbaijan]., “Elm” Edition, Baku, 264 pp.(In Russian).
Anderson S.C. 1999.The lizards of Iran. Contribution to Herpetology 15, Soc. Study Amphib. Reptiles. 442 p.
Baran I., Kasparek M., Öz M. 1989.
On the distribution of four species of agama (Agamidae) in Turkey // Zoology
in the Middle East. Vol. 3. P. 37 – 46.
Baran I., Kumlutas Y., Tok C.V., Olgun K., Ilgaz Ç., Kaska Y.,
Türkozan O., Iret F. 2004.On two herpetological
collections made in east Anatolia (Turkey) // Herpetozoa. Bd. 16, ?3/4.
P. 99 – 114.
Chernov S.A., 1939. [Herpetological Fauna of Armenian SSR and Nakhichevan ASSR] // Zoological Papers, Vol I, (Transactions of Biological Institure, Vol. III). Edition of Armenian Brunch of The USSR Academy of Scienecs, Erevan, 1939, pp. 77-194. (In Russian) Scanned version is available.
Darevsky I.S., 1957. [The Fauna of Reptiles of Armenia and It’s Zoogeographical Analysis], autoreferat of Ph.D. Candidate Thesis, Yerevan, 484 pp.(In Russian).
Filippi F. 1863. de Nuove o poco note specie di animali vertebrati raccolte in un viaggio in Persia nell” estate dell’ anno 1862 // Archivo Zoological Anatomia Fisiologia Modena. Vol. 2. P. 387 – 389.
M. L. Golubev, S. V. Mezhzherin, 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.
Meheli L. Beitrage zur Herpetologie Transkaukasiens
und Armeniens // Zool. Anz. Leipzig, 1894. Bd. 17. S. 79 – 80.
Wermuth H. Agamidae // Das Tierreich. Liste der rezenten Amphibien und
Reptilien. Berlin, 1967. Lief. 86. 127 s.
Melnikov, D.A., Ananjeva, N.B., Agasyan, A.L.,Rajabizadeh, M. 2008. Historical background and taxonomic status of the Persian Toad-Headed Agama Phrynocephalus persicus De Filippi, 1863 and Horwath's Sun-watcher toad-head agama Phrynocephalus helioscopus horvathi Mehely, 1894. Questions of Herpetology, 2008: 286-297. (In Russian) (PDF is Available).
Tadevosyan T.L. 2005.Conservation of The Endangered Persian Sun-Watcher Lizard: Step 1. Report of the ANSEF Project 05-NS-zoo-814-50, 46 pp. (Unpublished data)
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