NRLD - 330075 | Eryx jayakari

Assessment ID

330075

Taxon name

Eryx jayakari

Boulenger, 1888

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Eryx jayakari

Boulenger, 1888

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Reptiles

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

reptilia

Order

squamata

Family

boidae

Genus

Eryx

Species

jayakari

Species authority

Boulenger, 1888

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Least Concern

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

This species is common across its range within the United Arab Emirates, where it is found in sandy soils. It is absent from the Hajar Mountains, and with isolated records along the east coast. It is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. This taxon is not a non-breeding visitor, and it is presumed that any immigration from populations outside the UAE is not significant, and therefore there is no adjustment to the Category according to the IUCN regional and national Guidelines (IUCN 2012).

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

Within the United Arab Emirates, the species is common across its range in sandy soils, from the west, east to the Hajar Mountains. It is absent from the Hajar Mountains, with isolated records along the east coast of the United Arab Emirates (Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press). The species occurs from sea level to 300 m asl.Globally, this species is found from the Arabian Peninsula to Iran, where it has been recorded from Khuzistan, Bushehr, and Kerman (west of Sirjan) provinces, and is probably present in all active dunes within this area (Latifi 1991, S.C. Anderson and T. Papenfuss pers. comm. 2008).

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

The species is found in sand and sandy soils including dunes and sand sheets, cultivated land, sandy desert plains (Gardner 2013) from sea level to 300 m asl. It is a nocturnal and fossorial species that is adapted for burrowing and moving through soft sand. Its prey consists mainly of geckos such as Stenodactylus spp. and Bunopus tuberculatus (Gardner 2013) and small rodents. This species is oviparous, laying small clutches of four to six eggs in early summer which have an incubation period of around 66 days (Gardner 2013).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

This is a widespread species with an extensive habitat and no major threats to the species as a whole, although localised impacts from development. This species has been recorded in the pet trade, although this is not considered to be a threat.

Publication

UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles

Els, J., Allen, D., Hilton-Taylor, C., Harding, K. (2019). UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles. MOCCAE, UAE