NRLD - 330727 | Spalerosophis diadema ssp. cliffordii

Assessment ID

330727

Taxon name

Spalerosophis diadema ssp. cliffordii

(Schlegel, 1837)

Infrarank

Spalerosophis diadema cliffordii

Infratype

Subspecies (animalia)

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Spalerosophis diadema ssp. cliffordii

(Schlegel, 1837)

Assessed taxon level

Subspecies

Infrarank

Spalerosophis diadema cliffordii

Infratype

Subspecies (animalia)

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Reptiles

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

reptilia

Order

squamata

Family

colubridae

Genus

Spalerosophis

Species

diadema

Species authority

(Schlegel, 1837)

Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed

Trape and Mané (2006) treat the West African form of this species as a full species, Spalerosophis cliffordi, however Schätti et al. (2009) note that no rationale was presented to justify this treatment. These authors adopt the traditional concept of this form as a subspecies of S. diadema, and this scheme is followed here.

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

The species is listed as Least Concern for the UAE as it has limited threats within its range, none of which caused any known population reductions, 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, this species is known to occur along the western side of the Hajar Mountains and the gravel plains surrounding the mountains from Al Ain to Ras Al Khaimah from sea level to 500 m asl (Egan 2007, Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press).Globally, this species range is known from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, western Pakistan, north India, southern Turkmenistan, south Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, and Jordan (Trape and Mané 2006, Schätti et al. 2009).

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 on gravel plains and rocky areas in well-vegetated habitats along the western side of the Hajar Mountains. It adapts to altered habitats and is frequently encountered in cultivated areas and residential gardens.The species activity patterns will fluctuate throughout the seasons from diurnal to nocturnal. It is a harmless species which preys on lizards, geckos, rats, mice and small birds through constriction. Breeding occurs in summer and spring with females producing one to two clutches of 3-16 eggs in the season which will hatch after a period of 60-65 days. It is a large species known to reach a total length of 1,140 mm (Gardner 2013).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

Within the species range quarrying and urban development are ongoing, but with limited impact on the species, mainly through habitat degradation and persecution. The species is known to adapt to artificial habitats such as cultivated land.

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