NRLD - 330163 | Pristurus minimus

Assessment ID

330163

Taxon name

Pristurus minimus

Arnold, 1977

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Pristurus minimus

Arnold, 1977

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Reptiles

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

reptilia

Order

squamata

Family

sphaerodactylidae

Genus

Pristurus

Species

minimus

Species authority

Arnold, 1977

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 listed as Least Concern as it is moderately widespread in the UAE and locally abundant and subject to no major threats. 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 occurs inland from Sharjah south to Abu Dhabi inwards to Al Ain (Gardner 2013) from sea level to 300 m asl, with an isolated record also known from the vicinity of Khor Fakkan on the east coast (Böhme and Leptien 1990, Gardner 2013, Burriel-Carranza et al. in press).Globally, the species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula, where it has been recorded from the United Arab Emirates, Oman (including Masirah Island) and eastern Yemen (Arnold 1977, 1980; Carranza et al. 2018). There is a questionable record from the northern Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia. It is very localised in Yemen, where only one record is known.

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 mostly found in sandy plains with clumps of grass or other low shrubby vegetation. It has also been recorded from a rocky hillside on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates (Gardner 2013).It is predominantly a diurnal species which may be active during the summer at night. It preys on small insects including termites and ants (Gardner 2013). Females lay a single egg and reproduction apparently occurs throughout the year (Gardner 2013).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

There are no major threats to this species.

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