Eremias velox ssp. velox (Pallas, 1771)

Jablonski, Daniel, Khalili, Faizurrahman & Masroor, Rafaqat, 2023, The herpetofaunal diversity of Takhar Province, Afghanistan, Herpetozoa 36, pp. 73-90 : 73

Eremias velox ssp. velox (Pallas, 1771)

Figs 6 , 8

Takhar records.

Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere), 37.4316°N, 69.7145°E, 692 m a.s.l., 27 February 2019, observed on the ground, under stones, in holes or near vegetation in semi-desert habitat, dozens of adults of both sexes (CUHC-PA 172); Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere), 37.4219°N, 69.7124°E, 822 m a.s.l., 4 April 2020, observed on the ground, under stones, in holes or near vegetation in semi-desert habitat, dozens of adults of both sexes (CUHC-PA 174); Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere), 37.4148°N, 69.7125°E, 733 m a.s.l., 17 March 2020, observed on the ground, under stones, in holes or near vegetation in semi-desert habitat, dozens of adults of both sexes (CUHC-PA 184); Bay Yawa (Qizilqiya), 37.4273°N, 69.7109°E, 711 m a.s.l., 31 January 2021, semi-desert habitat, one adult female (CUHC-PA 193); Bay Yawa, 37.4268°N, 69.7063°E, 812 m a.s.l., 31 January 2021, semi-desert habitat, one adult male (CUHC-PA 194); Bay Yawa, 37.4130°N, 69.7094°E, 747 m a.s.l., 31 January 2021, semi-desert habitat, one adult female (CUHC-PA 195); Khilyazi Payan, 37.4384°N, 69.7319°E, 705 m a.s.l., 13 September 2021, rocky habitat and dry stream, one adult male (CUHC-PA 209).

Distribution in Afghanistan.

It is known from the Provinces of Balkh, Herat, Jowzjan, Kunduz, Logar, Nangarhar, Takhar and Zabol ( Wagner et al. 2016), representing 24% of all provinces.

Chorotype.

Turanian + Iranian.

Remarks.

This species has high phenotype variability (Fig. 8 ) and is considered a species complex with un-nested taxonomy ( Rastegar-Pouyani et al. 2012; Khan et al. 2021). Populations originating in Iran that are showing high levels of genetic diversity can be expected also from the Afghan territory. The disjunct character of the species’ distribution in Afghanistan (north and south of the Hindu Kush; Fig. 5 ) suggests a geographic isolation with possible subsequent ecological or genetic divergence that should be tested. From the list of specimens of E. velox provided by Wagner et al. (2016), we excluded the specimen ZFMK 8584 (locality "Ost-Afghanistan, Prov. Ghazni, Dasht-e-Nawar, 3000 m N.N.") that is the holotype of Eremias afghanistanica Böhme & Szczerbak, 1991.

Figures

Figure 5. A, B. Individuals of Testudo horsfieldii from Bay Yawa (Khagebilendi) of different sex and ages (CUHC-PA 179); C. Adult male of Paralaudakia badakhshana from Khilyazi bala (CUHC-PA 212); D, E. Ventral and dorsal view on the individual of P. badakhshana from Khilyazi bala (CUHC-PA 213); F. Individual of Paralaudakia sp. from Khilyazi bala (CUHC-PA 214); G, H. Adult males (CUHC-PA 216 and 217) of Paralaudakia lehmanni from Khilyazi bala; I. Subadult individual of P. lehmanni from Bay Yawa (CUHC-PA 222).

Figure 6. Herpetofaunistic records of Anguidae, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, Scincidae and Varanidae from Takhar Province in the context of updated records from Afghanistan (white dots: published data; red dots: new data).

Figure 8. The phenotype diversity in the Eremias velox complex from Tahkar Province: A. Adult male from Bay Yawa (Khilyazi Payin) (CUHC-PA 209); B. Subadult female from Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere) (CUHC-PA 172); C, F. Adult male from Bay Yawa (CUHC-PA 194); D. Adult female from Bay Yawa (CUHC-PA 193); E. Subadult male from Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere) (CUHC-PA 174), adult female from Bay Yawa (CUHC-PA 195).