Reptiles

Family Gekkonidae

This family is represented in Jordan by 12 species exhibiting a wide variety of ecological preferences. Generally, most geckos of Jordan are associated with arid environments.

Bunopus tuberculatus Blanford, 1874

Common name: Baluch stone gecko.

Range: Widespread in Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (Arnold 1986).
Distribution in Jordan: Al Hazeem, Al Jafr, Aqaba, Ash Shawmari, Azraq, Qasr Amrah, Safawi, and Wadi ‘Araba.
Habitat: B. tuberculatus is a nocturnal species. It has been collected in southern Jordan and Wadi ‘Araba and extends in Jordan eastwards to the Eastern Desert. It was observed close to or hidden in vegetation and under small rocks as well as around entrances of rodent burrows near Aqaba. This species hides under vegetation for hunting and foraging.
Minton (1966) encountered them along a stream in Pakistan. Arnold (1980, 1984) stated that B. tuberculatus has a wide distribution in the desert of Arabia and occupies a variety of soft and hard sandy areas but dominates on harder substrates. Both authors indicated that B. tuberculatus descends to places where heat is retained in the soil.

Cyrtopodion kotschyi orientalis (Stepanek, 1937)

Common name: Kotschy’s gecko.

Range: Israel and Jordan.
Distribution in Jordan: Dair Alla.
Habitat: It is known to occur in the Mediterranean ecozone in Israel (Werner 1988). It is usually found living under the bark of trees and is active during daytime (Werner 1966, Frankenberg 1978). We have a single record of this species from the Jordan Valley (Dair Alla), in an agricultural area with dense vegetation (Disi et al., in press)..

Cyrtopodion scaber (Heyden, 1827)

Common name: Rough-skinned gecko.

Range: The whole Arabian Peninsula, Red Sea coast of Egypt to northern Ethiopia, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (Arnold 1986).
Distribution in Jordan: Aqaba and Safawi.
Habitat: C. scaber is a house gecko. It has been found on walls both inside and outside of inhabited and abandoned buildings and in gardens. In Jordan, it has been collected in areas of dry grassland, rocky hillsides and in moderate sand deserts with sparse, xerophylous vegetation in the Eastern Desert. The rough-scaled gecko is a nocturnal species. During the day, it has been found concealed under rocks. Weber (1960) reported this species to occur on large oak trees and in rock crevices in Iraq. Detailed behaviour of this species in eastern Saudi Arabia was given by Roos (1993).

Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common name: Turkish gecko.

Range: Jordan, Western Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and United Arab Emirates, the western coast of the Red Sea from Egypt to Somalia and along the coast of Iran and Pakistan (Arnold 1968, Leviton et al. 1992).
Distribution in Jordan: Al Jafr, Al Jubayhah, Al Qatranah, Al’al, Amman, Anjarah, As Salt, Azraq, Ash Shawbak, Dead Sea area, Ebbin, Hasa-Ma’an, Hesban, Ibbin, Jarash, Kufrinjah, Ma’an, Na’ur, Sahab, Wadi al Muwjib, and Wadi ‘Araba.
Habitat: H. t. turcicus is the most common gecko in Jordan. It was collected from all ecozones as the localities show (from extreme deserts such as the Wadi ‘Araba to mild Mediterranean biotopes such as Jarash), and was encountered in man-made habitats, in buildings, houses, around plantations, on tree-trunks and on hard ground. The Turkish gecko is a nocturnal species. In Ghore Es-Safi, for example, many individuals fell into insect traps while attracted by flies and mosquitoes. In remote areas, it is associated with human settlements where it may have been transported along with furniture and other household utensils. In the Azraq Nature Reserve, the Turkish gecko we found in deep horizontal burrows in association with termites of the family Hodotermitidae.
Flower (1933) reported the presence of this species in Aqaba and Petra and indicated that it lived there in houses and in crevices along large rocks. Arnold (1984) reported seeing them in rubbish piles and discarded palm fibers. Moreover, he indicated that H. t. turcicus is widely distributed in mesic habitats around the periphery of the Arabian peninsula, but is absent from the arid center. Faraj & Banaja (1980) stated that H. t. turcicus is a Mediterranean gecko and has been introduced elsewhere in Asia, Europe and the New World.

Pristurus rupestris Blanford, 1874

Common name: Dwarf rock gecko.

Range: Gulf coast of the Arabian peninsula, south-western Jordan, northern Somalia, and the Gulf coast of Iran (Arnold 1986).
Distribution in Jordan: Quawyrah and Wadi Rum.
Habitat: P. rupestris inhabits flat, rather hard sandy areas with non-thorny low vegetation. It is a diurnal species. It takes refuge in crevices along rocks and in fissures between stones. The dwarf rock gecko is very common in Wadi Rum, southern Jordan. It was observed during daytime in crevices of sandstone mountains. Similar results were reported by Arnold (1980). Arnold (1983) gave a comprehensive account on the ecology of several species of the genus Pristurus in Arabia.

Ptyodactylus guttatus Heyden, 1827

Common name: Fan-footed gecko.

Range: Widespread in Arabia, North Africa, Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq.
Distribution in Jordan: Al Jubayhah, As Salt, Ash Shawbak, At Tafilah, Dana, Dead Sea area, Dair Abu Said, Hishah, Jarash, Karak, Mukawer, Petra, Qatranah, Safut, Wadi as Sir, Wadi ‘Araba Wadi al Mawjib, and Wadi Musa.
Habitat: It inhabits the area in the east of the Dead Sea and extends northwards into the Jordan Valley as well as the mountain chain extending from At Tafila to Karak. In addition, it has been encountered in caves and around houses sheltered from the sun in the Gulf of Aqaba. Werner (1982) indicated that P. guttatus was found in northern Sinai in the mountains whereas P. hasselquistii occurs in the wadis and canyons, indicating that altitude might be a determinant in the distribution of P. guttatus. Moreover, Werner (1971) observed that this species has a high geographic variability but all geographic forms intergrade in the Dead Sea region.

Ptyodactylus hasselquistii hasselquistii (Donndorff, 1788)

Common name: Southern fan-footed gecko.

Range: Widely distributed, occurring in the Arabian peninsula, Jordan, southern Israel, Sinai, the Nile valley, Iraq, and south-western Iran. (Arnold 1986, Leviton et al. 1992).
Distribution in Jordan: Diesah, Wadi ‘Araba, and Wadi Rum. In Jordan the distribution of P. h. hasselquistii is confined to the south (southern Wadi ‘Araba, Aqaba and Wadi Rum).
Habitat: P. h. hasselquistii inhabits dry, open rocky areas including walls and ceilings of buildings, large boulders and crevices of large rocks. This is a highly melanistic and variable species and we believe that intermediate forms of P. h. hasselquistii and P. guttatus may occur in some areas of Wadi ‘Araba. It is a nocturnal species associated with human settlements. It feeds on insects, particularly moths.
Werner & Frankenberg (1982) and Werner & Sivan (1993, 1994) presented a comprehensive taxonomic and ecological analysis for the three species of the genus Ptyodactylus in the Levant. They indicated that these species are largely parapatric, however, both P. h. hasselquistii and P. guttatus occur in Wadi ‘Araba.
Faraj & Banaja (1980) reports that P. h. hasselquistii is a rock dwelling species that occurs in drier habitats at relatively higher altitudes than H. t. turcicus.

Ptyodactylus puiseuxi Boutan, 1893

Common name: Northern fan-footed gecko.

Range: It is distributed in the Mediterranean region, Israel, Jordan, Syria and Iraq (Leviton et al. 1992). It may also extends its range to northern Saudi Arabia along with the black desert lava rocks common in north-eastern Jordan.
Distribution in Jordan: Anjarah, Azraq, Bal’ama, Burqua, Dair abu Said, Dair al Kahf, Harta, Jarash, Jawa, Kafr Ja’iz, Khaw, Kufrinjah, Qasr el Hallabat, Sabbaha, Safawi, Sahab, Subhiya, and Zobia.
Habitat: P. puiseuxi has been recorded from the black lava desert in the north-east of Jordan and from rocky outcrops in both the Mediterranean and Irano-Turanian ecozones. On being disturbed they hide in crevices in rocks. In Safawi area, it was observed at daytime in shacrevicand in the shade of rocks. Al-Milhim et al. (1997) reported that the little owl (Athene noctua) feeds on this lizard in arid habitats. Werner (1971) stated that in Israel, this species is primarily associated with basalt rocks and a carstic formation.

Stenodactylus doriae (Blanford, 1874)

Common name: Sand gecko.

Range: Widespread in the Arabian peninsula. Also recorded from southern Israel, Jordan, southern Iraq, and south-western Iran (Leviton et. al. 1992).
Distribution in Jordan: Al-Hazeem, Al-Rishah, Diesah, Gharandel, and southern Wadi ‘Araba.
Habitat: S. doriae has been collected on soft, wind-blown sand with well spaced plants in Wadi ‘Araba (Haas 1956). This species is easily collected since it leaves a funnel-like depression at the site where it is hidden in the early morning. It is entirely nocturnal and peak activity is just after sunset. Sand-dunes such as those in some parts of Wadi ‘Araba, Wadi Rum and Al-Hazeem in the Eastern Desert are the perfect habitat for this species. A similar habitat was described for S. doriae in Saudi Arabia (Arnold 1980). The activity of the sand gecko was observed at night in Al-Hazeem area. Individuals were seen in open areas far away from vegetation. When alarmed, the animal inflated its body with the forearms extended to their full length. Coluber elegantissimus was found to feed on this lizard (AMR & DISI, In Press).

Stenodactylus grandiceps Haas, 1952

Range: Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq (Arnold 1986, Leviton et al. 1992).

Distribution in Jordan: Al Hasa, Amman, Ash Shawmari, Azraq, Ma’an, Qasr Amrah, and Safawi.
Habitat: S. grandiceps is a nocturnal species. It has been collected in the Badiyah in the Eastern Desert and the Irano-Turanian ecozones. The habitat of this species is characterized by hard sand and/or clay substrates with little or no vegetation. Similar results were reported from Syria (Martens & Kock 1990) and Iraq (Nader & Jawdat 1976), where this species was collected from gravely soil in an area almost devoid of vegetation. In Ash Shawmari Wildlife Reserve, S. grandiceps is a very common species.

Stenodactylus sthenodactylus sthenodactylus (Lichtenstein, 1823)

Common name: Elegant gecko.

Range: It has been recorded from North Africa south to Senegal, northern Nigeria and Eritrea, also found in Israel and Jordan (Arnold 1980).
Distribution in Jordan: Northern Dead Sea area, Petra, Suwaymah, and Wadi ‘Araba.
Habitat: The elegant gecko has been reported from the Dead Sea basin and Wadi ‘Araba (Sudanian penetration ecozone), where it inhabits dunes and areas of loose sand with sparse vegetation. In Petra, individuals were found motionless under stones in the early morning hours. Similar habitats have been described for this species in Egypt where Flower (1933) indicated that the elegent gecko is widly distrbuted in Egypt and encountered on open sandy desert with certain amounta of scrub vegetation and in rocky palces. In Jordan, during hot weather, these lizards emerge at about sunset and are active throughout the night.

Tropiocolotes nattereri Steindachner, 1901

Common name: Natterer’s gecko.

Range: Extreme north-western Saudi Arabia, Israel, Sinai and Jordan.
Distribution in Jordan: Wadi Al-Mujib, Wadi Al-Yotom, and Wadi Umrok.
Habitat: This gecko has been reported from Wadi ‘Araba where it was always found in association with plants, especially Euphorbia, and humid areas. It was found on small bushes of Euphorbia during day-time.

Family Chamaeleonidae The family Chamaeleonidae is represented by a single species in the entire Levant and northern Arabia. Most chameleons are arboreal species that are associated with forested areas or such with a relatively dense vegetation.

Chamaeleo chameleon recticrista Boettger, 1880

Common name: European chameleon.

Range: Saudi Arabia, North Yemen and the Mediterranean areas of Israel and Jordan (Arnold 1980).
Distribution in Jordan: Al Jubayhah, Amman, Ar Ramtha, Ash Shawbak, Ash Shawmari, At Tafilah, Ayn Quwaylibah, Dair abu Said, Ebbin, El Fuheis, El Huma, Harta, Hishah, Jarash, Kufrinjah, Ma’an, Madaba, Na’ur, Petra, Sahab, and Sakhrah.
Habitat: C. c. recticrista has been collected in different habitats in the Mediterranean region and in semi-deserts in Jordan, but it seems that vegetation is essential for its occurrence. It has also been recorded at 400 m below sea level from Ghore es Safi and at 1,400 m above sea level from Ash Shawbak mountains. This indicates that C. c. recticrista is flexible in adapting to habitats with varying altitudes. Its presence in Ash Shawmari, near Azraq, may represent a relict population that was isolated in this dry habitat with confined vegetation. Flower (1933) indicated that in Egypt C. c. musae occurs in deserts with certain amount of vegetation. Werner (1982) reported that in Sinai this species lives in bushes and grass clumps in dunes, but it is hardly a psammophile in terms of adaptation to locomotion on sand. In Turkey Clark & Clark (1973) indicated that it was found around oleander on sand-dunes. Arnold (1989) reported that C. chameleon was widespread in mesic areas but was most abundant in irrigated plantations and gardens. In Jordan, the chameleon is the preferred food item for several snakes (Amr & Disi in press).

Family agamidae Ten species and subspecies of agamid lizards occur in Jordan and inhabit a wide variety of habitats ranging from forested areas to extremely arid regions.

Laudakia stellio brachydactyla (Haas, 1951)

Common name: Short-toed agama.

Range: Southern Israel, southern Jordan, northern Saudi Arabia, Sinai and Egypt (Arnold 1986; Leviton et al. 1992).
Distribution in Jordan: Ayl, between Bastah and Wadi Musa, and Wadi Rum.
Habitat: It inhabits areas of fairly hard substrates and prefers stony outcrops. Werner (1971) indicated the presence of this species in southern Jordan, southern Israel and Sinai. It suns itself exposed on a bush, stone etc. and hides under bush, grass, stone or sand. Nevo (1981) reported that L. s. brachydactyla increases in size with aridity. The larger size of this subspecies appears to be a water-saving adaptation in arid environments. Zones in which L. s. stellio and L. s. brachydactyla intermediates may occur, lie presumably near the borders of the Irano-Turanian and the Mediterranean regions.

Laudakia stellio picea (Parker, 1935)

Common name: Black agama.

Range: Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.
Distribution in Jordan: Northern Al-Ruished, Qasr Burqu, Jawa, Sabbah, Safawi, Subhiya, and Umm al Jimal.
Habitat: L. s. picea inhabits the black lava desert which extends from Syria in the north through Jordan to northern Saudi Arabia. It is found in rocky areas and crevices that provide shelter. Parker (1933), Daan (1967) and Werner (1991, 1992) indicated that this melanistic lizard is endemic to this lava desert. Preliminary results showed that this subspecies is completely isolated from L. s. stellio, and no overlapping occurs.

Laudakia stellio stellio (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common name: Starred agama.

Range: It ranges from Asia Minor and the Greek islands, Lebanon, Israel, Syria, Jordan, lower Egypt, and northern Iraq (Leviton et al. 1992).
Distribution in Jordan: Amman, Ash Shawbak, Dana, El Huma, Ibbin, Karak, Kufrinjah, Khaw, Khirbat al Wahadinah, Petra, Qaser Al-Halabat, Sakhrah, Shihan, Suf, and At Tafilah.
Habitat: L. s. stellio is a common large lizard known from rock fences and broken rocky areas. It lives in crevices of terraces and stones or underneath large rocks. It inhabits the Mediterranean region and extends its range to the Irano-Turanian ecozone. Haas (1943) reported similar habitats for L. s. stellio in Israel. According to Clark & Clark (1973) it inhabits rocky places, either natural outcrops or terraces and stone walls, in Turkey. According to Daan’s (1967) classification, L. s. stellio is limited to the Mediterranean ecozone and ranges from Turkey in the north to Petra, Jordan in the south. When frightened, it retreats into narrow clefts in rocks where it is difficult to catch. The starred agama is frequently encountered basking on rocks opposite to the sun direction, keeping its dorsum facing the . It also inhoak forests where it hides in the crevices of tree-trunks.

Phrynocephelus arabicus Anderson, 1894

Common name: Arabian toad-headed agama.

Range: Arabian Peninsula except the West and southern Jordan.
Distribution in Jordan: Diesah and Sahl As-Siwan.
Habitat: P. arabicus is typical of soft, wind-blown sand habitats but it can also occupy harder and drier substrates with sparse vegetation. When pursued, it runs away and hides in small holes at the base of Haloxylon spp. Outside its burrow, it spends time on small boulders when the temperature exceeds 30°C.
Wittenberg (1992) gave a comprehensive account on the habitat of the Arabian toad-headed agama in Disah area, southern Jordan. This arenicolous species covers its body with sand except for the head. Amr et al. (1994) reported on its activity pattern.

Pseudotrapelus sinaitus (Heyden, 1827)

Common name: Sinai agama.

Range: Widely distributed in Arabia, Egypt, southeastern Libya, Israel, and Jordan (Arnold 1986).
Distribution in Jordan: Ash Shawbak, 1.5 km N Azraq, Dead Sea area, Ghore al Haditha, Khinzirah, Petra, Safawi, Sahl as-Siwan, and Wadi ‘Araba.
Habitat: This agama is a diurnal ‘sit and wait’ forager that occupies a variety of open habitats. In Jordan, this species has been collected in the black lava desert, Petra, Shawbak area and on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. In all these regions, P. sinaitus was found inhabiting volcanic boulders, outcrops and hard gravel surfaces with scattered rocks. Females exhibit a distinctive colouration before oviposition: the head is light blue and the back bears rusty-orange crossbars. Males are brilliant blue while basking on the lava rocks. Non-gravid females show a blue colouration towards the anterior half of their body. Two females laid 6 and 7 eggs in late July and early August. The males express territoriality, each occupying a large lava boulder to overlook its defended area.
Haas (1957) reported that P. sinaitus was collected in Jebel Aja where granite rocks and shrubs are found, and stated that it is a characteristic rock lizard. In addition, Faraj & Banaja (1980) call P. sinaitus a rock dwelling species, occurring in the coastal mountains of Arabia and Oman (2500 m). They reported seeing this species in open grassland, on earth mounds, on a beach and among rubbish on the wet mud of Khawr. Flower (1933) mentions that in southern Sinai P. sinaitus was found at an elevation of 3,100 feet (=900 m) and in Wadi Rahaba at about 5,300 feet (1600 m), always perched on top of big rocks and when approached they darted away and hid in crevices of rocks.

Trapelus blanfordi fieldi (Haas & Werner, 1969)

Common name: Persian agama.

Range: Northern Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, and Iraq (Arnold 1986, Leviton et al. 1992).
Distribution in Jordan: North of Al Hazeem, Azraq, and Qasr Burqu.
Habitat: These peculiar lizards have been recorded from the Eastern Desert (Badiayh) in Jordan where they are associated with Nitraria retusa shrubs that are quite common in Al-Hazeem area. They bask on top of the shrub and remain motionless for several hours in mid-day.

Trapelus pallida haasi (Werner, 1971)

Common name: Pale agama.

Range: Northern Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan.
Distribution in Jordan: Al Muwaqqar, Amman, Ash Shawmari, Al Wisad, Azraq, between Hissa and Ma’an, Jabal al Ashaqif, Jibal Waqf as Sawwan, Khaw, Qasr el Hallabat, Wadi ad Dab’ah, and north-east of Zarqa.
Habitat: T. p. haasi has been recorded from the black lava desert, and the Irano-Turanian region, where it was found in open flat areas, in depressions filled with fine sand and some vegetation as well as in loamy and gravely steppe areas. It is a diurnal lizard and attains its highest activity in the morning or afternoon. The pale agama avoids the Sinai agama and the two species exhibit habitat partitioning.

Trapelus pallida pallida (Reuss, 1834)

Common name: Pale agama.

Range: Eastern Egypt, Sinai, southern Israel and Wadi ‘Araba and around the Dead Sea area in Jordan.
Distribution in Jordan: Wadi ‘Araba and Wadi al-Mujib.
Habitat: In Jordan this subspecies is restricted to the Wadi ‘Araba and its northern extension towards the Dead Sea. It is associated with rocky habitats and avoids sand-dunes. It prefers hard wadi beds with scattered vegetation and many rocks of various sizes. T. p. pallida and T. p. haasi are allopatric subspecies that are separated from each other by the mountain chain which separates the Wadi ‘Araba from the Eastern Desert. This view is shared by Werner (1971).

Trapelus ruderatus ruderatus (Olivier, 1804)

Common name: Olivier’s agama.

Range: Southern Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Southern Jordan represents the southern limit of the range of this species.
Distribution in Jordan: Karak, Al’al, Anjarah, Ash Shawbak, At Tafilah, Dana, Dibbin, Jarash, Ma’an, 7 km east of Mafraq, Ar Ramtha, Safut, and Sahab.
Habitat: This agama is a common species in the Mediterranean ecozone in open area close to the pine forest. It is mostly associated with the narrow strip of the Irano-Turanian ecozone surrounding the Mediterranean one. It occupies open areas similar to that of T. p. haasi.

Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis (Blanford, 1874)

Common name: Egyptian dab-lizard.

Range: The gulf coast of the Arabian peninsula, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, and extreme south-western Iran.
Distribution in Jordan: Aqaba, Azraq, Fidan, Gharandel, Ghore as-Safi, Safawi, Salamani, 20 km west of Sunaynirat, Unab, Wadi Al-Hashad, Wadi ‘Araba, and Wadi Rum.
Habitat: U. a. microlepis inhabits hard substrates either hard sand or gravel (Disi 1991). Its burrows may reach one and a half meters in depth with one opening which is crescent shaped. In one area, a large colony lives in an open flat gravely area devoid of vegetation but at other localities, the burrows were found at the base of Anabasis spp. and Haloxylon persicum. Faraj & Banaja (1980) and Arnold (1980, 1984) indicated that this species is the most widespread in Arabia.

Family Lacertidae Seventeen species and subspecies of lacertid lizards occur in Jordan. The genus Acanthodactylus is represented by eight species, mostly Arabian species inhabiting arid regions. Mesalina is represented by three species, their distribution restricted to arid and semi-arid regions. Three species of the genus Lacerta are confined to the Mediterranean region. The three subspecies of the genus Ophisops are widely distributed in the Mediterranean region and penetrate into the Irano-Turanian biotope.

Acanthodactylus boskianus (Daudin, 1802)

Common name: Bosc’s lizard.

Range: Widespread in Arabia, also North Africa, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Syria and adjoining Turkey (Arnold 1986, Leviton et al. 1992).
Distribution in Jordan: Al Hazeem, Al Qatranah, Aqaba, Ash Shawbak, Ash Shawmari, Azraq, Al Jafr, El Quwayrah, Khinzirah, Ma’an, Petra, Ra’s an Naqab, Shunat Nimrin, Sunaynirat, Unab, Wadi al Abyad, Wadi Al Karak, Wadi ‘Araba, and Wadi Musa.
Habitat: A. boskianus is a diurnal species and inhabits fairly hard substrates in the Eastern Desert, southern Jordan, Wadi ‘Araba and on the sea shore of Aqaba. It occurs in the Irano-Turanian ecozone, too. It was collected at different altitudes ranging from 400 m below see level to almost 1,400 m above see level at Ash Shawbak.
Flower (1933) reported that in Egypt A. boskianus occurs along the Mediterranean coast where it inhabits sand-dunes, edges of cultivated areas and ruined sites of ancient cities. In Sinai, it was encountered on both the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Suez coast, up to at least 1,800 feet (550 m) in the hills of central Sinai and up to 1,615 m in the southern mountains.
Haas (1951) reported that this species was collected in Sinai, Israel, west of the Dead Sea and Aqaba. In Iraq, Reed & Marx (1959) indicated the existence of this species in north-eastern Iraq where it inhabited areas characterized by short grass and low shrubs. Also found in rougher areas of broken rocks along sandstone scraps or wadi sides. According to Eissa & El-Assy (1975) A. boskianus is widely distributed in the Kuwait desert. Faraj & Banaja (1980) mentioned that this diurnal sand lihas a very widdistribution in Arabia especially in loose soil and sparse vegetation. Arnold (1983) mentioned that A. boskianus occur on more stable sand and other harder substrates often associated with quite dense and sometimes spiny vegetation. In more arid regions where vegetation is scanty, individuals attain rough scalation.
Also, Arnold (1984) indicated that A. boskianus in the United Arab Emirates occupied harder substrates than A. schmidti. Werner (1986, 1987) observed that A. boskianus lives alongside A. opheodorus and inhabits gravel habitats throughout Sinai and southern Israel.

Acanthodactylus grandis Boulenger, 1909

Common name: Grand lizard.

Range: South-western Iran, northern Saudi Arabia, eastern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq.
Distribution in Jordan: Al Qatranah, Azraq, between Dab’ah and As Suwaqah, between Hasa and Ma’an, Khaldyah, Qasr Amrah, Qasr el Hallabat, Sunaynirat, Um Al Rasas, and Wadi Rum.
Habitat: A. grandis inhabits the Eastern Desert and is found on fairly hard substrates. HAAs (1943, 1951) indicated that this species was collected in the stony areas of the Eastern Desert.

Acanthodactylus opheodurus Arnold, 1980

Common name: Snake-like lizard.

Range: Arabia, southern Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Sinai.
Distribution in Jordan: Al Hazeem, Al Qatranah, Ash Shawmari, Azraq, Fidan, Gharandel, 20 km north of Ghore as Safi, Khinzirah, Ma’an, Petra, Qsr el Hallabat, Sunaynirat, Ma’an, Unab, Wadi al Abyad, and Wadi Rum.
Habitat: A. opheodurus inhabits coarse-grained sand among vegetation and is found on the flood plains of wadis that have scattered vegetation. Similar observation were made in Oman by Arnold (1980). In addition, Arnold (1980) indicated that this species seems to be associated with relatively hard substrates and small dense bushes on hummocks. It takes refuge in bushes and crevices when disturbed. Werner (1986) reported that A. opheodurus is a euryoecious psammophile that avoids soft sand.

Acanthodactylus pardalis (Lichtenstein, 1823)

Common name: Etyptian Leopard-lizard

Range: It extends from eastern Lybia through Egypt southern Israel and Jordan (Salvador 1982).
Distribution in Jordan: South-east of Amman, Bastah and Ayl.
Habitat: A. pardalis has been encountered in the desert and semi-desert regions of Jordan. It inhabits sandy places in dried up river beds and canyons and prefers less rocky areas.

Acanthodactylus robustus Werner, 1929

Range: Northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and south-western Iraq (Salvador 1982, Arnold 1986, Leviton et al. 1992).

Distribution in Jordan: Al Ruished, Khaw, Mafraq, Sahab, and Safawi.
Habitat: A. robustus inhabits the Eastern Desert and is found on hard substrates. Similar observations were reported by Schmidt (1930) and Haas (1943). Arnold (1983) stated that this species occupies arid regions. They take refuge in holes and crevices on being alarmed.

Acanthodactylus schmidti Haas, 1957

Common name: Fringe-toed sand lizard.

Range: South- western Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Jordan (Salvador 1982).
Distribution in Jordan: Al Hazeem, Diesah, and Wadi Rum.
Habitat: A. schmidti inhabits areas of soft sand is partly stabilized by root systems of spiny bushes. It uses places shaded by vegetation. When chased, it hides in one of its burrows near the base of shrubs. A. schmidti occupies aeolian soft sand and open substrates more than any other species of Acanthodactylus in Jordan. Arnold (1980, 1984) indicated a similar habitat for A. schmidti in Oman and the United Arab Emirates. He observed that A. schmidti is largely a species of wind-blown sand with scrubby vegetation and that it digs its burrows at the base of bushes. Individuals and their tracks can be seen throughout the sand. In addition, Arnold (1983) reported that this species has strongly pectinated digits. The home range of this lizard was described by Awadh & Spellerberg (1989). Ross (1989) Stated that A. schmidti lives in aeolian sand and usually construct one or more burrows among roots of vegetation.

Acanthodactylus tristrami (Günther, 1864)

Range: Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Jordan.

Distribution in Jordan: Al Muwaqqar, between Bastah and Ayl, 27 km east of Dab’ah, Jawa, Ra’s an Naqab, and Sahab.
Habitat: A. tristrami inhabits fairly hard substrates in the Eastern Desert and may reach the periphery of the Irano-Turanian ecozone. Haas (1951) reported that A. tristrami was collected in the Eastern Desert of Jordan as well as at Palmyra (Syria). Arnold (1983) stated that the weak digital pectination in this species suggests that it lives on relatively hard substrates. He further reported that it is confined to steppe-type habitats on the edge of the Anti-Lebanon range.

Lacerta kulzeri Müller & Wettstein, 1932

Range: South Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan.

Distribution in Jordan: Dana and Petra.
Habitat: L. kulzeri inhabits the Mediterranean ecozone especially rocky areas. It was observed on rocks as well as in wadi beds. Petra represents the limit of its distribution in Jordan. Here, L. kulzeri lives in drier habitats than L. laevis in Jordan. Clark & Clark (1973) reported that L. kulzeri occupies more broken rocky grounds in Turkey, often around piles of stones and among boulders. This is a relict species (Disi 1996) with the next nearest relict population occurring in Syria (Bischoff & Schmidtler 1994).

Lacerta laevis Gray, 1838

Range: South Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan.

Distribution in Jordan: Ajlun, Al’al, Al Mansurah, As Salt, Barashta, Dibbin, Kharja, Kufrinjah, Quwaylibah, Subehi. Wadi al Arab, and Zay.
Habitat: L. laevis lives in the forested areas of the Mediterranean ecozone, especially areas dominated by oak trees (Quercus sp.) and the upper Jordan valley where it inhabits broken, rocky grounds often around bramble bushes and piles of stones (Disi 1991). This arboreal species is associated with oak trees, one important feature that distinguishes it from L. kulzeri.

Lacerta media israelica (Peters, 1964)

Range: Israel and Jordan.

Distribution in Jordan: Ghore Abu Obydah, As Salt, and Mushyrfeh.
Habitat: This species has been observed in the forested areas of the Mediterranean ecozone where rainfall exceeds 300 mm and in the Jordan Valley among plantations. Clark & Clark (1973) indicated that Lacerta media prefers habitats characterised by evergreen scrub and frequently found in the vicinity of a stream banked by woody shrubs. Also, it is associated with bush cover of the deciduous oak coppices woodland, and under stones.

Mesalina brevirostris microlepis (Angel, 1936)

Common name: Short-nosed desert lizard.

Range: Mesalina is a group of desert lizards found throughout the Saharo-Sindian region which extends from North Africa to Pakistan (Ross 1988). M.b. microlepis occurs in Jordan, northern Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Iran, and southern Sinai.
Distribution in Jordan: Al Hazeem, Azraq, Aqaba, Qasr Amrah, between Ma’an and Hasa, and Safawi.
Habitat: M. b. microlepis is a diurnal species and occupies a fairly open habitat with hard substrates. This species has no preference for specific plants and if alarmed it hides among plants or retreats into burrows. In the Syrian desert, M. b. microlepis inhabits gravel plains and often stays near entrances to its subterranean burrows. Ross (1988) reported similar observations from Saudi Arabia. He indicated that this species appears to be the better environmentally adapted lizard since it occupies different habitats which include sea shore, inland gravel plains and hill tops. Faraj & Banaja (1980) collected this species under rocks at Al-Wajh in Saudi Arabia. In Kuwait M. b. microlepis lives in semi-arid regions with shrubs, like Acanthodactylus spp. (Eissa & El-Assy 1975). But in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain Arnold (1984) found this species confined to moist areas with succulent halophytic vegetation.

Mesalina guttulata guttulata (Lichtenstein, 1823)

Common name: Small spotted lizard.

Range: Israel, Jordan, Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, and North Africa.
Distribution in Jordan: Al Jafr, 15 km from Akaba, Azraq, Dead Sea area, betwHasa-Ma’an, Faynan, Ghoras Safi, Ma’an, Qasr Amrah, Petra, and Wadi ‘Araba.
Habitat: M. g. guttulata is an active, diurnal species that has been collected in arid regions of the Eastern Desert and the Dead Sea region. It has also been encountered in the black lava desert where it is black background coloration, and it is known from gravel plains in the Irano-Turanian ecozone. Werner (1971) indicated that lava desert specimens are outstanding in their extensive dark pattern which shows their adaptation to this habitat. The areas inhabited by M. g. guttulata are characterized by hard substrates such as depressions filled with silt soils and bearing scattered vegetation, volcanic boulders, red sandstones, gravel plains and beds of wadis. Ross (1988) indicated that this species in Saudi Arabia is often observed in wadis where the sides are steep and rocky with some vegetation. Flower (1933) reported that M. g. guttulata was widely distributed in the desert in the desert of egypt and Sinai, including at 1,615 m above sea level and that in Sudan it occurred on the maritime plains and in the hills at Erkowit at an altitude of 1,218 m.

Mesalina olivieri schmidti (Haas, 1951)

Range: Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Syria, southern Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, and North Africa.

Distribution in Jordan: Al’al, Al Hazeem, south of Ayl, Azraq, Inizah, Khinzirah, Ma’an, Qasr Amrah, Ra’s an Naqab, Safawi, south of Unab, and Wadi ‘Araba .
Habitat: M. o. schmidti inhabits the Eastern Desert and Wadi ‘Araba where it has been encountered on fairly hard substrates. Werner (1987) indicated that this species was collected in Saharo-Arabia and Wadi ‘Araba where it occupies non-sandy soils as well as sandy river beds. In Turkey, Clark & Clark (1973) observed this species on stony islets and in dry river beds with fine gravel and woody shrubs.

Ophisops elegans Ménétriés, 1832

Common name: Ménétriés’s Lizard

Range: Turkey, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran.
Distribution in Jordan: Many localities except the Eastern Desert, Wadi ‘Araba and beyond Ra’s an Naqab to the south.
Habitat: O. elegans is diurnal and the most widely distributed lizard in the Mediterranean ecozone but its range could reach into the Irano-Turanian ecozone as well. This species inhabits an extreme variety of habitats including edges of cultivated fields, dry grassy hillsides, open forested hills and oak coppice. It has been collected at places 400 m below sea level or 1,100 m above sea level. Similar observations were reported from Iraq (Reed & Marx 1959) and Turkey (Clark & Clark 1973).
Three subspecies occur in Jordan: O. e. blanfordi (Schmidt, 1939), a desert adapted form inhabiting arid and semi-arid regions, O. e. ehrenbergi (Wiegmann, 1835), occurring mostly in moderate biotopes, and O. e. elegans (Ménétriés, 1832). Haas (1951) suggested that little value should be attributed to the differences between the varieties of O. elegans. Since there is no distinct geographical isolation between the known forms, we believe that the slight morphological differences are merely variations within one population. Both O. e. ehrenbergi and O. e. blanfordi were taken from the same locality.

Family Scincidae Nine species and subspecies of scincid lizards occur in Jordan. They are mainly fossorial species inhabiting humid habitats. Only two species (Scincus scincus meccensis and Sphenops sepsoides) are sand-dune dwellers found in confined areas in Wadi Rum and Wadi ‘Araba .

Ablepharus rueppellii festae Peracca, 1894

Common name: Festa’s skink.

Range: Southern Syria (Golan, Mt. Hermon) and Jordan (Schmidtler 1997).
Distribution in Jordan: Karak, Aqraba, As Salt, Ash Shawbak, Daboqu, Dana, Dibbin, Jarash, Madaba, Wadi Al-Arab, and Zobya.
Habitat: A. r. festae lives in the Mediterranean ecozone where it inhabits open areas and oak or pine forests. It is found among dead leaves of the forests.

Chalcides guentheri Boulenger, 1887

Common name: Günther’s skink.

Range: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria (Disi 1991).
Distribution in Jordan: King Talal Dam area, Kufr Al-Ma’a, and Wadi Al-Mujib.
Habitat: C. guentheri has been collected within the Mediterranean ecozone which is characterized by high rainfall and a terra rossa soil type. It rarely inhabits open areas. Werner (1988) indicated that C. guentheri is endemic to northern Israel and may extend to Lebanon. Berger-Dell’Mour (1986) recorded its occurrence in Syria.

Chalcides ocellatus ocellatus (Forsskål, 1775)

Common name: Eyed or ocellated skink.

Range: Greece, southern Turkey, Israel, Jordan, western Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and the Makran coast of Pakistan (Leviton et al. 1992).
Distribution in Jordan: Al’al, Al Hashimiyah, Aqaba, Ash Shawmari, Dana, Dayr abu Said, near Dead Sea, El Huma, Ghore as Safi, Qasr Amrah, Safut, and Umm ad Dananir.
Habitat: C. o. ocellatus was encountered in different areas characterized by damp ground. In Jordan, Flower (1933) reported this species from the Ghor, the shore of the Dead Sea, Aqaba and Petra.
Arnold (1980 ,1984) indicated that this species is secretive but abundant in plantations and cultivated areas where the ground is damp, especially near the sea in Arabia. Furthermore, it inhabits buildings and gardens where it was observed under leaves. Flower (1933) stated that this species is very widely distributed in Egypt wherever there is water and that it is fairly numerous in the irrigated alluvial plains. According to Haas (1943), C. o. ocellatus is found throughout Israel in the hills as well as in the coastal plains. Clark & Clark (1973) indicated that C. o. ocellatus was collected in rocky areas in Turkey.

Eumeces schneideri pavimentatus (G. St-Hilaire, 1827)

Range: South-eastern Turkey, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.

Distribution in Jordan: Ash Shawbak, Balila, Baq’ah, Dayr Alla, Harta, Irbid, Jarash, Judayta, Samma Ar Rosan, Umm ad Dananir, Wadi al Yabis, and Wadi Al-Mujib.
Habitat: E. s. pavimentatus inhabits the slopes of the Mediterranean ecozone.

Eumeces schneideri schneideri (Daudin, 1802)

Common name: Gold skink.

Range: Jordan and Syria and southern Israel.
Distribution in Jordan: 70 km south of Amman, Al Hasa, Ash Showbak, Ayl, between Bastah and Ma’an, Mafraq, Petra, Ras an Naqab, Safawi, and Wadi ‘Araba.
Habitat: E. s. schneideri inhabits slopes of Ash Showbak where it lives among annual vegetation. Flower (1933) indicated that this subspecies occurs in Sinai and its range extends to southern Jordan (Petra and between Dead Sea and Aqaba). It inhabits burrows and rarely ventures in the open.

Mabuya vittata (Olivier, 1804)

Common name: Bridled skink.

Range: Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and western Iran. Also the Mediterranean coast of North Africa from Algeria to Egypt (Leviton et al. 1992).
Distribution in Jordan: Al Jubayhah, Al’al, Amman, Anjarah, Ar Ramtha, Ash Shawbak, Azraq, Dair abu Said, Dair Alla, Dair as Si’nah, Ghore As Safi, Irbid, Jarash, Kafr Asad, Madaba, Petra, Safut, Wadi al Arab, Wadi as Sir, Zabdah, and Zarqa.
Habitat: M. vittata inhabits banks of irrigation canals, bushes and damp soils and is abundant around clumps of vegetation in all four ecozones of Jordan. It was observed during day-time near banks of small streams near Jarash. They move under a thick cover of decayed plants. Clark & Clark (1973) indicated that in Turkey M. vittata prefers hedges, bushes and other types of vegetation as hiding places. They stated that this species was fully active at air temperatures between 16°C and 20°C and in the early morning hours: It hides under stones or in vegetation. Similar observations were made in Saudi Arabia by Faraj & Banaja (1980), who reported this species to occur in date groves. According to Flower (1933), M. vittata is widely distributed in Palestine.

Ophiomorus latastii Boulenger, 1887

Common name: Striped leg-less skink.

Range: Israel, Jordan, and Syria.
Distribution in Jordan: Ash Shunah ash Shamaliyah, Al’al, Dair abu Said, East of Dead Sea, Madaba, Sail Al-Hissa, Umm ad Dananir, Wadi al Mawjib, and Wadi Al Hidan.
Habitat: O. latastii is collected from the Jordan Valley and the Mediterranean region. It inhareas were humidity is high. InWest Pakistan, O. tridactylus inhabits coastal plains and beaches and may burrow downward at least one foot (Minton 1966). Most individuals of this species lie between a layer of upper dry sand and a deeper layer of slightly moist sand.

Scincus scincus meccensis Wiegmann, 1837

Common name: Sand skink.

Range: Southern Jordan, north-western and western Saudi Arabia.
Distribution in Jordan: Al Hazeem, Al Homymah, Mudawarah, Quwayrah, and Wadi Rum.
Habitat: S. s. meccensis is a diurnal species and inhabits the desert with soft and loose sand of southern Jordan. It spends most of its time under the surface of the sand scratching for insects in the sand. Similar observation were made in Israel (Werner 1987) and Kuwait (Eissa & El-Assy 1975). Arnold (1984) indicated that S. s. meccensis is adapted to sandy environments.

Sphenops sepsoides (Audouin, 1829)

Common name: Saharan sphenops.

Range: Southern Israel, Jordan, and northern Sinai.
Distribution in Jordan: Al-Rishah, along the sand-dunes of Wadi ‘Araba.
Habitat: S. sepsoides lives on dry sandy soil of Wadi ‘Araba. It inhabits sand-dunes surrounding the bases of bushes and has been found in an area of flint-covered loess and under large stones in sandy patches. Also, it was found in deserted brick houses in Wadi ‘Araba . Similar observations were made by Werner (1968) in Israel. It was observed to hide under rocks during daytime and then to dive into the sand.

Family anguidae The family Anguidae is represented by one species (Ophisaurus apodus), ranging throughout the Caspian region with its southernmost localities in Jordan. It lives in open, grassy mild biotopes and forested areas.

Ophisaurus apodus (Pallas, 1775)

Common name: Glass snake.

Range: Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Iraq.
Distribution in Jordan: Al’al, Aqraba, As Salt, Dair abu Said, and Hakama.
Habitat: O. apodus inhabits the northern Mediterranean ecozone and has been encountered near stream banks and under large rocks on hillsides. It disappears with surprising rapidity when followed. This species is found in grassy areas in Iraq (Reed & Marx 1959) and near banks and fields, often among vegetation, in Turkey (Clark & Clark 1973). O. apodus starts its activity quite early in the morning when air temperature is not above 14°C. It lives in burrows, probably abandoned rodent holes.

Family Varanidae This family is represented in Jordan by one species. Varanus griseus ranges widely from North Africa to the Middle East. It is associated with arid environments, with a variety of soil and vegetation.

Varanus griseus (Daudin, 1802)

Common name: Desert monitor.

Range: Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and North Africa.
Distribution in Jordan: Southern Jordan Valley, Wadi ‘Araba , Al Hazeem, Wadi Rum and several localities in the Eastern Desert.
Habitat: V. griseus is diurnal. It was collected in various habitats in the Eastern Desert, South Jordan, Wadi ‘Araba and the Jordan Valley. It also reaches the steppe regions and foothills of Balaqa mountains. In Wadi ‘Araba, burrows of this animal were found in steep sand-dunes at a depth of over 3 m. It inhabits desert steppes, wadi embankments, road banks, fields as well as open habitats. Similar observations were made by Schmidt (1939) It also inhabits the semi-arid regions of the Syrian Desert. According to Arnold (1989), V. griseus was encountered in a variety of sandy areas of Oman. Stanner & Mendelssohn (1987) stated that V. griseus inhabits sand-dune areas south of the coastal plains of Israel. They also mentioned that this species forages through several habitats like unstable dunes, dense vegetation, constructed areas, and municipal garbage dumps. V. griseus avoids the beach belt and its distribution is limited to
unes that are little affected by sea-water. It does not expand its presence out of the sand-dune belt which is characterized by both floral and faunal elements of the Saharo-Arabian and Mediterranean region. Martens & Kock (1992) indicated that the desert monitor extends between Arabia and Turkey.

References
Amr, Z. S., Al-Oran, R. & Disi, A. 1994. Reptiles of southern Jordan. The Snake, 26(2):41-49.

Al-Oran, R. Al-Melhem, W. & Amr, Z. S. 1994. Snakes of southern Jordan. Bollettino di Zoologia 61(4):359-367.
Amr, Z. S., Al-Oran, R. & Shwyat, S. 1994. Snakebites in Jordan. The Snake, 26:111-115.

Al-Oran, R. & Amr, Z. S. 1995. First record of the Mole Viper, Atractaspis microlepidota engaddensis, from Jordan. Zoology in the Middle East, 11:47-49.

Amr, Z. S., Al-Oran, R & Al-Melhem, W. 1997. Aggregation behavior in two jordanian snakes: Coluber rubriceps and Typhlops vermicularis. Herpetological Review, 28: 130-131.

Amr, Z. S., Disi, A. M. & Al-Melhim, W. 1997. Distribution of Mueller’s snake, Micrelaps müelleri Böettger, 1880 (Reptilia, Serpentes, Colubridae). Herpetozoa, 10(3/4):163-168.

Al-Oran, M., Disi, A. M., Al-Melhim, W. & Amr, Z. 1997. Reptiles of Wadi Araba. Mutah, 12(4):45-67.

Modry, D., Koudela, B., Al-Oran, R., Amr, Z. S. & Dolezel, D. 1998. Isospora ptyodactyli sp. n. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) - New coccidian parasite from the fan-footed gecko Ptyodactylus puiseuxi (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from Jordan. Systematic Parasitology, 39 (1): 45-48.

Al-Oran, R., Rostum, S., Joger, U. & Amr, Z. 1998. First record of the Levantine viper, Macrovipera lebetina, from Jordan. Zoology in the Middle East, 16:65-70.

Amr, Z. S.. & Disi, A. M. 1998. Diet of some snakes from Jordan. Amphibia-Reptilia, 19:436-439.

Disi, A. M. & Amr, Z. S. 1998. Distribution and ecology of lizards in Jordan (Reptilia: Sauria). Faun. Abh. Mus. Tierkd. Dresden, 21 (Suppl. In: Fritz, U., F. J. Obst & B. Andreas (eds.): Contribution to a "Herpetologia arabica", Nr. 6: 43-66.

Modry, D., Koudela, B., Al-Oran, R. & Amr, Z. S. 1999. Carysospora maxima sp. n. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), new coccidium from Forskäl’s sand snake, Psammophis shokari (Serpentes: Colubridae) from lava desert of Jordan. Folia Parasitologica, 46(2):96-98.

Modry, D., Al-Oran, R.M., Amr, Z.S. and Necas, P. 1999. A new record of the Tilbury´s spiny-footed lizard, Acanthodactylus tilburyi Arnold, 1986 (Reptilia: Lacertidae) from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Casopis Národního muzea, Rada prirodovedná, 168 (1-4): 121-124.