Ophisops elegans

Ophisops elegans
Snake-eyed Lizard
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Sauria
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Ophisops
Species: O. elegans
Binomial name
Ophisops elegans
Ménétriés, 1832

Snake-eyed Lizard (Ophisops elegans) is a species of lizard found in the Mediterranean region and Central Asia.

Contents

Description

Head moderate, feebly depressed. Upper head-shields smooth or slightly rugose; nostril lateral, pierced between on upper and a lower nasal, and followed by one or two postnasals; frontonasal single; four supra-oculars, first and fourth very small, the two principal separated from the supraciliaries by a series of granules: occipital small, in contact with or separated from the interparietal; subocular bordering the lip, normally between the fourth and fifth upper labials; temporal scales small, smooth; usually two large supratemporal shields bordering the parietal; a large tympanic shield. A. gular fold may be distinguishable; collar absent or feebly marked. Dorsal scales variable in size, as large as or larger than the laterals; 30 to 40 scales round the middle of the body, ventrals included. A more or less enlarged postero-median preanal plate. The hind limb reaches about the ear in the male, the shoulder or a little beyond in the female. 7 to 12 (usually 9 to 11) femoral pores on each side. Tail about twice as long as head and body. Olive or bronzy above, with black spots usually forming longitudinal series, sometimes forming a network; frequently and or two light longitudinal streaks on each side; lower surfaces white.[1]

From snout to vent 2 inches; tail 4.

Distribution

E Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, SE Bulgaria, NE Greece (Lesbos, Limnos, Chios, Samos, Samothraki, Agathonisi, Psara), Cyprus, Turkey, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, W Syria, Lebanon, Israel, W Jordan, Iraq, Iran (Kavir desert), N Pakistan, NW India Races
basoglui: S Anatolia
blanfordi: Pakistan
centralanatolia:C Anatolia
ehrenbergi: Kalymnos, Lesbos etc.
macrodactylus: W Turkey, Greece (Lesbos etc.)
Type locality: Baku, Azerbaijan

Notes

  1. ^ Boulenger, G. A. 1890. Fauna of British India. Reptilia an Batrachia.

References

  • Bischoff, W. 1974 Echsen des Kaukasus, Teil 7. Die Europäische Schlangenaugen-Eidechse Ophisops elegans Menetries 1832. Aquar. Terr. B21, 340-343.
  • Lantz,L.A. 1930 Note sur la forme typique d'O. elegans Ménétries. Bull. Mus. Géorgie 6: 31-42
  • Ménétries, E. 1832 Catalogue raisonné des objets de zoologie recueillis dans un voyage au caucase et jusqu'aux frontières actuelles de la Perse. L'Académie Impériale des Sciences, St. -Pétersbourg
  • Olgun, Kurtulus; Tok, Cemal Varol 1999 Ihlara Vadisi (Aksaray)'nden toplanan Ophisops elegans (Sauria: Lacertidae) ornekleri hakkinda. TURKISH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 23 (Turkish Supplement 3): 807-810
  • Schlüter, U. 2003 Zur Kenntnis des Westlichen Schlangenauges, Ophisops occidentalis (Boulenger 1887). Elaphe 11 (3): 56-63
  • Tok, Cemal Varol; Yusuf Kumlutas; Oguz Türkozan 1997 On Specimens of Ophisops elegans Menetries 1832, (Sauria; Lacertidae) Collected From Hatay, Turkey. Turk. J. Zool. 21: 195-203

External links

Stub icon This lizard article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.