First added 19 June 2001. Last updated 24 March 2016: rearranged species into alphabetical order rather than geographical division, added entries for A. gongrorhynchatus, A. grandis and A. tilburyi and updated Introduction and Bibliography.
The Acanthodactylus, or Fringe-Toed/Fingered Lizards, are one of the larger lacertid genera. They enjoy a wide distribution from the Iberian peninsula to West Africa eastwards to the Middle East and India. All are primarily inhabitants of arid areas and have a very similar shape and size to one another, usually being about 8" (20cm) from snout to tail end.
Leviton et al give the characteristics of the genus as follows: head shields normal, but occipital absent; nostril between two nasals and first labial; lower eyelid scaly; collar distinct; dorsal scales small and juxtaposed or large and imbricate; ventral plates subquadrangular, smooth, imbricate; digits subcylindrical, with keeled lamellae below, and lateral denticulation, at least on outer side of toes; femoral pores present; parietal foramen present.
Considering the size of this genus, there is surprisingly little commonly available in print about the species, although this may partly be attributed to the inaccessibility of much of the harsh terrain in which they live. Research may yet reveal that A. pardalis and A. scutellatus are in fact more than one species: already some of their subspecies have been raised to full species level.
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QUICK INDEX |
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A. aureus, Golden Fringe-Toed Lizard |
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A. blanci, Blanc's Fringe-Toed Lizard |
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A. boskianus, Bosc's Fringe-Toed Lizard |
A. busacki, Busack's Leopard Fringe-Toed Lizard |
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A. cantoris, Fringe-Toed Sand Lizard |
A. dumerilii, Small Fringe-Toed Lizard |
A. erythrurus, (Common) Fringe-Fingered Lizard |
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A. lineomaculatus,Coastal Common Fringe-Toed Lizard |
A. longipes, Long-Footed Fringe-Toed Lizard |
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A. maculatus, Spotted Leopard Fringe-toed Lizard |
A. microphilus, Yellow-Tailed Sand Lizard |
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A. pardalis, Leopard Fringe-Toed Lizard |
A. savignyi, Savigny's Fringe-toed Lizard |
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A. schmidti, Fringe-Toed Sand Lizard |
A. scutellatus, Nidua Lizard |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Acanthodactylus |
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A. arabicus |
? Fringe-Toed Lizard |
S Yemen |
8" |
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A. aureus |
Western Sahara/Golden Fringe-Toed Lizard |
Atlantic coastal regions of SW Morocca, Mauritania, Senegal & poss. W Sahara |
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Variously considered a subspecies of A. inornatus or A. scutellatus until 1982. |
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A. bedriagai |
? Fringe-Toed Lizard |
Algeria (tablelands) |
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See EMBL database entry for further details. |
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A. beershebensis |
Israel |
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Restricted range: see EMBL database entry for further details. |
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A. blanci |
Blanc's Fringe-Toed Lizard |
Coastal regions of N & E Tunisia & Algeria |
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A. blanfordii |
Mekran Fringe-Toed Sand Lizard |
SE Iran, S Afghanistan, SW Pakistan and N Oman (Muscat region), India |
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A. boskianus |
Bosc's Fringe-Toed Lizard |
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt (Nile-delta and parts of the Sinai-Peninsula), Western Sahara ?, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, N Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia (Abyssinia), Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Israel, Syria, Iraq (Euphrat region), S Turkey |
8-10" |
Very widely distributed Acanthodactylus species and in North Africa at least very common across its range. It is found in natural areas such as open sand or clay ground, steppes with high or low plants or bushes, grassy sandy banks, sand dunes and oases, but also near rubbish dumps. KKS note however that it seems to avoid stony ground. It may be found from sea level to up to 2,400m. A. boskianus digs burrows with one or more entrances in solidified sand. Despite this wide range there are only three subspecies, the nominate and A. b. asper and A. b. euphraticus. Depending on the location, the lizards may hibernate or remain active during the winter. If running, the lizard will hold its tail elevated in a semicircle [KKS]. Social behaviour is quite complex, with a hierarchy and series of signals: KKS note that captive males will fight to establish this hierarchy, but also that inferiors may indicate inferiority with a wave of the tail, which settles the dispute. This may imply that more than one male may be kept in a suitably sized vivarium and that they establish hierarchy among themselves in the same way as, say, male bearded dragons. Diet is catholic (the lizards apparently willing to tackle anything they can overpower) but consists mainly of insects such as hymenopterans (especially ants), bugs and beetles. Predators on A. boskianus include Varanus griseus, Chamaelo chamaeleon, various snakes and the crow species Corvus ruficollis. Click here or here for a photo. See Reptile Database entry for a discussion of the subspecies. Scalation details (as given in KKS): 4 (usually) supraoculars, of which 1st may be divided: triangle of granules between 3rd and 4th: 1-2 (usually 1) rows of granules between supraoculars and supraciliaries. Nasal region raised. Loreal region concave. 4-5 supralabials in front of subocular. Subocular sharply keeled, may or may not contact upper lip. 2 sharply keeled supratemporals, 1st much larger. Temporal scales increase in size downwards. Front of ear opening denticulated by 4-5 scales. 5 pairs of submaxillaries, of which 1st-3rd in contact. Dorsal scales: large, keeled and imbricate, 32-40 transverse rows at midbody, increasing in size towards tail. Throat: numerous small scales in temple region. Collar: large and indented. Gular fold conspicuous. Ventral scales: broader rather than high, 10 (sometimes 12-14) longitudinal rows: innermost trapezoidal, outermost squarish. Other: upper scales on the tail similar to dorsals. Fingers with three series of scales, 19-26 femoral pores beneath each thigh. Coloration: ground colour variable, may be dark- or silver grey, yellow- or red-brown. Basic dorsal pattern is of 7 longitudinal stripes of varying contrast or faintness. Reproduction: females lay clutches of (usually) 3-5 eggs, often in communal nesting sites: no other details as yet available. [SOURCES: KKS, Leviton et al] |
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A. b. boskianus |
Egypt |
Nominate subspecies. |
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A. b. asper |
Iraq |
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KKS cast doubt on the validity on this subspecies, as the characteristic on which it is based (subocular touching or not touching the upper lip) occurs throughout the range. Likewise Leviton et al chose not to use this subspecies name pending a revisionary study. |
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A. b. euphraticus |
Iraq, Iran |
No data yet available. |
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A. b. khattensis |
Mauretania |
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A. b. nigeriensis |
Niger, Nigeria |
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A. b. syriacus |
Lebanon, Israel |
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A. boueti |
? Fringe-Toed Lizard |
N Ghana, N Benin, W Nigeria |
8?" |
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A. busacki |
Busack's Leopard Fringe-Toed Lizard |
W & C Morocco |
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Endemic to Morocco. |
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A. cantoris |
Indian Fringe-Toed Sand Lizard |
E Afghanistan, Pakistan, NW India, Jordan |
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A. dumerilii |
Small Fringe-Toed Lizard |
Morocco (W Sahara), Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Algeria |
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Apart from the nominate, one other subspecies, A. d. exiguus. Click here for an interesting report by the Colorado Herp Society on the mode of feeding of A. dumerilii in the wild on silver ants. The Swiss www.swissherp.org also have a good picture. |
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A. erythrurus |
(Common) Fringe-Fingered Lizard |
Iberia: N. Africa, W. Asia |
8-8½" |
The only member of this genus found in Europe: other members of the genus also live in arid areas. A. erythrurus lives on sandy ground and can tolerate hot conditions, being able to run over sand with a surface temperature of 50 deg. The common name derives from the fine fringes on its fingers which help prevent it from sinking in fine sand. Occupies or digs burrows in sand dunes, or shelters beneath stones. It is very timid. Females up to 3 years lay 4-6 eggs in hot sand in May-June: older females lay an additional clutch in July-August. Young hatch after 70-75 days and are 6cm long and brightly-coloured. There are at least two other subspecies apart from the nominate, A. e. atlantica (Morocco only) and A. e. belli. A fairly scientific discussion of the reproduction of A. erythrurus in its northern boundary can be downloaded from the Russian Journal of Herpetology. www.swissherp.org also have good pictures of an adult and a juvenile from the same location. |
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A. felicis |
S Yemen, Oman |
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A. gongrorhynchatus |
E Saudi Arabia, W United Arab Emirates |
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Scalation details: frontonasal longer than broad; 4 supralabials to below centre of eye; 4 supraoculars, of which 4th is partially broken up into small granules; temporal granules keeled. Dorsal scalation: 56-77 longitudinal rows at midbody, 26-32 transverse rows between hind limbs; posterior dorsal scales small, subimbricate, with prominent keels. Ventral scalation: 10-14 almost straight longitudinal rows; median plates distinctly broader than long. Gular scalation: 34-44 shields; 1-2 slightly enlarged gular granules border chin shields 4 and 5. Other: 24-29 lamellae beneath 4th toe; 4 series of scales around fingers; lateral and median rows enlarged to form fringes, lamellae with single median keel and sloping sides; femoral pores distinct, 20-25 on each side. [SOURCE: Leviton et al] |
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A. grandis |
E Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, N Saudi Arabia, W Iran |
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Scalation details: frontonasal longer than broad; 4 supralabials anterior to subocular; 4 supraoculars, 1 row of granules between suproculars and supraciliaries; temporal granules granular, not keeled. Dorsal scalation: 18-22 transverse rows between hind limbs/ Ventral scalation: 14-16 ventral scales in longest longitudinal row (rows not straight). Other: 4 series of scales around fingers; lateral fringes on toes slight or absent [SOURCE: Leviton et al] |
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A. guineensis |
Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Mali |
Considered an Eremias species until 1982. |
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A. haasi |
NE Saudi Arabia, C Oman |
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A. lineomaculatus |
Coastal Common Fringe-Toed Lizard |
S & W Morocco |
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Once considered a subspecies of A. erythrurus until 1995. |
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Long-Footed Fringe-Toed Lizard |
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad |
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Spotted Leopard Fringe-toed Lizard |
NE Morocco, N Algeria, Tunisia, NW Libya |
Considered a subspecies of A. pardalis until 1982. |
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A. masirae |
Oman |
First described in 1980. |
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A. micropholis |
Yellow-Tailed Sand Lizard |
SE Iran, S Pakistan |
First described in 1980. |
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A. nilsoni |
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Kermanshah Province (W Iran) |
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A. opheodurus |
Arabian Peninsula: northwards to Israel, Jordan, Iraq |
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A. orientalis |
E Syria, W & C Iraq |
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A. pardalis |
Leopard Fringe-Toed Lizard |
NW Libya, N Egypt, Israel, Jordan |
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A. robustus |
Jordan, Syria, SW Iraq, N Saudi Arabia |
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Savigny's Fringe-toed Lizard |
N Algeria (coastal regions): Morocco? |
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A. schmidti |
Fringe-Toed Sand Lizard |
Arabian Peninsula, in the north to Jordan, SE Iraq, SW Iran, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait |
Raised from subspecies of A. contoris in 1982. As might be expected, A. schmidti is an inhabitant of sandy plains, dunes and the sabkhas. It is identifiable by a row of white oval spots on its sides. The picture on the UAE website unfortunately appears to be of a different species. |
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A. schreiberi |
? Fringe-Toed Lizard |
Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey |
Two subspecies, A. s. schreiberi and A. s. syriacus. The Cypriot species often hunts on the beaches (up to 100m from the sea) during daylight hours. The population along the southern coast is endangered at present. There is a small photograph of a Cypriot specimen here. |
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A. scutellatus |
Nidua Lizard |
SE Algeria, S Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Mali, Niger, N Chad, N Sudan, Iraq, N Saudi Arabia, Kuwait |
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Spiny-Tailed Fringe-Toed Lizard |
NW Algeria |
Formerly subspecies of A. pardalis. Restricted range at base of Atlas Mountains. |
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Algeria |
Species first described in 1995. See EMBL database entry. Click here for the abstract of the report by Geniez & Foucart. |
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Saudi Arabia (NW & Riyadh region) |
Scalation details: supraoculars more or less intact; subocular separated from lip; 5 supralabials anterior to centre of eye; 41-57 scale rows at midbody, 18-24 between hind limbs; ventral scales tessellated, 15-19 in longest transverse row; 4 rows of scales around fingers; subdigital lamellae with well-developed keel. Other: snout fairly pointed; ear opening not restricted dorsally. Coloration: dorsum dappled; dark dorsolateral stripe, often with paler stripe above and below it; coloration less contrasting in adults than in juveniles; tail red in young and some females. [SOURCE: Leviton et al]. |
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Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan |
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Yemen |
First described in 1982. |
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