Saudi fringe-fingered lizard (Acanthodactylus gongrorhynchatus)

Synonyms:	Acanthodactylus fraseri

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Squamata
Family	Lacertidae
Genus	Acanthodactylus (1)

The Saudi fringe-fingered lizard has yet to be classified by the IUCN.

The Saudi fringe-fingered lizard (Acanthodactylus gongorhynchatus) has remarkable ‘fringes’ of elongated scales on each toe, and a long, fragile tail, enabling the lizard to move easily across the loose, shifting surface of sandy deserts. A small to medium sized reptile, the Saudi fringe-fingered lizard has a long, cylindrical body, with well-defined rows of smooth, rectangular scales on the belly (2) (4) (5). It is usually fairly pale in colour, with a bold, brown stripe running along the body. As a juvenile, the Saudi fringe-fingered lizard has a blue tail, which changes to blue-white with age (2) (3).

The Saudi fringe-fingered lizard is known from eastern Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (2) (6) (7).

Occurring in arid regions, the Saudi fringe-fingered lizard is primarily a sand-dwelling species (2) (3). It has also been reported from the sabkhas (salt flats) of the UAE, where it may occasionally forage (8).

There is very little information available on the biology of the Saudi fringe-fingered lizard; however, it is thought that the sand-dwelling species of the Acanthodactylus genus may rely heavily on ants as prey (3). A study on the evolution of lizard toe fringes has found that, contrary to most other ‘fringed’ reptile species, the fringes of the Saudi fringe-fingered lizard are different shapes on either side of the toe, with ‘triangular’ shaped scales on one side, and ‘projecting’ scales on the other (9).  

There are no known major threats to this species.

There are no known conservation measures in place for the Saudi fringe-fingered lizard.

To learn more about reptile conservation visit:

• International Reptile Conservation Foundation:
  http://www.ircf.org

For further information on conservation in the region, see:

• The Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi:
  http://www.ead.ae/en/

This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk

1. Catalogue of Life (October, 2010)
   http://www.catalogueoflife.org/
2. Hellyer, P. and Aspinall, S. (2005) The Emirates: A Natural History. Trident Press Limited, United Arab Emirates.
3. Fuelner, G. (2001) Fringe-toed Lizards. Gazelle Newsletter November 2001. Emirates Natural History Group, Dubai. Available at:
   http://www.enhg.org/dubai/gazelle/2001_11.htm#lizard
4. Halliday, T. and Adler, K. (2002) The New Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
5. Barth, H. J. and Böer, B. (2002) Sabkha Ecosystems Volume I: The Arabian Peninsula and Adjacent Countries. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Netherlands.
6. Alsharhan, A. et al. (2008) Terrestrial Environment of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
7. The Reptile Database (October, 2010)
   http://www.reptile-database.org/
8. Pianka, E.R. and Vitt, L.J. (2003) Lizards: Windows to the Evolution of Diversity. University of California Press, Berkeley.
9. Luke, C. (1986) Convergent evolution of lizard toe fringes. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 27: 1-6.