Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard  (Acanthodactylus schmidti)

Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard has yet to be classified by the IUCN.

Named after Karl Patterson Schmidt (an American herpetologist), Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus schmidti) is one of the more common and abundant species in the genus Acanthodactylus (2) (3). Consistent with its name, Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard has ‘fringes’ of elongated scales along the sides of each toe. The scales on the head are generally larger than on the rest of the long, cylindrical body, and the smooth, rectangular scales on the belly are arranged in well-defined rows (2) (4). Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard is typically coffee-coloured, with a pattern of small, oval-shaped, pale or white spots (2) (4) (5) (6).

Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard occurs throughout the Arabian Peninsula, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, south east Iraq and south west Iran (3).  

Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard occupies sandy plains, dunes and sabkahs (salt flats), particularly in areas of scrubby vegetation (2) (5) (6) (7).

There is very little information available on the biology of Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard. However, it is thought that sand-dwelling species of the Acanthodactylus genus rely heavily on ants as prey (6), while a study on the habitat of Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard suggests that this diurnal species digs burrows among the roots of some shrubs(7).

The remarkable fringes on the toes of Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard are essentially elongated scales, which are thought to provide better traction on loose sand, allowing it to move much more efficiently across the desert (2) (4) (8) (9). A study on the evolution of lizard toe fringes has found that, contrary to most other species, lizards in the genus Acanthodactylus have fringes that 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 threats to this species.

There are no known conservation measures in place for Schmidt’s fringe-toed lizard. 

Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi is a principal sponsor of ARKive. EAD is working to protect and conserve the environment as well as promoting sustainable development in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

 To learn more about reptile conservation, see:

• 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/