A population of Bosk's fringe-toed lizard Acanthodactylus boskianus (Daudin, 1802) in the Hajar Mountain foothills of the UAE

A localised population of Acanthodactylus boskianus lizards (n 50 ± 10) has been identified along a wadi in the foothills of the Hajar Mountains of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Photographs of adult male, adult female, juvenile and adolescent individuals are presented for reference. This constitutes only the second report of A. boskianus from within the UAE and expands the habitat for that species from what has been described on the basis of most earlier records from the UAE and neighbouring northern Oman. The newly recognised A. boskianus population is associated with abandoned and eroded fields bordering a gentle wadi. Observation of foraging and foraging behaviour suggests that ants constitute the principal prey of this population, although termites were actively dug for and eaten and other, larger prey is probably taken opportunistically. The lizards are active primarily in the morning but some, particularly adolescents, also forage in late afternoon. Population evidence indicates that the reproductive season is extended but may be centered in fall and winter. Winter dormancy is possible but not confirmed. Our successful effort to find A. boskianus at a second, similar location leads us to suggest that the species has heretofore probably been overlooked and under-recorded, being more common than was previously thought. Ironically, however, its foothills wadi habitat is today under severe threat throughout the UAE. Tribulus Vol 21 2013 24 A population of Bosk's fringe-toed lizard Acanthodactylus boskianus (Daudin, 1802) in the Hajar Mountain foothills of the UAE by Binish Roobas and Gary R. Feulner Fig. 1: Records of Acanthodactylus boskianus from the UAE and Oman (courtesy of A.S. Gardner). Point 1 represents the two sites discussed in this paper. Point 2 shows the approximate location of the first UAE reports of A. boskianus (Arnold 1984). Point 3 represents unpublished records from Peter L. Cunningham, described as being "in the area between Ash-Shu'ayb [Shuwayb or Shwaib] and [the] general Hatta direction" (Cunningham, pers. comm.). The map is not an authorityon international borders.