Stenodactylus stenurus Werner, 1899:16

Bauer, Aaron M., DeBoer, Jonathan C. & Taylor, Dylan J., 2017, Atlas of the Reptiles of Libya, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (8), pp. 155-318 : 195-196

Stenodactylus stenurus Werner, 1899:16 , fig. c

1899 Stenodactylus stenurus Werner, Allerlei aus dem Kriechtierleben im Käfig II. Der Zoologische Garten, 40:12–24.

SYNTYPES.— BMNH 1946.8.23. 56 (formerly 99.2.1.10), BMNH 94.7.25.1, NHMW 17281:1–2, plus 9 other syntypes not identified by Metallinou and Crochet (2013), “Ostalgerien (Meraïer, Tuggurth)” [El Meghaier and Touggourt, Algeria], “ Tunis ” [ Tunisia] and “Tripolis” [Tripoli, Libya]. As noted by Metallinou and Crochet (2013) and Crochet and Metallinou (2013), the lectotype designation by Kratochvíl et al. (2001) is invalid.

Stenodactylus petrii [part], Le Berre 1989:164.

Stenodactylus petrii [part], Schleich, Kästle,

and Kabisch 1996:259.

Stenodactylus stenurus, Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008:130 .

Stenodactylus petrii [part], Trape, Trape, and

Chirio 2012:254.

DISTRIBUTION.— Northeast Algeria through central and southern Tunisia to northwestern Libya.

Libyan Records (Map 16): TRIPOLITA-

NIA: TRIPOLI: 45: BMNH 1946.8.23. 56; Wern-

er 1899. NALUT: 100: CUP R 054; Frynta et al.

2000.

COMMENTS.— After many years in the synonymy of S. petrii, Kratochvíl et al. (2001)

resurrected S. stenurus on morphological grounds. Sindaco and Jeremčenko (2008) MAP 16. Distribution of Stenodactylus stenurus in Libya.

noted that the populations of “ S. petrii ” from Algeria, Tunisia and Libya were likely S. stenurus . Metallinou et al. (2012) demonstrated that S. petrii was paraphyletic with respect to S. stenurus , with S. stenurus more closely allied to western populations of S. petrii (represented by material from Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia in their sampling) than to true S. petrii from Egypt and Israel. In the absence of sampling in critical intervening areas, most notably Libya, they left open the question of whether S. stenurus should be considered conspecific with S. petrii , a broadly ranging species across most of North Africa, or a restricted form distinct from both clades of S. petrii . Based on the diagnostic differences signaled by Kratochvíl et al. (2001), we recognize S. stenurus as a full species. Specimens of S. petrii from northwestern Libya should be reexamined to confirm their species allocation and additional genetic sampling in Egypt and Libya is critical to properly delimiting the two species.

IUCN THREAT STATUS.— Not evaluated, but anticipated to be Least Concern.