Trapelus agilis (Olivier, 1804) complex*

Jablonski, Daniel, Khalili, Faizurrahman & Masroor, Rafaqat, 2023, The herpetofaunal diversity of Takhar Province, Afghanistan, Herpetozoa 36, pp. 73-90 : 73

Trapelus agilis (Olivier, 1804) complex*

Figs 3 , 7A, B

* Note:

Including Trapelus sanguinolentus sanguinolentus (Pallas, 1827).

Takhar records.

Taleqan (Taqhar University Campus), 36.7408°N, 69.4858°E, 794 m a.s.l., 26 March 2019, grassy habitat, one adult individual of unknown sex (CUHC-PA 190); Bay Yawa (Tally Dere), 37.4128°N, 69.6939°E, 910 m a.s.l., 4 April 2020, semi-desert habitat in rocky area, one adult individual of unknown sex (CUHC-PA 191); Bay Yawa (Tashqutan), 37.4234°N, 69.6975°E, 877 m a.s.l., 2 September 2021, semi-desert habitat, one subadult individual of unknown sex found under a stone (CUHC-PA 202); Bay Yawa (Baghi Mullah Gulmad), 37.4292°N, 69.7210°E, 736 m a.s.l., 10 September 2021, semi-desert habitat, one adult male (CUHC-PA 207); Khilyazi payan near the primary school, 37.4552°N, 69.7361°E, 756 m a.s.l., 13 September 2021, rocky habitat near small stream, one adult individual of unknown sex (CUHC-PA 210).

Distribution in Afghanistan.

This species complex ( Shahamat et al. 2020) is distributed through Afghanistan. Trapelus agilis is mentioned from the Provinces of Badakhshan, Badghis, Balkh, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Takhar, Uruzgan and Zabul ( Wagner et al. 2016; Jablonski et al. 2019a, b), representing 41% of all provinces. Trapelus sanguinolentus is exclusively known from provinces north of Hindu Kush Mountains, i.e., Badakhshan, Baghlan, Balkh, Faryab, Jowzjan, Kunduz, Samangan and Takhar ( Wagner et al. 2016; Jablonski et al. 2021e), representing 24% of all provinces.

Chorotype.

Iranian + Turanian, and Sindhian ( T. agilis ).

Remarks.

Based on external morphology and distribution of individuals, the observations from Takhar Province represent T. sanguinolentus . However, due to morphological similarities and the fact that both species are known in the literature from Takhar Province (specimens CAS 120275 and ZFMK 8594-97; Wagner et al. (2016)), we consider our identification as preliminary, pending genetic confirmation that is missing from this part of Central Asia (cf. Shahamat et al. (2020)). The geographic position for specimens ZMUC R-36133, ZMUC R-36161, ZMUC R-36150-55, ZMUC 36204-05, ZMUC R-36146-48 and 36156-57 was corrected from those mentioned by Wagner et al. (2016), based on the database of ZMUC. Additionally, the geographic position of specimens CAS 90765-66 and CAS 90777 is corrected, based on the data of CAS (Jablonski, pers. data).

Figures

Figure 3. Herpetofaunistic records of Bufonidae, Ranidae, Testudinidae and Agamidae from Takhar Province in the context of updated records from Afghanistan (white dots or squares: published data (except for the data on Bufotes oblongus and B. zugmayeri, which are distributed in SW Afghanistan); red dots: new data).

Figure 7. A. Adult individual of the Trapelus agilis complex from Bay Yawa (Tally Dere) (CUHC-PA 191); B. Adult individual of the T. agilis complex Khilyazi payan (CUHC-PA 210); C. Juvenile individual of Pseudopus apodus from Bay Yawa (CUHC-PA 160); D. Adult male of P. apodus from Bay Yawa (Shamal Dere) (CUHC-PA 161); E. Subadult individual of Tenuidactylus caspius from Bay Yawa (CUHC-PA 192); F. Adult individual of Tenuidactylus turcmenicus from Taleqan (Gulayi Bagh) (CUHC-PA 183); G. Adult individual of T. turcmenicus from Bay Yawa (Qizilqiya) (CUHC-PA 200); H. Adult individual of T. turcmenicus from Khilyazi payan (CUHC-PA 211).