Teratoscincus keyserlingii Strauch, 1863

Wagner, Philipp, Bauer, Aaron M., Leviton, Alan E., Wilms, Thomas M. & Böhme, Wolfgang, 2016, A Checklist of the Amphibians and Reptiles of Afghanistan *, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 63 (13), pp. 457-565 : 491-492

Teratoscincus keyserlingii Strauch, 1863 :col. 480

1863 Teratoscincus Keyserlingii Strauch, Characteristik zweier neuer Eidechsen aus Persien. Bulletin de l’Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Pétersbourg, 6:477–480.

LECTOTYPE.— ZISP 2396 , from “Seri-Tschah,” eastern Iran.

LOCALITIES.— Cia-i-Lagun (MZUF 24152); 10 km NE of Darweshan ( CAS 120309–10 ) ; Delaram, Farah Rod [river] ( MZUF 24143 ) ; 48 km W Dilaram [32°15′N, 62°50′E] ( CAS 115960 , FMNH 161079–81 ) ; 35 mi downstream from Girishk, Dasht-i-Margo Area, Chah-i-Angir ( CAS 84648–49 ) ; 5 mi W Lashkarghah, Dashti-margo Desert ( CAS 151220–22 ) ; 10 mi W Lashkargah, Daschtimargo ( CAS 147416–19 ) ; 56 km S and 10 km E of Darweshan ( CAS 120311–14 ) ; 16 km S Qala-i-Kang ( CAS 115958–59 , FMNH 161028–30 ) [see pl. 7, fig. 3 for distribution] .

REMARKS.— The correct assignment of this species in Afghanistan is complicated. Several authors mention the Afghan taxon as T. keyserlingii (e.g., Szczerbak and Golubev 1986, Sindaco and Jeremčenko 2008), a taxon first recognized as a subspecies of T. scincus and later as distinct species by Macey et al. (2005). However, Clark (1990) specifically mentioned the (at the time) nominate subspecies T. scincus scincus from Andkhoy (q.v.). Therefore, the correct status of this complex should be investigated. Alcock and Finn (1897) mentioned that Afghans believe that this species is poisonous.