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Eremias arguta
Steppe-runner - Eremias arguta - Pallas, 1773
Description:
This species is divided into 6 subspecies which may be different, in particular, by the below-described types of the coloration of the body and the size proportions.
The steppe-runner is up to 7-8 cm from snout to vent in length, with the tail as long or a little longer. Its body is feebly depressed and the snout is obtuse or obtuse pointed with rather prominent nostrils. The males have massive heads compared with females. The occipital plate is absent; is has two supraocular scales surrounded by small rough scales; the subocular scale does not reach the mouth opening. The dorsal scales are rounded, with very small grains, interleaved. It has 7-15 well developed femoral pores with 6-11 scales between them. The tail is more or less flattened at the base (especially in males), sometimes rounded at the end. The ventral plates are arranged transversally in 14-21 rows.
Generally the steppe-runner's color may vary, some lizards being much lighter or darker than others, and some have markings with greater contrast.
Dorsal color is usually gray, greyish brown or greenish brown with white, black-edged irregular spots (ocelli) or broken stripes with irregular dark markings, usually arranged in six longitudinal rows. Ventrally is whitish.
Biology:
In late spring or summer (May - June) the females lay 1 or 2 clutches of 3 to 12 eggs, not too deep into lose sand. The young hatch in July - August having a length of 2.5 - 3 cm from snout to vent and they will become sexually mature in its second year.
Their diet consists mainly in invertebrates like beetles, locusts, caterpillars, woodlice, spiders, worms.
The steppe-runner is a diurnal species, actively hunting. When disturbed it may run fast for long distances between bushes, taking refuge by sheltering amongst bushes, spiny shrubs, rock crevices, rodent burrows.
Habitat:
The steppe-runner is typically found in dry open places with bushy vegetation, sandy beaches or coastal dunes. It can be found up to 300 m above the sea level.
Distribution:
Range on countries: Turkey [Szczerbak 1974], E Romania, N Iran, SW Russia (in the south to the northern Caucasus, east up to the Ural River), N Azerbaidzhan, W/E Kazakhstan, Armenia (Sevan Basin), Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan (mountain regions; Issyk Kul Basin), S Moldova, S Ukraine, E Georgia, Tajikistan, SW Mongolia, NW China (Xinjiang and Nei Mongol = Inner Mongolia)
darevskii: Kyrgyzstan (Issyk Kul Lake)
deserti: Russia (Dagestan), E Romania, E Transcaucasia
potanini: from SE Kazakhstan to W China and W Mongolia
transcaucasica: Armenia (Caucasus), Kyrgyzstan
uzbekistanica: S Kazakhstan, W Uzbekistan
Scientific name: Eremias arguta
Common name: Steppe-runner
Taxonomy:
Species: Eremias arguta
Subspecies: Eremias arguta arguta (Pallas 1773)
Eremias arguta darevskii (Tsaruk, 1986)
Eremias arguta deserti (Gmelin, 1789)
Eremias arguta potanini (Bedriaga, 1912)
Eremias arguta transcaucasica (Darewskij, 1953)
Eremias arguta uzbekistanica (Tschernow, 1934)
IUCN Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed for the IUCN Red List.
References:
Arnold, E.N. 2003. Reptiles and amphibians of Europe. Princeton University Press., Princeton and Oxford;
Boulenger, George A. 1890. A list of the reptiles and batrachians of Amoorland [Russia] Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (6) 5: 137-144;
Cogalniceanu, Dan; Laurentiu Rozylowicz, Paul Székely, Ciprian Samoila, Florina Stanescu, Marian Tud 2013. Diversity and distribution of reptiles in Romania. ZooKeys 341 (2013): 49-76;
Covaciu-Marcov S.-D.; Ghira, I.; Cicort-Lucaciu A.-St., Sas I.; Strugariu, A. & Bogdan H. V. 2006. Contributions to knowledge regarding the geographical distribution of the herpetofauna of Dobrudja, Romania. North-Western Journal of Zoology 2 (2): 88-125;
Fuhn, I. & S. Vancea, 1961: Fauna Republicii Române, 14. Reptilia (Testoase, Sopârle, Serpi). Bucuresti;
Gasc, J.-P., A. Cabela, J. Crnobrnja-Isailovic, D. Dolmen, K. Grossenbacher, P. Haffner, J. Lescure, H. Martens, J.P. Martinez-Rica, H. Maurin, M.E. Oliveira, T.S. Sofianidou, M. Veith & A. Zuiderwijk, 1997: Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Europe. - Societas Europaea Herpetologica und Muséum National d'Historie Naturelle (IEGB/SPN), Paris;
Gherghel, I.; Strugariu, A. & Glavan, T. 2007. Eremias arguta deserti (Reptilia: Lacertidae) is not extinct from Romanian Moldavia. North-Western Journal of Zoology 3| (2): 115-120;
Szczerbak, N.N. 2003. Guide to the Reptiles of the Eastern Palearctic. Krieger, Malabar, FL, 260 pp.;
Sos, T. 2008. Review of recent taxonomic and nomenclatural changes in European Amphibia and Reptilia related to Romanian herpetofauna. Herpetologica Romanica 2: 61-91
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