Taxonomic status of sand boas of the genus Eryx (Daudin, 1803) (Serpentes: Boidae) in Bahr Al-Najaf depression, Al-Najaf Province, Iraq

Document Type : Research articles

Authors

• Fadhil Abbas Rhadhi
• Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani
• Rasoul Karamiani
• Rihab Ghaleb Mohammed

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, 67149 67346 Kermanshah, Iran

10.22067/ijab.v11i2.45157

Abstract

Five metric and 10 meristic characters were studied in 30 specimens of Eryx (Daudin, 1803) in Bahr Al-Najaf depression, Al-Najaf Province – Iraq. According to the results, and considering the principle of priority, we concluded that the populations of E. jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the study area should be classified into E. jaculus jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758) and E. jaculus familiaris Eichwald, 1831. In addition, ten specimens belonging to a population of Eryx in the area were found to differ from all other E. jaculus. They have second upper labial scale being lower than the third one scale. These specimens, which are tentatively regarded as Eryx cf. miliaris (Pallas, 1773), need more comprehensive study to clarify their taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationship using more morphological traits, ecology, and molecular studies.

Keywords

• Eryx
• morphological characters
• Bahr Al-Najaf depression
• Iraq

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