Armenia, northeastern Türkiye (Vilayets Erzurum, Ardahan and Agri) and southern Georgia. 

Species:

Darevskia unisexualis  (DAREVSKY, 1966)

Synonyms:

Lacerta saxicola defilippii  CHERNOV, 1939

Lacerta `unisexualis`  DAREVSKY, 1966

Darevskia unisexualis  ARRIBAS, 1997

Common names:

White-Bellied Lizard (English)
Weissbauch-Felseneidechse (German)

Types:

Holotype: ZISP 17929, female (also given as ZIAS, Zool. Inst., Academy of Science, Leningrad).

Terra Typica:

Achta, in the canyon of Razdan River in northern Armenia, 1800 m asl.


Taxonomic notes:

Parthenogenetic unisexual species. As well as D. bendimahiensis and D. sapphirina comes from a cross of D. valentini (♂) and D. raddei (♀).

Etymology: The species name is derived from Latin words “unis”—single, only, and “sex”—gender, in reference to the parthenogenetic method of reproduction of this species.


Relevant taxonomic literature:

  • Darevsky, I.S. (1966) -  Description of Darevskia unisexualis. -  In: “Natural parthogenesis in a polymorphic group of Caucasian Rock lizards related to Lacerta saxicola EVERSMANN”. - Journal of the Ohio Herpetological Society, 5 (4): 115-152.   

  • Bischoff, W. (2003) -  Die Eidechsenfauna Georgiens. Teil II. Die Gattung Darevskia. -  Die Eidechse, Bonn, 14 (3): 65-93.    

  • Ciobanu, D.G. & Grechko, V.V. & Darevsky, I.S. (2003) -  Molecular Evolution of Satellite DNA CLsat in Lizards from the Genus Darevskia (Sauria: Lacertidae): Correlation with Species Diversity. -  Russian Journal of Genetics, Moscow, 39 (11): 1292-1305.    

    Чобану Д.Г., Гречко В.В., Даревский И.С. (2003) -  Молекулярная эволюция сателлитной ДНК CLSAT ящериц рода Darevskia (Sauria: Laeertidae): корреляция с видовым разнообразием. -  Генетика, 39 (11): 1527-1541.  

  • Korchagin, V.I. & Martirosyan, I.A. & Omelchenko, A.V. & Darevsky, I.S. & Ryskov, A.P. & Tokarskaya, O.N. (2004) -  Study of Allelic Polymorphism of (GATA)n-Containing Loci in Parthenogenetic Lizards Darevskia unisexualis (Lacertidae). -  Russian Journal of Genetics, Moscow, 40 (10): 1095-1101.    

    Корчагин B.И., Мартиросян И.А., Омельченко А.В., Даревский И.С., Рысков А.П., Токарская О.Н. (2004) -  Изучение аллельного полиморфизма (GATA)n - содержащих локусов партеногенетических ящериц Darevskia unisexualis (сем. Lacertidae). -  Генетика, 40 (10): 1336-1342.