Species:

Mesalina brevirostris  BLANFORD, 1874

Synonyms:

Eremias brevirostris  BOULENGER, 1887

Eremias bernoullii   SCHENKEL 1901

Eremias brevirostris brevirostris   HAAS & WERNER, 1969

Mesalina brevirostris  SZCZERBAK, 1989

Mesalina brevirostris  ŠMÍD et al., 2017

Common names:

Kurzkopf-Wüstenrenner (German)
Blanford’s Short-nosed Desert Lizard (English)

Types:

Lectotype. BMNH 1946.8.6.25. Designated by Šmíd et al. 2017.
Former Syntypes: BMNH 80.11.10.40/1946.8.6.34 and ZSI 3474 (fide DAS et al, 1998).

Terra Typica:

Restricta (SCHMIDT 1939) Tumb Island in the Persian Gulf (Iran) and Kalabagh in Punjab (Pakistan).

Taxonomic notes:

The Pakistani range seems to be formed by two disjunct populations – (1) coastal, which might represent an eastern continuation of the range of M. brevirostris s. s. documented in Iran, and (2) the Punjab population. Unfortunately, we were not able to obtain any Pakistani material for the genetic analyses and we thus cannot confirm whether the Pakistani populations are conspecific with those from the Persian Gulf. Khan (2006) noticed the presence of occipital shield in the Punjab population (found also in the paralectotype) which is usually absent in M. brevirostris s. s. and which may indicate a possible distinction of the northern Pakistani population.

Source: ŠMÍD et al. 2017.

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Blanford, W.T. (1874) -  Description of Mesalina brevirostris.  -  In: “Descriptions of new Reptilia and Amphibia from Persia and Baluchistan”. The Annals and magazine of natural history, (4) 14: 31-35.   

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• Kapli, P. & Lymberakis, P. & Poulakakis, N. & Mantziou, G. & Parmakelis, A. & Mylonas, M. (2008) -  Molecular phylogeny of three Mesalina (Reptilia: Lacertidae) species (M. guttulata, M. brevirostris and M. behaeldini) from North Africa and the Middle East: Another case of paraphyly? -  Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 49: 102-110.    

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  Mesalina is a widespread lacertid genus occurring throughout the Saharo-Sindian region from North Africa to Pakistan. It has been through a series of taxonomic revisions, but the phylogenetic relationships among the species remain unclear. In this study we estimate the phylogeographic structure of M. guttulata across most of its distributional range and we evaluate the relationships between M. guttulata and the sympatric species M. brevirostris and M. bahaeldini using partial mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences (cyt b and 16S). M. guttulata and M. brevirostris represent species complexes, whereas M. bahaeldini considered before as M. guttulata is a recently described species with very restricted distribution. Here we present the first evidence that M. guttulata is a paraphyletic taxon with respect to M. bahaeldini, while M. brevirostris proves to be a polytypic species or even a species complex, confirming previous studies. Although mtDNA markers have several properties that make them suitable for phylogeographic studies, they are not free of difficulties. Phylogeographic inferences within and between closely related species can be mislead by introgression and retention of ancestral polymorphism (incomplete lineage sorting). However, the present distribution pattern, the estimated times of divergence and the significant variation in morphology within M. guttulata led us to accept that the paraphyletic pattern observed, is most likely due to inaccurate taxonomy. Our hypothesis is that what has hitherto been considered as intraspecific variation, actually reflects species-level variation. Furthermore, our biogeographic analyses and the estimated time of divergences suggest that the present distribution of M. guttulata was the result of several dispersal and vicariant events, which are associated with historical changes (climatic oscillations and paleogeographic barriers) of late Miocene and Pliocene period.

• Šmíd, J. & Moravec, J. & Gvoždík, V. & Štundl, J. & Frynta, D. & Lymberakis, P. & Kapli, P. & Wilms, T. & Schmitz, A. & Shobrak, M. & Hosseinian Yousefkhani, S. & Rastegar-Pouyani, E. & Castilla, A.M. & Els, J. & Mayer, W. (2017) -  Cutting the Gordian Knot: Phylogenetic and ecological diversification of the Mesalina brevirostris species complex (Squamata, Lacertidae). -  Zoologica Scripta, 46 (6): 649-664.    

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  Mesalina are small lacertid lizards occurring in the Saharo-Sindian deserts from North Africa to the east of the Iranian plateau. Earlier phylogenetic studies indicated that there are several species complexes within the genus and that thorough taxonomic revisions are needed. In this study, we aim at resolving the phylogeny and taxonomy of the M. brevirostris species complex distributed from the Middle East to the Arabian/Persian Gulf region and Pakistan. We sequenced three mitochondrial and three nuclear gene fragments, and in combination with species delimitation and species-tree estimation, we infer a time-calibrated phylogeny of the complex. The results of the genetic analyses support the presence of four clearly delimited species in the complex that diverged approximately between the middle Pliocene and the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary. Species distribution models of the four species show that the areas of suitable habitat are geographically well delineated and nearly allopatric, and that most of the species have rather divergent environmental niches. Morphological characters also confirm the differences between the species, although sometimes minute. As a result of all these lines of evidence, we revise the taxonomy of the Mesalina brevirostris species complex. We designate a lectotype for Mesalina brevirostris Blanford, 1874; resurrect the available name Eremias bernoullii Schenkel, 1901 from the synonymy of M. brevirostris; elevate M. brevirostris microlepis (Angel, 1936) to species status; and describe Mesalina saudiarabica, a new species from Saudi Arabia.

• Huyssteen, R. van & Petford, M.A. & Burger, M. & Šmíd, J. & Alzahrani, A.S. & Alowaifeer, A.M. & Mottram, P. & Gaugris, J.Y. (2024) -  Reptiles of the King Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve, eastcentral Saudi Arabia: insights and conservation implications. -  Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 18(1&2): 91–106 (e335).    

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  The distribution of herpetofauna on the Arabian Peninsula is generally poorly known, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The King Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve (KARNR) in east-central Saudi Arabia is in an area predicted to have high reptile species richness, yet there is no baseline reptile checklist for the reserve. Knowing which species occur within a protected area is vital for ensuring that conservation strategies and long-term monitoring are effective. Here, we provide the first detailed list of reptile fauna occurring in the KARNR. This study recorded a total of 31 species from 1,551 observations, including 25 lizards and six snakes. A desktop study identified three additional species, bringing the total number of herpetofaunal species known in the KARNR to 34. Two of the species found in the reserve are of conservation concern: Uromastyx aegyptia (VU) and Tropiocolotes wolfgangboehmei (DD). Through species accumulation curves we were able to determine that the sampling methods implemented during the survey were adequate, and we predicted that the species richness of the reserve is likely as much as 38 species. Prior to this study, only 82 reptile records (30 species) were known from the study area, so we add a significant number of new records to the reserve and an additional four species that were previously unknown from the region.