China / Nei Mongol province, Alashan desert. 

Species:

Eremias quadrifrons  (STRAUCH, 1876)

Synonyms:

Podarces (Eremias) quadrifrons   STRAUCH, 1876

Eremias quadrifrons   BOULENGER, 1887

Common names:

Alashan Racerunner (English)
Alachan Wüstenrenner (German)

Types:

Holotype: ZISP 3930, China, Alashan desert, Coll. N.M. Przhevalsky

Terra Typica:

lashan Desert, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), China.


Taxonomic notes:

Subgenus Pareremias

One of the most enigmatic Central Asian Eremias species is E. qaudrifrons described from Alashan desert (Strauch 1876), known only from a single holotype specimen; despite numerous attempts other specimens of this species were not recorded during consequent surveys (Szczerbak 1974). Szczerbak (1974) assumed that there is a possibility that E. qaudrifrons description was based on an abnormal specimen of E. multiocellata. Our sampling includes several populations in vicinity of the type locality of E. qaudrifrons ; some of them show striped dorsal pattern similar to that described for E. quadrifrons. However further studies including fieldwork in the envrions E. quadrifrons type locality are required to clarify taxonomic status of this species and its phylogenetic relationships with E. multiocellata species complex.

Source: Orlova et al. (2017)


Relevant taxonomic literature:

  • Strauch, A. (1876) -  Description of Eremias quadrifrons. -  In: PRZEWALSKI, N.M. 1876. Mongoliya i Strana Tangutov. Tryokhletneye puteshestviye v Vostochnoj Nagoruoj Asii (= Mongolia and the Tangut Country. A Three-Year Travel in Eastern High Asia). Volumes 1-2. Imper. Russ. Geogr. Soc., St. Petersburg (in Russian; English edition, London 1876, French edition, Paris 1880, German edition, Jena 1887; abridged Russian edition with added notes, Moscow 1946).   

  • Orlova, V.F. & Poyarkov, N.A. & Chirikova, M.A. & Nazarov, R.A. & Munkhbataar, M. & Munkhbayar, K. & Terbish, K. (2017) -  MtDNA differentiation and taxonomy of Central Asian racerunners of Eremias multiocellata-E. przewalskii species complex (Squamata, Lacertidae) -  Zootaxa 4282 (1): 1-42.