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A New Specimen of Eublepharis

angramainyu Anderson et Leviton, 1966
(Reptilia: Sauria: Eublepharidae), Leopard
Gecko, in Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey.
ARTICLE JANUARY 2008

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1 AUTHOR:
etin Ilgaz
Dokuz Eylul University
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Russian Journal of Herpetology

Vol. 15, No. 2, 2008, pp. 129 132

A NEW SPECIMEN OF Eublepharis angramainyu ANDERSON ET LEVITON, 1966

(REPTILIA: SAURIA: EUBLEPHARIDAE), LEOPARD GECKO, IN
SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA, TURKEY

Nazan zm,1* Aziz Avc,1 etin Ilgaz,2 and Kurtulu Olgun1

Submitted July 13, 2007.
A female Eublepharis angramainyu Anderson et Leviton, 1966, Leopard Gecko, was found from a new locality
(Akku Village, Harran, anlurfa, Turkey) in Southeastern Anatolia. The distribution range of the species was
extended with additional new locality (Akku Village) in Southeastern Anatolia. Regarding pholidosis characters, morphometric measurements and color-pattern features, Akku specimen show a similarity with Arsanl and
iekalan specimens in Turkey.
Keywords: Eublepharis angramainyu, new locality, distribution, morphology, Southeastern Anatolia.

INTRODUCTION
Genus Eublepharis includes four valid species
(E. angramainyu Anderson et Leviton, 1966; E. macularis (Blyth, 1854); E. turkmenicus Darevsky, 1977;
E. hardwickii Gnther, 1874). Its range extends from
Turkey to India including Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Northern India, and Southwestern Anatolia (Martens and Kock, 1991; Grismer, 1998;
Anderson, 1999; Gmen et al., 2002).
E. angramainyu, the leopard gecko, was described
between Masjed Soleyman and Batvand Khuzestan
Province, Iran in 1966 by Anderson and Leviton. E. angramainyu occurs in the western foothills of the Zagros
Mountain and in the upper Tigris Euphrates basin in
Iran, Iraq and northeast of Syria (Anderson and Leviton,
1966; Leviton et al., 1992; Disi and Bhme, 1996; Anderson, 1999).
Recently, Gmen et al. (2002) found E. angramainyu, from Kara Dagh-Arsanl, approximately 8 km
southeast of Birecik, anlurfa Province, Turkey. So a
new family was added to Turkish Herpetofauna and the
1 Adnan Menderes University, Science and Art Faculty, Department
of Biology, 09010 Aydn, Turkey.
2
Dokuz Eyll University, Fauna and Flora Research and Application
Center, Buca-zmir, 35150, Turkey.
* Corresponding author: Nazan zm, Adnan Menderes University,
Science and Art Faculty, Department of Biology, Aydn, Turkey;
E-mail: ntaskin@adu.edu.tr, Tel: +90 (256) 212-8498,
fax: +90 (256) 213-5379.

northernmost known limit of this taxon was extended.

Tosunolu et al. (2005) obtained three new specimens
(one male and two females) from the village of iekalan, Birecik, anlurfa, Turkey and described detailed
morphological characteristics of the specimens as well
as habitat features of the region collecting the specimens. They also stated that the differences of E. angramainyu with the related taxa including E. turmenicus
and E. macularis. In the following account, Leopard
Gecko specimen found from Akku Village, Harran
(Fig. 1), ~100 km southeast of Birecik were described
morphologically and compared with relevant data given
in literature.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The specimen was collected from Akku Village,
Harran, anlurfa, Turkey (Fig. 1) on 02 May 2007 (leg.
A. Avc). They were deposited in the Zoology Laboratory. of the Department of Biology at Science and Arts
Faculty, Adnan Menderes University.
Color and pattern characteristics were recorded
while the specimens were still alive, and color slides
taken while the animals were alive were utilized in the
study. The specimens were anaesthetized with ether,
fixed with a 96% ethanol, and later kept in 70% ethanol.
The terminology used in describing the specimen conforms to Szczerbak and Golubev (1996) and Anderson
(1999). Pholidosis characteristics refer to the numbers of

1026-2296/2008/1502-0129 2008 Folium Publishing Company

130

Nazan zm et al.
was quite longer than previously measured specimens
from Iran and iekalan, but it was similar with that in
Arsanl.
The supranasal plate is unified separated by a single,
pentagonal internasal plate. Shape of the internasal plate
was determined as hexagonal in Arsanl and iekalan
specimens (Gmen et al., 2002; Tosunolu et al.,
2005). The width of the internasal plate exceeds its
length. Nostril surrounded by six plates. Pentagonal
shaped mental plate is shorter (2.10 mm) than wide
(4.68 mm) and followed by four rows of enlarged plates
(postmentals). Chin shields (the first row of postmentals) is in contact with first lower labials. The length
of ear opening is longer (6.10 mm) than its width
(3.62 mm) as indicated by Gmen et al. (2002) and
Tosunolu et al. (2005). The numbers of supralabials are
11/10 (left/right). According to literature (Gmen et
al., 2002; Tosunolu et al., 2005), Turkish specimens
have 11 supralabials. The number of supralabials stated
as 10 by Szczerbak and Golubev (1996). Our specimen
was lower in supralabial counts (on right side) than
those of Turkish specimens but similar to those given in
Szczerbak and Golubev (1996). Ventral scales with 26
longitudinal series on mid-body are hexagonal in shape
and non-imbricate. According to Anderson (1999), the
number of longitudinal series of ventral plate is ranges
from 27 to 38. Gmen et al. (2002) found this value as
26 while their numbers were changed for females from
23 to 27 in iekalan specimens (Tosunolu et al.,
2005). There are not any preanal pores between the anal
cleft and the ventral scales. Anderson reported that
preanal pores are discernible in females. Subdigital lamellae are smooth and their numbers are 21 on both

Fig. 1. Distribution of Eublepharis angramainyu, showing the known

distribution according to the literature, with a star for the new locality.
Data from Gmen et al. (2002) and Tosunolu et al. (2005). 1, Arsanl Village, Birecik, anlurfa; 2, iekalan Village, Birecik, anl
urfa; 3, Akku Village, Harran, anlurfa.

plates and scales and the interrelation between them.

Morphometric measurements were taken by using a dial
caliper (0.02 mm).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The specimen is an adult female and total length is
245.98 mm (snout-vent length 147.78 mm; tail length
98.20 mm) (Fig. 2). Anderson (1999) stated that Iranian
specimens have 126.00 127.00 mm in snout-vent
length (SVL) and 86.00 90.00 mm in tail length (TL).
Gmen et al. (2002) found SVL as 148.00 mm for
Arsanl specimen whereas SVL measurements for females were determined as 132.00 and 132.50 mm respectively in iekalan specimens (Tosunolu et al.,
2005). According to SVL measurements, our specimen

TABLE 1. Pholidosis Characters and Morphometric Measurements of the Five Specimens of Eublepharis angramainyu Anderson et Leviton,
1966, known from Turkey
Characters
SVL, mm
TL, mm
Ear opening vertical length, mm
Ear opening horizontal length, mm
Supralabials
Infralabials
Periocular scales
Preanal pores
Ventrals (longitudinal rows at mid-body)
Subdigital lamellae underneath 4th toe
Contact of Infralabial I with Postmental I

148.00
66.00*
5.00
2.00
11
11

13
26
24
Present

132.00
64.00*
5.34
2.08
11
11
46
12
23
24
Present

132.50
88.00
5.86
3.76
11
11
48
11
26
24
Present

151.00
105.00
6.06
5.10
11
11
46
12
27
24
Present

147.78
98.20
6.10
3.62
11/10 (left/right)
11/13 (left/right)
47
discernible
26
21
Present

Note. A, Gmen at al. (2002); B, Tosunolu et al. (2005); C, this study; *, specimens with regenerated tail.

A New Specimen of Eublepharis angramainyu Anderson et Leviton, 1966 in Turkey

131

Fig. 2. General view of female Eublepharis angramainyu specimen collected from Akku Village, Harran, anlurfa.

fourth toe of the hind limb. The number of subdigital

lamellae was found as 24 in both Arsanl and iekalan
specimens (Gmen et al., 2002; Tosunolu et al.,
2005). Our specimen was absolutely lower in subdigital
lamellae counts than those from Arsanl and iekalan.
On the tail first and second whorls have two transverse
rows of ventrals in each caudal whorl but rests of them
have three transverse rows of ventrals.
The morphometric measurements and pholidosis
characters are summarized and compared with those of
the other Turkish specimens captured from Arsanl Village (Gmen et al., 2002) and iekalan Village (Tosunolu et al., 2005) in Table 1.
The background of the body is dark yellow with
dark brown spots that are arranged in transversal rows.
These spots are roughly arranged in longitudinal rows in
wider interspaces on the head (Fig. 2). Tubercles on the
flanks of the body are quite big and arranged close together. Three wide, dark transversal bands lay on the
dorsal side of the body (on the shoulder, mid-body and
sacral region). There are quite big brown spots at the
beginning and end of these bands. Tail is covered with

numerous dark spots, which are oriented transversely.

Flanks and limbs have few small brown spots and dots.
Ventral surface of the body is whitish.
Our specimen agrees with the description given
for Eublepharis angramainyu (Anderson and Leviton,
1966; Leviton et al., 1992; Anderson, 1999; Gmen et
al., 2002; Tosunoglu et al., 2005). Moreover, the distribution range of the species was extended with additional
new locality in Southeastern Anatolia.
REFERENCES
Anderson S. C. (1999), The Lizards of Iran, Soc. for the
Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Oxford (OH).
Anderson S. C. and Leviton A. E. (1966), A new species of
Eublepharis from southwestern Iran (Reptilia: Gekkonidae), Occas. Papers California Acad. Sci., 53, 1 5.
Disi A. M. and Bhme W. (1996), Zoogeography of the amphibians and reptiles of Syria, with additional new records, Herpetozoa, 9, 63 70.
Grismer L. L. (1998), Phylogeny, taxonomy, classification
and biogeography of euplepharid geckos, in: Estes R. and

132
Pregil G. (eds.), Phylogenetic Relationships of the Lizard
Families, Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, pp. 369 468.
Gmen B., Tosunolu M., and Ayaz D. (2002), First record of the Leopard Gecko Eublepharis angramainyu
(Reptilia: Sauria: Euplepharidae) from Anatolia, Herpetol. J., 12, 79 80.
Leviton A. E., Anderson S. C., Adler K. K., and
Minton S. A. (1992), Handbook to Middle East Amphibians and Reptiles. Contributions in Herpetology. No. 8,
Soc. for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Oxford
(OH).

Nazan zm et al.
Martens H. and Kock D. (1991), Erstnachweise fr drei
Gecko-Gattungen in Syrien (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae), Senckenbergiana Biol., 71(1/3), 15 21.
Szczerbak N. N. and Golubev M. L. (1996), Gecko Fauna of
the USSR and Continuous Regions. Contributions in Herpetology. No. 13, Soc. for the Study of Amphibians and
Reptiles, Oxford (OH).
Tosunolu M., Ayaz D., Tok C. V., Olgun K., and Afar M.
(2005), Morphology of Eublepharis angramainyu Anderson et Leviton, 1966 in Turkey, Herpetozoa, 18(1/2),
61 62.