Genetic diversity among sea snakes of the genus Hydrophis (Elapidae, Reptilia) in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

Sea snakes of the genus Hydrophis are important components of animal diversity in Iranian waters of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Ten species of Hydrophis have been identified from the these waters and, in this study, genetic structure of seven species was compared with other populations in the eastern Indian Ocean and the West Pacific. We found that six species (H.platurus, H.cyanocinctus, H.spiralis, H.schistosus, H.gracilis, and H.lapemiodes) show high genetic similarity with conspecific populations in the Indian Ocean and Australia. However, H.curtus from southern Iran shows a high level of genetic differentiation from conspecific populations in Sri Lanka and Indonesia (0.6% and 6% genetic distance from Sri Lankan samples for 16S and COI gene fragments, respectively). Variation between Iranian and Southeast Asian populations may reflect new genetic lineages and suggest the need of further morphological evaluations to re-evaluate their taxonomic position.

Kukri snakes Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 of the Western Palearctic with the resurrection of Contia transcaspica Nikolsky, 1902 (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae).

The kukri snakes of the genus Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 reach the westernmost limits of their distribution in Middle and Southwest Asia (Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan), and the Palearctic portions of Pakistan. In this article, we review the systematics and distribution of the two species native to this region, Oligodon arnensis (Shaw, 1802) and Oligodon taeniolatus (Jerdon, 1853) based on an integrative approach combining morphological, molecular, and species distribution modeling (SDM) data. Phylogenetic analyses recover O. taeniolatus populations from Iran and Turkmenistan in a clade with the O. arnensis species complex, rendering the former species paraphyletic relative to O. taeniolatus sensu stricto on the Indian subcontinent. To correct this, we resurrect the name Contia transcaspica Nikolsky, 1902 from the synonymy of O. taeniolatus and assign it to populations in Middle-Southwest Asia. So far, Oligodon transcaspicus comb. et stat. nov. is known only from the Köpet-Dag Mountain Range of northeast Iran and southern Turkmenistan, but SDM mapping suggests it may have a wider range. Genetic samples of O. "arnensis" from northern Pakistan are nested in a clade sister to the recently described Oligodon churahensis Mirza, Bhardwaj & Patel, 2021, and are phylogenetically separate from O. arnensis sensu stricto in south India and Sri Lanka. Based on morphological similarity, the Afghanistan and Pakistan populations are assigned to Oligodon russelius (Daudin, 1803) and we synonymize O. churahensis with this species. Our investigation leads us to remove O. taeniolatus from the snake fauna of Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan, with the consequence that only Oligodon transcaspicus comb. et stat. nov. and O. russelius are present in these countries. Additional studies are needed to resolve the taxonomy of the O. taeniolatus and O. arnensis species complexes on the Indian subcontinent, and an updated key for both groups is provided.

Description of Electrogena sartorii sp. nov., a new representative of the genus Electrogena Zurwerra amp; Tomka, 1985 (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae), from Iran using molecular and morphological data.

A new species, Electrogena sartorii sp. nov., is described at the larval stage using molecular and morphological data from Iran. In addition, two species; Electrogena gibedede Sroka Godunko, 2012 and Anapos kugleri (Demoulin, 1973) are recorded from Iran for the first time. Considering the fact that many areas in Iran are not well explored an urgent and complete survey, in particular on the order Ephemeroptera, is needed to uncover the real biodiversity.

A new species of the genus Eirenis Jan, 1863 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Kerman Province in South-central Iran.

A new species of Dwarf Snakes, Eirenis rafsanjanicus sp. n., is described from south-central Iran. This species is well distinguished from other congeners in both molecular and morphological characters, and its description increases the number of described Eirenis species to 26. Eirenis rafsanjanicus sp. n. is genetically closest (6% in Cytb) to the recently described E. yassujicus, which inhabits high habitats in southern Iran. Morphologically, E. rafsanjanicus sp. n. is more similar to E. modestus than to other congeners. A revised key to the genus is presented.

A new species of Eryx (Serpentes: Erycidae) from Iran.

We describe a new species of the genus Eryx Daudin, 1803 from southern Iran that is morphologically closely related to the Indian sand boa, E. johnii. The new species, Eryx sistanensis sp. nov. has a distribution range from Zabol in the Sistan Region to the southern parts of Sistan Baluchistan, as well as Hormozgan Province of Iran. Morphologically, E. sistanensis sp. nov. differs from E. johnii by having fewer dorsal scale rows at midbody and the tail tip is not as blunt as E. johnii. The genetic distance (p-distance) between the new species and the Indian sand boa is considerable (9.1% for cytb and 11.8% for COI).

Reptile species richness associated to ecological and historical variables in Iran.

Spatial gradients of species richness can be shaped by the interplay between historical and ecological factors. They might interact in particularly complex ways in heterogeneous mountainous landscapes with strong climatic and geological contrasts. We mapped the distribution of 171 lizard species to investigate species richness patterns for all species (171), diurnal species (101), and nocturnal species (70) separately. We related species richness with the historical (past climate change, mountain uplifting) and ecological variables (climate, topography and vegetation). We found that assemblages in the Western Zagros Mountains, north eastern and north western parts of Central Iranian Plateau have the highest number of lizard species. Among the investigated variables, annual mean temperature explained the largest variance for all species (10%) and nocturnal species (31%). For diurnal species, temperature change velocity shows strongest explained variance in observed richness pattern (26%). Together, our results reveal that areas with annual temperature of 15-20 °C, which receive 400-600 mm precipitation and experienced moderate level of climate change since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) have highest number of species. Documented patterns of our study provide a baseline for understanding the potential effect of ongoing climate change on lizard diversity in Iran.

A new species of the genus Microgecko Nikolsky, 1907 (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from the southern Zagros Mountains, Iran.

The dwarf geckos of the genus Microgecko Nikolsky, 1907 comprise five recognized species, ranging from western Iran to northwestern India. Iran harbors four species of the genus Microgecko. Until now, all populations of the genus Microgecko with a single pair of the postmental shields (as a key diagnostic character) were assigned to M. helenae. Here, based on significant differences in scalation characters, distinct coloration, and ecological peculiarities of habitat as well as support of our present molecular study we distinguish and describe a new species, Microgecko varaviensis sp. nov. within the M. helenae complex, from the southern regions of the Zagros Mountains in Fars Province, southern Iran. Detailed information and an updated identification key for the genus Microgecko are also presented.

Genetic variability among Paralaudakia microlepis (Blanford, 1874) (Sauria: Agamidae) populations in the Iranian Plateau.

The small scaled rock agama, Paralaudakia microlepis, is an agamid lizard distributed across many parts of the Iranian Plateau. In the present paper, our aim is to study the genetic variability among different populations of this species in Iran. Based on the ND4 mitochondrial gene fragment, we uncovered high levels of genetic variability between three main clades of the species in Iran. Based on these results, the South Khorasan and Fars populations diverged firstly and then the Kerman and the Sistan-Baluchestan populations split. This pattern of divergence suggests an important role of the Zagros Mountain in the differentiation among populations of P. microlepis in Iran during the mid-Miocene. The Zagros uplift and subsequent aridification in the Iranian Plateau might have been involved in the variation among populations of this species because they are restricted to specific ecological niches. The greater genetic distances between the Fars and South Khorasan populations indicated that they have the potential to be described as different subspecies of P. microlepis. Comparison of all P. microlepis, P. erythrogastra and P. caucasia populations using both molecular and morphological characters is needed to make a strong taxonomic decision on the clade as a whole.

The phylogenetic relationships and molecular systematics of scincid lizards of the genus Heremites (Sauria, Scincidae) in the Middle East based on mtDNA sequences.

The taxonomic status of species included in the genus Heremites in Iran and Iraq is uncertain. Three of these species have been assigned to the genus based on morphology: Heremites auratus transcaucasica, H. vittatus, and H. septemtaeniatus. We examined the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status of the Iranian and Iraqi species of Heremites by performing phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial DNA sequences (cytochrome b and 16S rRNA). Phylogenetic relationships and estimated genetic distances indicated that the Heremites populations of the area (Iran and Iraq) form five distinct clades. Three of these clades are found only in Iran, specifically in: (1) Fars and Hormozgan provinces; (2) Northeastern Khuzestan; and (3) Khorasan and Isfahan provinces. The fourth clade (H. septemtaeniatus) is found in west and Mahshahr in Iran as well as in eastern and northern parts of Iraq. The fifth clade, Heremites vittatus, is found in Iran and Iraq. We also confirm the absence of H. auratus in Iran and Iraq. It also indicated that H. vittatus is sister taxon to the other groups that our analyses estimate the divergence of this clade in the Middle Miocene (15.9 Mya). The clade containing the Fars-Hormozgan and Khuzestan populations diverged at the end of the Miocene (8.5 Mya). The Isfahan and Khorasan populations separated at the Pliocene (4.2 Mya) from the western Iranian group, the group in Mahshahr, Iran and the groups in northern and eastern Iraq.

Description of a new species of the genus Agamura Blanford, 1874 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from southern Iran.

Herein, we describe a new species of spider gecko, Agamura kermanensis sp. nov., from south Kerman, Iran. The new species is distinguished from other species by having long forelimbs and hindlimbs and a high interorbital distance. Agamura kermanensis sp. nov. was discovered in the Faryab region of southern Kerman Province, which has a xeric climate and low vegetation density. The habitat of the species is similar to that of A. cruralis in southeast Iran. It can be assumed that the distribution of the species is more extensive than currently known. More investigation is required in Jazmourian and the surrounding areas. This is the third species of the genus Agamura discovered on the Iranian Plateau.

A revised key to the lizards of Iran (Reptilia: Squamata: Lacertilia).

During recent years several lizard taxa have been added to the faunal list of Iran. Descriptions and new records are scattered in different publications in the herpetological literature. We here present species accounts for 152 species belonging to 43 genera and 10 families up to July 2016. The most diverse family is Lacertidae with 9 genera, 49 species and 2 subspecies, followed by Gekkonidae with 13 genera and 43 species, Agamidae with 5 genera, 18 species and 4 subspecies, Scincidae with 7 genera, 18 species and 2 subspecies, Phyllodactylidae with 1 genus and 10 species, Sphaerodactylidae with 2 genera and 4 species, Varanidae with 1 genus, 3 species and 2 subspecies, Uromastycidae with 2 genera and 3 species, Eublepharidae with 1 genus and 3 species, and Anguidae with 2 genera and 2 species. The current paper provides a dichotomous key including all of the currently recognized lizards of Iran.

The first taxonomic revaluation of the Iranian water frogs of the genus Pelophylax (Anura: Ranidae) using sequences of the mitochondrial genome.

The Eurasian water frog species and their geographic ranges have undergone considerable changes in the last four decades, but the Iranian populations have largely remained unknown. All the Iranian populations of water frogs, despite their vast distribution range have attributed to a single species: Rana ridibunda. In order to understand the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status of water frogs of Iran, we collected samples from many populations across the country and used the mitochondrial DNA sequence variation. A data set with a final sequence length of 616 nucleotides was generated for Cyt b from 70 individuals of Pelophylax in which there are 422 invariable sites, 174 variable sites of which 123 were parsimony informative. In total, 43 haplotypes were found (Hd: 0.9752). The result demonstrated that, two major clades with strong support can be identified within the Iranian water frogs. One of these clades that include north western and southwestern populations forms a monophyletic group along with P. bedriagae samples from Turkey. The second clade consists of water frog populations of north and northeastern parts of Iran which in turn is subdivided into two subclades. Inclusion of water frog samples from adjacent areas showed that the second clade of our study is, most likely, a distinct taxonomic entity at species rank with its two subclades indicating two diagnosable subspecies for the clade. In conclusion, we suggest that two distinct species, P. bedriagae and Pelophylax sp., with its two subspecies, should be identified as water frogs of Iran. In Addition, another traditionally reported water frog of Iran, P.ridibundus, most likely should be excluded from the Iranian water frog's checklist.

Nereididae (Annelida: Phyllodocida) of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, including description of two new species and 11 new records.

Currently, only 31 nereidid species are known from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The present study was carried out in order to investigate the poorly known diversity of nereidid polychaetes from seas of the southern coasts of Iran. Specimens were collected from 23 locations along the intertidal zones of the two water bodies. Among the 26 species found: two are new, and are described here, including Simplisetia qeshmensis sp. nov. and Neanthes biparagnatha sp. nov.; 11 are new geographical records. Neanthes biparagnatha sp. nov. is most similar to N. deplanata (Mohammed, 1971), which is also found in the Persian Gulf, but can be most easily distinguished from it by the presence of bars in addition to cones in Area IV of the pharynx. Simplisetia qeshmensis sp. nov. may be distinguished from its closest congener, S. erythraeensis (Fauvel, 1918), also reported from the Persian Gulf, by having a greater number of paragnaths in Area I of the pharynx, an additional type of chaeta (homogomph spinigers) in the ventral neuropodial fascicle and having a reduced notopodial lobe in posterior chaetigers. The list of new records includes: one species from both areas, Neanthes glandicincta (Southern, 1921); eight species from the Persian Gulf, Leonnates decipiens Fauvel, 1929, Neanthes acuminata (Ehlers, 1868), Neanthes sp., Neanthes sp. cf. N. acuminata, Nereis sp. cf. N. pelagica Linnaeus, 1758, Perinereis cultrifera (Grube, 1840) species complex., Pseudonereis trimaculata (Horst, 1924), Pseudonereis sp. cf. P. variegata (Grube, 1857) and two from the Gulf of Oman, Leonnates persicus Wesenberg-Lund, 1949 and Perinereis kuwaitensis Mohammed, 1970. The present study brings to 40 the number of nereidid species currently known from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. A taxonomic key to nereidid species from the intertidal zones of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman is presented to facilitate future investigations.

Resolving species delimitation within the genus Bunopus Blanford, 1874 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) in Iran using DNA barcoding approach.

Mitochondrial COI sequences were used to investigate species delimitation within the genus Bunopus in Iran. A dataset with a final sequence length of 633 nucleotides including 100 specimens from 31 geographically distant localities across Iran were generated. The result demonstrated that two major clades with strong support can be identified within the genus Bunopus in Iran. Clade A includes Bunopus crassicaudus and two new entities, eastern populations (subclade A2,1) and Shahdad populations (subclade A2,2). The second clade comprises western and southwestern populations (subclade B1,1), Arabian populations (subclade B1,2) and south and southeast populations in Iran, to which Bunopus tuberculatus (subclade B2) is assigned. In addition to Bunopus crassicaudus and B. tuberculatus, three new candidate species in Iran can easily be identified based on the DNA barcoding approach.

A new species of the genus Eremias Fitzinger, 1834 (Squamata: Lacertidae) from Central Iran, supported by mtDNA sequences and morphology.

A new species of the lacertid genus Eremias Fitzinger, 1834 is described from northwest of Isfahan province, Central Iran. Two mitochondrial genes (cyt b and 12S DNA) were sequenced and analyzed as reliable molecular markers for the separation of this newly discovered species from closely related species within the genus Eremias: E. velox, E. persica, E. papenfussi, E. lalezharica, E. montana, E. strauchi, E. kopetdaghica and E. suphani. Genetic distances (K2-p) between any of these species with the newly described species are relatively high (27.5-32.8% for cyt b and 5.2-10.4% for 12S DNA). Phylogenetic analyses (MP, ML and BI) generated trees with very similar topologies. According to molecular and morphological data, Eremias isfahanica sp. nov. belongs to the subgenus Aspidorhinus, and is closely related to E. papenfussi. Because several new Eremias species have recently been described from the Iranian Plateau, we additionally provide an updated identification key.

A new species of the genus Microgecko Nikolsky, 1907 (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from southern Iran.

The dwarf geckos of the recently revived genus Microgecko Nikolsky, 1907 comprise four species, ranging from western Iran to northwestern India. Iran hosts three species of the four recognized species of the genus Microgecko. Here, we describe a new species of this genus based on two and single specimens from southeastern and southern Iran, respectively. Combinations of scalation characters and distinct morphology, coloration and habitat peculiarities in calcareous mountains distinguish Microgecko chabaharensis sp. nov. from its congeners. Detailed information and an updated identification key for the genus Microgecko are also presented.

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the genus Acanthodactylus Fitzinger, 1834 (Reptilia: Lacertidae) in Iran, inferred from mtDNA Sequences.

Phylogenetic relationships of Iranian Acanthodactylus species were investigated using 1407 bp of mitochondrial DNA including 606 bp of cytochrome b and 801 bp of NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4). Analyses done with maximum parsimony, maximum-likelihood, and Bayesian inference included 67 specimens from 27 geographically distinct localities in Iran. Our molecular results proposed three clear and geographically isolated clades by their phylogenetic positions and genetic differences. These three major clades are: (1) A. micropholis+ A. grandis+ A. khamirensis; (2) A. blanfordi+ A. schmidti+ Acanthodactylus sp1; (3) A. nilsoni+ A. boskianus + Acanthodactylus sp2. The phylogenetic analyses of the genus did not group A. grandis with the remaining species of the A. boskianus group and clustered it along with A. khamirensis within the A. micropholis group. In addition, phylogenetic results revealed a monophyletic status for A. schmidti and A. micropholis groups. Molecular clock approach indicated that the most recent divergence event splits A. micropholis from A. khamirensis about 2 MYA and results of dispersal-vicariance analyses showed that this diversification occurred by dispersal event rather than vicariance. Results of Reconstruct Ancestral State in Phylogenies (RASP) showed that Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) of A. micropholis, A. blanfordi and A. sp1 originated in eastern Iran. The first diversification of the genus in Iran most likely occurred between 8.5-9 MYA corresponding with the hypothesis that the genus has entered Iran long after the complete uplifting of the Zagros Mts. (10-12 MYA) which limited its dispersal only to the Persian Gulf shores and western slopes of the Zagros Mts.