About Acanthodactylus boskianus (Daudin, 1802)
Size
Acanthodactylus boskianus is a medium-sized lizard, with a snout-to-vent length ranging from 5 to 8 cm (2.0 to 3.1 inches). Males are typically larger than females.
Foot Structure
Its feet have long, slender fringed digits.
Dorsal Coloration
The dorsal surface is olive-grey, marked with five longitudinal dark stripes; the central of these stripes subdivides at the neck.
Ventral Coloration
The ventral surface is whitish, but during the breeding season, the underside of the female's tail becomes suffused with red.
Juvenile Appearance
Juveniles of this species have blue tails.
Geographic Range
Acanthodactylus boskianus occurs in Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, southern Turkey, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Activity Pattern
Across most of its range, it is one of the most common diurnal lizards.
Habitat Types
It can be found in a variety of habitats, including coastal plains, cultivated areas, saltmarshes, oases, and wadis.
Substrate and Vegetation
It typically occurs in areas with light to moderate vegetation cover, over sandy or gravelly substrates.
