Eumeces schneiderii (Daudin, 1802)

Scientific Nomenclature and Identification Overview

Eumeces schneiderii (Daudin, 1802) can be identified by the following morphological traits: It has a moderately sized head, with a short, obtuse snout.

Nasal Scale Characteristics

The nasal scale is rather large, usually divided, and in contact with the two anterior upper labials; there is no postnasal scale.

Supraocular and Nuchal Scale Traits

It has 5 supraocular scales, with the three anterior ones in contact with the frontal scale; the parietals are entirely separated by the interparietal; there are 4 or 5 pairs of nuchal scales.

Ear Opening and Postmental Scales

The ear opening is rather large, with 4 or 5 long, pointed lobules on its anterior edge, and it has 2 azygous postmental scales.

Mid-Body Scale Features

There are 22 to 28 scales around the mid-body; these scales are perfectly smooth, with the lateral scales being the smallest, and the scales of the two median dorsal series are very broad and larger than the ventral scales.

Hind Limb Proportions

The length of the hind limb is 2.5 to 3 times shorter than the snout-to-vent length.

Limb Pressing Characteristics

When pressed against the body, the limbs just meet or do not reach each other.

Subcaudal Scale Traits

It has a series of transversely enlarged subcaudal scales.

Dorsal Coloration

Dorsal coloration is olive-grey or brownish, and may be uniform or marked with irregular golden-yellow spots or longitudinal streaks.

Lateral Marking

A constant marking is a yellowish lateral streak that extends from below the eye to the hind limb.

Ventral Coloration

Undersurfaces are yellowish white.

Size Measurements

Adult snout-to-vent length reaches 16.5 cm (6.5 inches), and total length including the tail reaches 36.5 cm (14.5 inches), with the tail alone measuring 20 cm (8 inches).

Species Distribution

This species is distributed across Eastern Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, western Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iran’s Kavir desert, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Transcaucasia, Dagestan (Russia), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, eastern Georgia, southern Armenia, Azerbaijan, Asia Minor, Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and northwestern India.

Recognized Subspecies

Three subspecies are recognized: E. s. barani, found in Anatolia, Turkey; E. s. pavimentatus, found in Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria; and E. s. princeps, found in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Caucasus.

Habitat and Altitude Range

E. schneiderii prefers natural habitats including rocky areas, grassland, shrubland, and wetlands, found at altitudes ranging from 150 to 1,800 m (490 to 5,910 ft).

Reproductive Mode

This species is oviparous.