nomes no trilho de navegação
A diurnal ground-dwelling species, and a sit-and-wait forager. Often climbs on top of vegetation to watch for prey, monitor territory, and for thermoregulatory purposes.
Vulnerable
Medium-sized lizard, largest Egyptian specimen with a SVL of 123 mm; average tail/SVL ratio=1.3. Body and head relatively depressed. Gular pouch well developed, particularly in males. Dorsal scales medium-sized, uniform (often with some slightly larger scales on the back) imbricate and keeled, larger than ventrals; ventrals keeled. Basic dorsal color sandy with brown transverse bands, two in the interorbitals area, 5 on the back. A longitudinal mid-dorsal yellowish stripe and several whitish dashes interrupt the transverse bands. Tail barred. Venter white. In adult males dorsal pattern becomes very inconspicuous, and in nuptial condition they have the throat bright blue, and the flanks washed a violet blue, with small white spots. Dorsal bands on breeding and gravid females become brick red or very dark reddish brown. Juveniles are sandy with a strong dorsal pattern.
From the Khanka Dunes just east of Cairo, east through the northern Eastern desert (between the eastern margins of the Delta and the Cairo-Suez road), and throughout much of North Sinai, to the borders with Israel. Largely confined to areas north of latitude 30°N, although in North Sinai it has been found near Ain Musa, where the sands of North Sinai reach their southernmost extent near the head of the Gulf of Suez. Flower (1933) rejected Anderson's (1898) records from Baltim and Kafr Amar (near El Wasta), both of which fall outside the range of the species in Egypt, and do not contain suitable habitats. Anderson (1898) depended to a large extent on professional animal collectors, who often provided him with erroneous collection localities; Baltim in particular is a site from which many obviously erroneous records are claimed. Saleh (1997) depicts two records in the Eastern Desert well south of 30cN without providing details.
Egypt, Palestine, and Israel. Range very small, extending through the northernmost part of the Eastern Desert (Isfhmic Desert) and North Sinai to the western Negev.
Open steppe-like habitats on sandy and gravelly substrate. Inhabits areas of vegetated sand dunes and sand sheets, gravel plains, and areas of fine alluvium in large wadis. Generally prefers areas with good vegetation cover. Not found in rocky or stony terrain.
Locally common, but declining. The species is practically endemic to Egypt, with most of its world range lying within the country. The total global population is small. The species is suffering from extensive habitat loss and from over-collection for the pet trade. Much of its Eastern Desert habitat has disappeared or will vanish soon. Causes include land reclamation for agriculture, urban expansion, solid waste dumping, and unregulated quarrying. Off-road vehicular use by the military and others, and overgrazing are severely degrading remaining pockets of habitat. A rough estimate of 80% habitat loss in this region is not unrealistic. In North Sinai, large tracts of the species' habitat (almost half of the North Sinai range) are earmarked for agricultural expansion, due to take place after the completion of the El Salam Canal. The species is also popular in the pet trade; hundreds have been seen at wholesale dealers in Cairo.
