Acanthodactylus busacki SALVADOR, 1982
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Acanthodactylus busacki?
Acanthodactylus busacki
Find more photos by Google images search: 
| Higher Taxa | Lacertidae, Eremiadinae, Sauria, Lacertoidea, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Busack's Fringe-fingered Lizard |
| Synonym | Acanthodactylus busacki SALVADOR 1982: 88 Acanthodactylus pardalis bedriagai — ARNOLD 1983: 319 (part.) Acanthodactylus bedriagai — HARRIS & ARNOLD 2000: 352 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — MELLADO & DAKKI 1988: 175 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — MELLADO & OLMEDO 1990: 133 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — BONS & GENIEZ 1996: 162 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — SCHLEICH et al. 1996: 391 (part.) Acanthodactylus bedriagai — HARRIS & ARNOLD 2000: 352 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — DONAIRE et al. 2000: 10 Acanthodactylus busacki — GENIEZ et al. 2004: 102 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — BRITO et al. 2008: 21 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — SINDACO & JEREMČENKO 2008: 218 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — FONSECA et al. 2008: 9 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — GENIEZ et al. 2010: IUCN red list (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — HARRIS el al. 2010: 22 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — CARRETERO et al. 2011: 139 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — TRAPE et al. 2012: 302 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — PYRON et al. 2013: 17 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — CROCHET et al. 2015: 584 Acanthodactylus busacki — TAMAR et al. 2016: 8 (part.) Acanthodactylus busacki — TAMAR et al. 2017 |
| Distribution | SW Morocco, N Western Sahara Type locality: 30 km south of Goulimine, Morocco |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: BMNH 1970.250, adult male; paratypes: ZMH, ZFMK, BMNH, FMNH, CM, CAS, MNHP, EBD |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A species of the pardalis species-group (i.e., small flat or carinated dorsal scales; three series of scales on the fingers; three supraoculars; 12 and sometimes 14 straight longitudinal row of ventrals; slightly pectinate toes; body pattern combining longitudinal rows of light ocelli and black reticulation) characterized by the combination of the following characters: (1) maximum recorded SVL 73 mm (51–73 mm in adult males); (2) three supraoculars, the first supraocular is either entire or fragmented with usually one row of granules between the supraoculars and the superciliaries; (3) 13–27 granules around the supraoculars; (4) subocular with a distinct keel located between the fourth and fifth upper labials and not contacting the lip; (5) upper temporals small and pointed whereas the lower temporals are large and smooth; (6) 8–11 collar scales; (7) 12 longitudinal rows of ventral scales; (8) 29–34 transverse rows of ventral scales; (9) 20–26 femoral pores on each side; (10) three rows of scales on fingers with slight lateral pectination, with 16–23 lamellae underneath the fourth toe; (11) dorsal scales are pointed and smooth; (12) dorsal colour pattern of juveniles, females and sub-adult males consists of two lateral longitudinal lines of pale ocelli on each side with strong black reticulation among them (four longitudinal dorsal lines in total), adult males have intricate colouration of black reticulation that covers most of the dorsal area and the rows of pale ocelli become indistinct or may completely disappear; (13) the males exhibit a unique colouration: the neck, the posterior part of the throat, the anterior parts of the body and belly, and the forelimbs are more or less reddish; this tint becoming progressively yellowish, whitish or slightly bluish at the posterior parts and tail; (14) sub-adults have reddish or white ventral tail colour. |
| Comment | Similar species: Has been confused with A. erythrurus and A. lineomaculatus. Distribution: Not in Mauritania, Algeria fide SINDACO & JEREMCENKO 2008. See map in Tamar et al. 2017: Fig. 1. |
| Etymology | Named after Stephen D. Busack (1944-), American herpetologist. See Busack 2018 for biographical details. |
| References |
|
| External links |