New distribution records of the genus Stenodactylus (Reptilia, Sauria) in Tunisia (North Africa)

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1 Herpetology Notes, volume 5: (2012) (published online on 10 September 2012) New distribution records of the genus Stenodactylus (Reptilia, Sauria) in Tunisia (North Africa) Wided Tlili 1,*, Ridha Ouni 2 and Saïd Nouira 1 The occurrence of geckos of the genus Stenodactylus in Tunisia has been reported by earlier authors (Boulenger, 1891; Escheriech, 1896; Mayet, 1903; Chabanaud, 1916; Mosauer, 1934; Blanc and Shane, 1980; Bons et al., 1984; Blanc, 1979c, 1986; Blanc and Nouira, 1988). More recent works provided data on the taxonomy and distribution ranges of the three Stenodactylus species currently reported to occur in Tunisia: S. sthenodactylus, S. petrii and S. stenurus (Nouira 1996; 1997; Nouira and Lescure, 1998; Kratochvil et al., 2001; Joger, 2003). In this paper we provide a distribution review and comment on the range boundaries of the species in Tunisia. Additionally, we provide details on the occurrence on Tunisian insular environments. Located in North Africa, Tunisia is separated from Europe by the Channel of Sicily (140 km).with a total area of 163,610 km², it has a northern and western mountainous relief; an eastern plain side (Le Sahel) and a southern part mostly desert. The largest of the saline lakes is Chott El Jerid (Karray, 1979). A geographical regionalization of Tunisia was imposed by the presence of the Dorsal chain. It is the eastern extension of the Atlas Mountains that runs across North Africa in a northeasterly direction from the Algerian border in the west to the Cape Bon Peninsula in the east. Northward the Dorsal lies the Tell region (low, rolling hills and plains). Climate is largely influenced by this regionalization which inspired Emberger (1950) to establish a climatic subdivision of Tunisia into five bioclimatic stages: Humid, Sub-humid, Semi-Arid, Arid and Saharan. 1 Unité de recherche Biodiversité and Biologie des populations, 05/UR/ Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Mathématique, physique et biologiques de Tunis (FST), Campus Universitaire 2092, El Manar Tunis; alwided@yahoo.fr 2 Tunisian Wildlife Conservation Society. Faculté des Sciences Mathématique, physique et biologiques de Tunis (FST), Campus Universitaire 2092, El Manar Tunis. *Corresponding author Fieldwork took place in spring and summer seasons from 1996 to The entire Tunisian territory was surveyed seeking for active geckos, their burrows, and their tracks, while consistently noting geological and geographical characteristics. A total of 136 localities were used for mapping purpose (Table 1, Fig. 1). Maps were composed and spatial data were explored with QUANTUM-GIS (Q-GIS, 2009). Some specimens of unknown identification were captured, fixed with 95 ethanol, numbered and held in the Laboratory of Population Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science of Tunis for further identification. Species were identified based on the keys provided by (Loveridge, 1947; Schleich et al., 1996 and Nouira, 1997). About half (51.6%) of the visited localities contained the genus Stenodactylus which was represented by two species: S. sthenodactylus (Lichtenstein, 1823) and S. petrii Anderson, Our sampling did not contain the third species reported to occur in Tunisia: S. stenurus (Kratochvil et al., 2001). Stenodactylus petrii occurs in North Africa, Mauritania, Sudan, Senegal, Mali, Eritrea, Niger and South of Israel (Uetz and Hallermann, 2012a). Its distribution in Tunisia was first described by Nouira (1996, 1997) and subsequently by Joger (2003). With an exception of Tieret ( , ), most literature sightings range around Chott El Jerid within the Saharan zone (Fig. 2). We report here five new records that expand the previously described eastern boundaries (Fig. 2). This discovery expands the distribution range into the Arid zone with continental influence. Stenodactylus sthenodactylus Lichtenstein 1823 occurs in North Africa, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, North of Kenya, Mali, Middle East and Saudi Arabia (Uetz and Hallermann, 2012b). The species distribution in Tunisia has been once enlarged by Nouira (1996) to have a northern boundary at Ein Errahma (36.236, ) and a southern one at Guelb El Enz (32.442, ). This distribution ranges from the Semi-Arid to the Saharan stages. Additional points of occurrence within this area are provided in Fig. 2. More importantly, we report the discovery of a new locality within the

2 414 Wided Tlili et al. Table 1. Inventoried sites. Num.: the station number as pointed in the map. Sites with Stenodactylus geckos present are indicated with an asterisk*

3 New distribution records of Stenodactylus genus 415 Figure 1. Map of Tunisia: Geographical location and inventoried sites Figure 2. Distribution ranges of the genus Stenodactylus in Tunisia: A: S. petrii, B: S. sthenodactylus.

4 416 Wided Tlili et al. Figure 3. Distribution ranges of Stenodactylus sthenodactylus within insular environments Figure 4. Stenodactylus sthenodactylus from Oued El Abid (Cape Bon Peninsula): : female, : male sub-humid zone in the north of Cape Bon Peninsula: Oued El Abid ( , ). The locality is in a coastal area characterised by a strip of sandy dunes (50 to 100 m of altitude) fixed by Juniperus phoenicea (or Ammophila arenaria) and crossed to the south by a permanent river. Five specimens were encountered; only two individuals were captured (Fig. 3: [5480], [5481]). Despite the fact that the distribution of the species seems to be expanding, it is still limited by the Dorsal Mountain. In fact, we have not found any other individuals in the Tell region despite the similarities between its coastal area and that of Cape Bon. Within insular environments (Fig. 1), only S. sthenodactylus was encountered in Kerkennah (two big islands and 11 islets) and Djerba Archipelagos (One main island and three islets). The distribution of the species in Chargui and Gharbi Islands does not vary from that provided by Blanc and Nouira (1988). However, five individuals were encountered later ( ) in Sefnou (2 : [ ], 1 : [5134]), Ramadya (1 : [5167]) and Guremdi (1 : [5178]). As for Djerba Archipelagos, seven specimens were captured from three sites within the main island (Sidi Jmour ( [5490], [5491]), Rass Ermel ( [5497] ) and Borj El kastil (3 [5498], 1 [5499]). We note that both Kerkennah and Djerba Archipelgos are located within Arid stage with maritime influence.

5 New distribution records of Stenodactylus genus 417 Figure 5. Natural habitat of Stenodactylus sthenodactylus in Oued El Abid, with sandy dunes fixed by Ammophila arenaria Acknowledgments. Field expeditions and animal collection were carried out after obtaining authorization from the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture (Forestry Management Department). Several trips were taken in cooperation with the Faculty of Sciences of Tunis and the Association des Amis des Oiseaux. Special thanks are addressed to Michel Delaugerre who helped the achievement of this work. We express our gratitude to Dr. Nessrine Akkari, Aymen Nefla, and Dr Shauna Joy Hawkins for their cooperation. The editors and an anonymous reviewer provided helpful comments on previous versions of the manuscript. References Blanc, C.P. (1979c): Notes sur les reptiles de la Tunisie: IV. Différences morphologiques et écologiques entre les représentants des genres Tropiocolotes Peters, 1880 et Stenodactylus Fitzinger, Archives de l Institut Pasteur de Tunis 56: Blanc, C.P. (1986): Le peuplement en reptiles de l extrême sud tunisien. Amphibia-Reptilia 7: Blanc, C.P., Shane, M. H. (1980): Les reptiles et les Batraciens de la région de Bou Hedma. Bulletin de la Société des Sciences naturelles de Tunisie 13: Blanc, Ch. P., Nouira, S. (1988): Faune herpétologique des îles Kerkennah. Inventaire et Distribution. Bulletin. Ecologique 19(2-3): Bons, J., Cheylan, M., Girot B. (1984): Les reptiles Méditerranéens. Bulletin de la. Société Herpétologique de France 29: Boulenger, G.A. (1891): Catalogue of the Reptiles and Batracians of Berbary (Marocco, Algeria and Tunisia) based chiefly upon the notes and collections made in by M. Fernand Lataste. Transaction of Zoological Society 13: Chabanaud, P. (1916): Sur divers reptiles de Kébili (Sud tunisien) recueilli par M. le Commandant Vibert. Bulletin du Musée d Histoire naturelle 22: Escheriech, C. (1896): Beitrag zur fauna der tunisichen insel Djerba. Verhandl. Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 46: Fujita, M.K., Papenfuss, T.J. (2010): Molecular systematics of Stenodactylus (Gekkonidae), an Afro-Arabian gecko species complex. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58(1): IUCN, (2012): The IUCN Red List for threatened species available at: Last access on 9 Mai 2012.

6 418 Joger, U. (2003): Reptiles and Amphibians of Southern Tunisia. Kaupia 12: Kratochvil, L., Frynta, D., Moravec, J. (2001): A third Stenodactylus in Africa: Return of the forgotten Stenodactylus stenurus. Israel Journal of Zoolgy 47 (2): Loveridge, A. (1947): Revision of the African lizards of the family Gekkonidae. Bulletin du Museum of Comparative Zoology 98: Mayet, E. (1903): Catalogue raisonné des Reptiles et Batraciens de la Tunisie. Reptiles et Batraciens, Paris. Mosauer, W. (1934): The Reptiles and Amphibians of Tunisia. Publications of University of California in Biological Sciences 1(3): Nouira, S. (1996): Systématique, Ecologie et Biogéographie évolutive des Lacertidae (Reptilia, Sauria). Importance dans l herpétofaune tunisienne. Unpublished PhD thesis, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Tunis, 342 pp. Wided Tlili et al. Nouira, S. (1997): Biodiversité de l herpétofaune tunisienne : II. Les Gekkonidae (Reptilia, Sauria). Bulletin de la. Société des Sciences Naturelle de Tunisie 26: Nouira, S., Lescure, J. (1998) : Les noms scientifiques français des Amphibiens et Reptiles de Tunisie. Bulletin de la société herpétologique de France : Q-GIS (2009): Quantum-GIS: Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) licensed under the GNU General Public License: Schleich, H.H., Kästle, W., Kabisch, K. (1996): Amphibians and Reptiles of North Africa. Koenigstein, Koeltz. Uetz, P., Hallermann, J. (2012a): Stenodactylus petrri, The Reptile Database. Available at: Last access on 9 Mai Uetz, P., Hallermann, J. (2012b): Stenodactylus sthenodactylus, The Reptile Database. Last access on 9 Mai Accepted by Philip de Pous; Managing Editor: Philipp Wagner