New distribution Record of Phrynocephalus mystaceus Pallas 1776 (Sauria: Agamidae) from Iran

Toad-headed agamas, Phrynocephalus Kaup, 1825, are distributed from southern Europe and southwest Asia (including the Arabian Peninsula and northern India) through central and Middle Asia to East Asia (northern China and Mongolia). This further demonstrates that the taxonomic diversity of Phrynocephalus in Iran is ambiguous. Currently there are approximately 40 species of Toad-headed Agamas of the genus Phrynocephalus, seven of which have been recorded from Iran (Anderson, 1999). However, Golubev & Sattorov (1992) recorded ten species of Phrynocephalus from Southwest and middle Asia. The best diagnostic character of Phrynocephalus mystaceus is a large fringed cutaneous fold at angle of mouth. Ananjeva (1986) refers this species to the monotypic genus Megalochilus, but Golubev argue that the differences are too slight to warrant a separate genus (Golubev and Sattorov, 1992). In this study, we report new Abstract: The Toad-headed agama, Phrynocephalus mystaceus Pallas 1776, was described in 1999 from eastern Khorasan by Anderson. Seven specimen of The Toad-headed agama were collected in Khar Turan National Park during fieldwork from June 2008 to June 2009. The new locality of the species is situated about 900 km west of the type locality. This record indicates a wider distribution of Phrynocephalus mystaceus on the Iranian plateau than previously thought. Information on morphological characters and habitat is presented. 1 Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Faculty of science, Department of Biology, Mashhad, Iran. 2 Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, Mashhad, Iran. 3 Shahid Beheshti University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Tehran, Iran. 4 University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Gorgan, Iran. * Corresponding author. E-mail: tmohammadian@gmail.com Farahnaz Molavi 1, Tooba Mohammadian-kalat 2*, Bahram Hasanzade Kiabi 3, Haji Gholi Kami 4 and Morteza Yazdanpanahi 3 New distribution Record of Phrynocephalus mystaceus Pallas 1776 (Sauria: Agamidae) from Iran

Toad-headed agamas, Phrynocephalus Kaup, 1825, are distributed from southern Europe and southwest Asia (including the Arabian Peninsula and northern India) through central and Middle Asia to East Asia (northern China and Mongolia).This further demonstrates that the taxonomic diversity of Phrynocephalus in Iran is ambiguous.Currently there are approximately 40 species of Toad-headed Agamas of the genus Phrynocephalus, seven of which have been recorded from Iran (Anderson, 1999).However, Golubev & Sattorov (1992) recorded ten species of Phrynocephalus from Southwest and middle Asia.The best diagnostic character of Phrynocephalus mystaceus is a large fringed cutaneous fold at angle of mouth.Ananjeva (1986) refers this species to the monotypic genus Megalochilus, but Golubev argue that the differences are too slight to warrant a separate genus (Golubev and Sattorov, 1992).In this study, we report new Abstract: The Toad-headed agama, Phrynocephalus mystaceus Pallas 1776, was described in 1999 from eastern Khorasan by Anderson.Seven specimen of The Toad-headed agama were collected in Khar Turan National Park during fieldwork from June 2008 to June 2009.The new locality of the species is situated about 900 km west of the type locality.This record indicates a wider distribution of Phrynocephalus mystaceus on the Iranian plateau than previously thought.Information on morphological characters and habitat is presented.
Seven specimens of P. mystaceus were collected in June 2008-9 from Khar Turan National Park in Semnam province (Figure 1).This locality is located in a sandy area of eastern part of Ahmad Abad village (35°48′ N, 56°42′ E) 1000 m above sea level (Figure 2).Haloxylon sp. and Tamarix sp. are dominant plant species of this locality.
Specimens were captured alive for study of their behavior in the laboratory, and later were preserved in 10% formalin.Characters used in this study are presented in Table 1.Morphometric characters were measured with vernier caliper (accuracy 0.02 mm).locality.
Calculation of mean, minimum, maximum, standard deviation; coefficient of variation in both male and female were implemented separately using SPSS Ver.16.0.1 statistical package (SPSS Inc., Chigaco, IL, USA).In order to investigate Sexual dimorphism, we examined distribution and variances of each character using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Levene Tests and finally one-way ANOVA was employed to assess differences between male and female characters.
Results of statistical analysis of morphological characters are shown in Table 2.According to Table 2, all of the characters exhibited normal distribution and variances but none of characters could reveal sexual dimorphism.
Color pattern: Dorsum is sandy; with black and white dots and reticulations; a row of larger dark blotches on each side of vertebral Line; vent white; ventral aspect of tail tip black chin and throat with gray reticulation (Figure3).
In this species TL is about equal to the SVL and in largest specimen collected: SVL=97.48 and TL=101 mm.Although Anderson had found a specimen with SVL=122.7 and TL= 135.8 mm in Uzbekistan, the largest specimen that he had collected in Iran was a male with SVL=77.7 and TL=71 mm.In all specimens studied, there is a greatly enlarged scale (equal to about four adjacent scale) on each side of thorax behind maxilla and occasionally an additional scale or two slightly smaller adjacent to it.This property
to vent (from tip of snout to anterior edge of cloacae) HW Wide of head (at the widest point of head) HL Length of head (from tip of snout to posterior edge of tympanum) TL Tail length (from posterior edge of cloacae to tip of tail) NS Number of nasal scales AB Number of scales around body BE Number of scales between eyes in the head width BLEL Number of scales between labial and eye (right) BLER Number of scales between labial and eye (left) LLR Number of lower labial scales (right) LLL Number of lower labial scales (left) SLR Number of supralabials (right) FT4L Total number of lamellae under the left forth toe FT4R Total number of lamellae under the right forth toe

Table 2 .
Results of statistical analysis of morphological characters of the Phrynocephalu smystaceus from Semnan province of Iran.Mean, Maximum and minimum values for different characters in both male (M) and female (F) and result of Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (K.S), Levene's test (Lev), One-Way Analysis of Variance (CRD) are summarized.