Two new subspecies of Trapelus agilis complex (Sauria: Agamidae) from lowland southwestern Iran and southeastern Pakistan

Abstract

Based on conducting long-term excursions and carrying out extensive field work in various parts of the Iranian Plateau and studying preserved (museum) material including the syntypes of Olivier's Agama agilis, and paralectotypes of Boulenger's Agama isolepis, two new subspecies of the wide-ranging Asian ground agamid Trapelus agilis complex are described from the lowland southwestern Iran and southeastern Pakistan (and adjoining northwestern India) respectively. The former of the new subspecies has conventionally been considered as belonging to T. a. agilis, and the latter to T. a. isolepis. They are distinguishable from the other subspecies of T. agilis complex by having several distinctive morphological characteristics. The distinctiveness of both subspecies is confirmed according to the author's previous extensive studies on this complex using uni-and multivariate analyses of morphological characters. Both subspecies mainly occur as geographical isolates in the periphery of the main range of the complex, and both have mainly been separated from the central continuum (= T. a. agilis) by eco-geographical barriers and are almost entirely restricted in distribution to the lowlands, desert and semi-desert regions with high annual temperature. A taxonomic and biogeographic account as well as a key to subspecies of T. agilis complex are presented.