A Conservation Action Plan for the Critically Endangered Harran Lizard, Acanthodactylus harranensis, in Southeastern Anatolia, Türkiye
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22057965Keywords:
Distribution, Harran Lizard, Conservation, Species Action PlanAbstract
This study evaluated the current conservation status, distribution, habitat preferences, and major threats affecting Acanthodactylus harranensis, a species with an extremely restricted distribution in the Harran Ruins, Türkiye. Field surveys conducted during 2021–2022 confirmed that the species is restricted exclusively to this locality and revealed a substantial contraction of its suitable habitat, declining from approximately 3.6 km² to 0.67 km². The principal threats identified include increasing tourism pressure, ongoing archaeological excavations, agricultural expansion, grazing activities, vehicular disturbance, and the intensive harvesting of Peganum harmala. These anthropogenic pressures are likely contributing to the rapid decline of the species’ population and the progressive degradation of its habitat. Consequently, the results emphasize the urgent need for targeted and effective conservation strategies to ensure the long-term survival of this narrowly distributed species.
References
Akman, B. (2019). Distribution and some ecological features of Acanthodactylus schreiberi Boulenger, 1878 in Anatolia. Biological Diversity and Conservation, 12(2), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.5505/biodicon.2019.88597
Araújo, M. B., Thuiller, W., & Pearson, R. G. (2006). Climate warming and the decline of amphibians and reptiles in Europe. Journal of Biogeography, 33, 1712–1728. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2006.01482.x
Arnold, E. N. (1983). Osteology, genitalia and the relationships of Acanthodactylus (Reptilia: Lacertidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Zoology Series), 44(5), 291–339.
Abu Baker, M. A., Katbeh–Bader, A. A., Ghlelat, A. A., Disi, A. M., & Amr, Z. S. (2021). Diet and food niche relationships of lizard assemblages in Jordan. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 16(1), 117–127.
Baran, İ., Avcı, A., Kumlutaş, Y., Olgun, K., & Ilgaz, Ç. (2012). Türkiye amfibi ve sürüngenleri. TÜBİTAK Yayınları.
Baran, İ., Kumlutaş, Y., Lanza, B., Sindaco, R., Ilgaz, Ç., Avcı, A., & Crucitti, P. (2005). Acanthodactylus harranensis, a new species of lizard from southeastern Turkey (Reptilia: Sauria: Lacertidae). Bollettino del Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino, 23(1), 323–341.
Beşer, N., Ilgaz, Ç., Kumlutaş, Y., Avcı, A., Candan, K., & Üzüm, N. (2019). Age structure and body size of a critically endangered species, Acanthodactylus harranensis (Squamata: Lacertidae) and its demography. Animal Biology, 69, 421–431. https://doi.org/10.1163/15707563-20191067
Biber, M. F., Voskamp, A., & Hof, C. (2023). Potential effects of future climate change on global reptile distributions and diversity. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 32(4), 519–534. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13646
Boettger, O. (1878–1879). Reptilien und Amphibien aus Syrien. Bericht über die Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft in Frankfurt am Main, 57–84.
Böhme, W. (1973). Erstnachweis zweier Eidechsengattungen für die Türkei. Bonner Zoologische Beiträge, 24, 394–398.
Boulenger, G. A. (1878). Sur les espèces d'Acanthodactyles des bords de la Méditerranée. Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France, 3, 179–197.
Boulenger, G. A. (1919). On a new variety of Acanthodactylus boskianus Daud. from Mesopotamia. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 25, 373–374.
Boulenger, G. A. (1921). Monograph of the Lacertidae (Vol. II). British Museum (Natural History).
Daudin, F. M. (1802). Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière des reptiles (Vol. 5, pp. 290–295). Dufart.
Doherty, T. S., Balouch, S., Fist, C., Bell, K., Garvey, T., Burns, T., Jessop, T. S., Feldman, A., Meiri, S., & Driscoll, D. (2020). Reptile responses to anthropogenic habitat modification: A global meta-analysis. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 29, 1265–1279.
Gibbons, J. W., Scott, D. E., Ryan, T. J., Buhlmann, K. A., Tuberville, T. D., Metts, B. S., Greene, J. L., Mills, T., Leiden, Y., Poppy, S., & Winne, C. T. (2000). The global decline of reptiles, déjà vu amphibians. BioScience, 50(8), 653–666.
Graeter, G. J., Buhlmann, K. A., Wilkinson, L. R., & Gibbons, J. W. (2013). Inventory and monitoring: Recommended techniques for reptiles and amphibians (Technical Publication IM-1). Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation.
Kaska, Y., Kumlutaş, Y., Avcı, A., Üzüm, N., Yeniyurt, C., Akarsu, F., & Sindaco, R. (2009). Acanthodactylus harranensis [IUCN Red List assessment]. e.T164562A5908003. IUCN. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/164562/0
Kurnaz, M., & Şahin, M. K. (2021). Contribution to the taxonomic knowledge of Acanthodactylus (Squamata, Lacertidae): Description of a new lacertid lizard species from Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity, 5(3), 100–119. https://doi.org/10.22120/jwb.2021.523523.1214
Leviton, A. E., Anderson, S. C., Adler, K., & Minton, S. A. (1992). Handbook to Middle East amphibians and reptiles. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.
Li, Q., Shao, W., Jiang, Y., Yan, C., & Liao, W. (2024). Assessing reptile conservation status under global climate change. Biology, 13(6), 436.
Maritz, B., Penner, J., Martins, M., Crnobrnja-Isailović, J., Spear, S., Alencar, L. R. V., Sigala-Rodriguez, J., Messenger, K., Clark, R. W., Soorae, P., Luiselli, L., Jenkins, C., & Greene, H. W. (2016). Identifying global priorities for the conservation of vipers. Biological Conservation, 204, 94–102.
Mulder, J. (2021). Note on the endemic status of Harran fringe-fingered lizard, Acanthodactylus harranensis Baran, Kumlutaş, Lanza, Sindaco, Ilgaz, Avcı, & Crucitti, 2005. Commagene Journal of Biology, 5(1), 94–95. https://doi.org/10.31594/commagene.836811
Reed, C. A., & Marx, H. (1959). A herpetological collection from northeastern Iraq. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, 62, 91–122.
Salvador, A. (1982). A revision of the lizards of the genus Acanthodactylus (Sauria: Lacertidae). Bonner Zoologische Monographien, 16, 1–167.
Tamar, K., Carranza, S., Sindaco, R., Moravec, J., Trape, J. F., & Meiri, S. (2016). Out of Africa: Phylogeny and biogeography of the widespread genus Acanthodactylus (Reptilia: Lacertidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 103, 6–18.
Tok, C. V., Afsar, M., Yakın, B. Y., & Çiçek, K. (2021). Action plan for the conservation of endemic Anatolian meadow viper, Vipera anatolica Eiselt & Baran, 1970 in southwestern Anatolia. Forestist, 71(3), 167–174.
Uetz, P., & Hošek, J. (n.d.). The Reptile Database. https://www.reptile-database.org
Vigna Taglianti, A., Audisio, P., Biondi, M., Bologna, M. A., Carpaneto, G. M., De Biase, A., Fattorini, S., Piatella, E., Sindaco, R., Venchi, A., & Zapparoli, M. (1999). A proposal for a chorotype classification of the Near East fauna, in the framework of the Western Palearctic region. Biogeographia, 20, 31–59.
Wiegmann, A. F. A. (1834). Herpetologia Mexicana. Lüderitz.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sustainability and Biodiversity Conservation
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
