Phrynocephalus guttatus explained

Phrynocephalus guttatus, also known commonly as the spotted toadhead agama, the Saissan toad-headed agama, the Central Asian toadhead agama, and Salensky's toadhead agama, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is native to southeastern Europe and western Asia. There are five recognized subspecies.

Geographic range

P. guttatus is found in Kazakhstan, southern Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of P. guttatus is desert, at altitudes from 16m (52feet) below sea level to 1000m (3,000feet).

Reproduction

P. guttatus is oviparous.

Subspecies

Five subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.

• Phrynocephalus guttatus alpherakii
• Phrynocephalus guttatus guttatus
• Phrynocephalus guttatus melanurus – Saissan toad-headed agama
• Phrynocephalus guttatus moltschanowi
• Phrynocephalus guttatus salsatus

Nota bene

A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Phrynocephalus.

Further reading

• Eichwald, "Eduardus" (1831). Zoologia specialis, quam expositis animalibus tum vivis, tum fossilibus potissimum rossiae in universum, et poloniae in specie, in usum lectionum publicarum in Universitate Caesarea Vilnensi [Volume III]. Vilnius: J. Zawadzki. 404 pp. (Phrynocephalus melanurus, new species, p. 186). (in Latin).
• Gmelin JF (1789). Caroli a Linné Systema Naturæ. Editio Decima Tertia [13th edition]. Tomus I. Pars III. Classis III. Amphibia. Leipzig: G.E. Beer. pp. 1033–1125. (Lacerta guttata, new species, p. 1078). (in Latin).
• Sindaco R, Jeremčenko VK (2008). The Reptiles of the Western Palearctic. 1. Annotated Checklist and Distributional Atlas of the Turtles, Crocodiles, Amphisbaenians and Lizards of Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. (Monographs of the Societas Herpetologica Italica). Latina, Italy: Edizioni Belvedere. 580 pp. .