First added 19 June 2001. Last updated 16 April 2007: added details for E. aria and updated Bibliography.

A look at the Family Lacertidae

Eremias

Steppe- and Desert Runners

Introduction

The genus Eremias is predominantly central- and northern Asian in distribution, being found in desert or arid steppe areas, with one species entering Europe. These are small lizards, often grey in colour, that can move quickly across the terrain. They are closely related (and similar in appearance) to the Acanthodactylus genus, including the possession of "fringes" on their toes to assist in moving across sand.

Eremias lizards are surprisingly short-lived in nature, which may explain why some keepers have found them hard to maintain in captivity. Günther Peters studied Eremias velox and found that the lizards reached sexual maturity at one year and had an average life expectancy of just two and a half years, a life expectancy exceeded even by the notably short-lived anoles. Nor are they particularly productive, laying on average two to four clutches of two to six eggs per year. On the other hand, the remoteness and low overall animal densities of their habitats may compensate for this. Interestingly, the species E. kessleri [? Grzimek] and E. multiocellatus are ovoviviparous.

Information on most of the species of Eremias is hard to obtain from other than specialist publications. I am indebted as always to the EMBL database for the lesser known species, ie most of them. Rogner and Arnold, Burton & Ovenden have some details on a handful of species. Some species have been reclassified several times over the past 100 years or so, and some authorities have created four subgenera of the genus: Ommateremias, Pareremias, Rhabderemias and Scapteira. Thus some of the species below may be referred to in the first part of the name as one of these subgenera rather than Eremias. On the other hand the genus Eremiasscincus is not truly related to Eremias, being found in Australia and covering two skink (and therefore non-lacertid) species.

INDEX

E. acutirostris, Reticulate Desert Lacerta E. afghanistanica E. andersoni

E. aporosceles, Chagai Desert Lacerta E. argus E. arguta, Steppe Racerunner/Desert Lacertid

E. aria E. brenchleyi E. brevirostris, Short-Nosed Desert Lacerta

E. buechneri E. fasciata, Yellow-Headed Desert Lacerta E. grammica

E. guttulata E. intermedia E. kessleri, Kessler's Racerunner

E. lalezharica E. lineolata E. multiocellata

E. nigrocellata E. nigrolateralis E. nikolskii

E. persica, Persian Desert Lacerta E. pleskei, Transcaucasian Keeled Lizard/ Pleski's Racerunner E. przewalskii, Przewalskii's Racerunner

E. quadrifons E. regeli E. scripta, Sand Racerunner/Caspian Desert Lacerta

E. strauchi, Strauch's Racerunner E. suphani, Basoglu's Racerunner E. velox, Rapid Fringe-Toed Lizard

E. vermiculata

Scientific Name Common Name Distribution Size Notes

Eremias

E. acutirostris Reticulate Desert Lacerta S Afghanistan, NW Pakistan ?" Endemic of the Chagai desert: uncommon [SOURCE].

E. afghanistica S Afghanistan ?" Species first described in 1991: limited to SE slope of Hindu Kush mountains. See EMBL database entry.

E. andersoni Iran ?" Found in the Dashte-Kavir desert.

E. aporosceles Chagai Desert Lacerta Pakistan, Balochistan ?" The status of this species seems to be uncertain. It is listed in the Reptiles of Pakistan checklist but not in the EMBL database. However, EMBL does list it in its 1998 revisions as Scapteira aporosceles (Alcock & Finn, 1896) with a view to clarifying its status. It is endemic to the Chagai Desert [SOURCE].

E. argus E Mongolia, NE China, C Mongolia and adjacent parts of China (Inner Mongolia), W Korea, Russia (southern bank of Lake Baikal, SW Chitinskaya Oblast, S Buryatia) Click here for a picture.

Eremias arguta arguta (Steppe) Racerunner / Desert Lacertid Danube delta, Caucasus; Mongolia, C. Asia 12?" The Racerunner is rare in Europe but widely distributed from Rumania to Mongolia. Unusually for lacertids, it has a pointed snout and the tail suddenly narrows after about a third of its length. The European subspecies is usually a shade of grey in colour, with somewhat irregular lighter stripes running dorsally and pale ocelli and darker markings: there is usually considerable variation in patterning. It only lives on sandy ground, usually (in Europe) sandy areas on coasts or banks or even in marshes. Preferred shelters are beneath stones or a burrow dug about half a metre long under clumps of tall grass. It also uses the burrow to hibernate from Sept-Oct onwards, depending on the weather, and emerges in March-April. Mating occurs in April and females lay 3-11 eggs. Incubation time is about two months: the young measure 6cm on hatching. Diet is various arthropods, inc. beetles, and small snails. There are five subspecies other than the nominate. Click here for a picture of E. a. potanini. Ventral scale rows: 14-20.

E. a. darevskii ?

E. a. deserti Rumania to Azerbaijan

E. a. potanini Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China

E. a. transcaucasica Transcaucasia

E. a. uzbekistana ?

E. aria E Afghanistan SVL 6cm, TL 18½cm Anderson and Leviton suggested that this species is allied to the E. velox group. Scalation details: subocular does not border mouth; frontal and supraoculars not separated by complete row of granules; 3 nasals, of which lower is in contact with 3 anterior supralabials; anterior enlarged supraocular longer than its distance from 2nd loreal; 1st transverse row of pectoral scales twice as long as wide, and twice as long as succeeding rows; occipital absent; ventrals in 12-14 longitudinal rows. Other: 17-18 femoral pores on each side; toes have single row of single-keeled subdigital lamellae [SOURCE: Anderson and Leviton].

E. brenchleyi NE China, Russia (south of the Lake Baikal) ?" The distribution of this species in the Lake Baikal region is disputed (Er & Adler).

E. brevirostris Short-Nosed Desert Lacerta N Arabia, Pakistan, SW Iran, W Syria Jordan, Sinai, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates ?" This is another species whose membership is disputed between the genera Eremias and Mesalina. We have placed it in both lists as it may be referred to as either! See EMBL reptile database entry for details.

E. b. brevirostris

E. b. fieldi

E. b. microlepis

E. buechneri NW China, adjacent parts of SE Kyrgyzstan ?"

E. fasciata Yellow-Headed Desert Lacerta E Iran, SW Afghanistan, W Pakistan ?"

E. grammica Mesh Lizard, ? Racerunner S Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, NE Iran, N Afghanistan, NW China ?" Click here for a picture.

E. guttulata ? Racerunner Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sinai, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, S Turkmenistan, N Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Senegal, Niger, Sudan, Syria 6" Finnish speakers may like to click here for an article on this lizard. The EMBL database considers this to be a member of the Mesalina genus instead. The subspecies watsonana is referred to on the Reptiles of Pakistan checklist as the Long-Tailed Desert Lacerta.

E. intermedia ? Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, SW Tajikistan ?" .

E. kessleri Kessler's Racerunner Inner Mongolia, China 6" Ovoviviparous species. Although mentioned in Grzimek, this is in fact a synonym for E. przewalskii (see Er & Adler p.204 for further details).

E. lalezharica ? SE Iran ?" First described in 1994: found in the Mt. Lalezhar region. See EMBL database entry.

E. lineolata ? Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadzhikistan, S Kazakhstan, NE Iran, NW Afghanistan ?" .

E. multiocellata ? S Mongolia, NW China, Uzbekistan, E & SE Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, SE Russia (Tuva) 7" Ovoviviparous species. See EMBL database entry.

E. m. bannikowi

E. m. kozlowi Gansu Province, China

E. m. multiocellata E Xinjiang and Qinghai eastwards through Inner Mongolia to W Liaoning, China: E Kazakhstan to S Tuvin district in Siberia

E. m. stummeri

E. m. szczerbaki

E. m. yarkandensis W Xinjiang, China: E Kirgizstand, SE Kazakhstan

E. nigrocellata ? SE Turkmenistan, S Uzbekistan, SW Tadzhikistan, NE Iran, NE Afghanistan ?" .

E. nigrolateralis ? Iran, C Asia? ?" Details a little uncertain: species first described in 1998. See EMBL database entry for details.

E. nikolskii ? Usbekistan, N Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, SE Kazakhstan (as far as China), SE Kazakhstan ?" More of a mountain dwelling species than many of the others. This species has often been reclassified: see EMBL database entry for details.

E. persica Persian Desert Lacerta S Turkmenistan, N/C/E Iran, Afghanistan, NW Pakistan ?" Recently raised from a subspecies of E. velox: see EMBL database entry for details. Common name taken from Reptiles of Pakistan checklist.

E. pleski Transcaucasian Keeled Lizard/ Pleski's Racerunner S Armenia and adj. NE Turkey and NW Iran 6"? ?.

E. przewalskii ? Przewalskii's Racerunner W, C & S Mongolia and adjacent parts of Russia, N China/ Inner Mongolia, E Kyrgyzstan, SE Kazakhstan ?" Two subspecies, the nominate and E. p. tuvensis.

E. quadrifons ? Racerunner Nei Monol (Inner Mongolia), China ?" Found in the Ala Shan desert of Inner Mongolia.

E. regeli ? Racerunner SE Turkmenia, S Uzbekistan, SW Tadzhikistan, N Afghanistan ?" Somewhat disputed classification: see EMBL database entry for details.

E. scripta Sand Racerunner/ Caspian Desert Lacerta S Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, NE Iran, Afghanistan, NW Pakistan, SE Uzbekistan, SW Tajikistan 8½?" There are three subspecies, the nominate and E. s. lasdini and E. s. pherganensis. E. s. kopetdaghica was also considered a subspecies in Grzimek. See EMBL database entry for details. The Uzbekistan population is restricted to the Fergana valley in the southeast.

E. strauchi Strauch's Racerunner Armenia, Azerbaidzhan, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Iran 8½" There are two subspecies, the nominate and E. s. kopetdaghica.

E. suphani Basoglu's Racerunner E Turkey (Lake Van region). ?" First described as a subspecies of E. velox in 1968 and raised to species level in 1980. See EMBL database entry for details.

E. velox Rapid Fringe-Toed Lizard Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, W Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, N Iran, N Afghanistan, Pakistan China (inc. Inner Mongolia) Russia (lower Volga region, Kalmyk Steppe, Daghestan), Azerbaijan, E Georgia 7" One of the most widely distributed of the Eremias species. Click here for a picture. I have been unable to trace complete information on the geography of the three subspecies.

E. v. roborowski

E. velox caucasica Volga basin, W. Caspian; C. Asia

E. vermiculata ? Racerunner C/S Mongolia, NW China (Xinjiang east to Nei Mongol), E Kazakhstan ?"

Bibliography

Grzimek, Reptiles

Echsen 2, Rogner, Ulmer 1992

Collins Field Guide: Reptiles & Amphibians of Europe, Arnold, Burton & Ovenden, Collins 1978.

Herpetology of China, Er-mi Zhao and Kraig Adler, SSAR 1993. Useful for details of some of the distribution of the various species and the type locality.

"A New Species of Eremias (Reptilia: Lacertidae) from Afghanistan", Steven C Anderson and Alan E Leviton, Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences No 64, November 22 1967. Describes E. aria, based on one adult and one juvenile specimen.

E. acutirostris, Reticulate Desert Lacerta	E. afghanistanica	E. andersoni
E. aporosceles, Chagai Desert Lacerta	E. argus	E. arguta, Steppe Racerunner/Desert Lacertid
E. aria	E. brenchleyi	E. brevirostris, Short-Nosed Desert Lacerta
E. buechneri	E. fasciata, Yellow-Headed Desert Lacerta	E. grammica
E. guttulata	E. intermedia	E. kessleri, Kessler's Racerunner
E. lalezharica	E. lineolata	E. multiocellata
E. nigrocellata	E. nigrolateralis	E. nikolskii
E. persica, Persian Desert Lacerta	E. pleskei, Transcaucasian Keeled Lizard/ Pleski's Racerunner	E. przewalskii, Przewalskii's Racerunner
E. quadrifons	E. regeli	E. scripta, Sand Racerunner/Caspian Desert Lacerta
E. strauchi, Strauch's Racerunner	E. suphani, Basoglu's Racerunner	E. velox, Rapid Fringe-Toed Lizard
E. vermiculata

Scientific Name	Common Name	Distribution	Size	Notes
Eremias
E. acutirostris	Reticulate Desert Lacerta	S Afghanistan, NW Pakistan	?"	Endemic of the Chagai desert: uncommon [SOURCE].
E. afghanistica		S Afghanistan	?"	Species first described in 1991: limited to SE slope of Hindu Kush mountains. See EMBL database entry.
E. andersoni		Iran	?"	Found in the Dashte-Kavir desert.
E. aporosceles	Chagai Desert Lacerta	Pakistan, Balochistan	?"	The status of this species seems to be uncertain. It is listed in the Reptiles of Pakistan checklist but not in the EMBL database. However, EMBL does list it in its 1998 revisions as Scapteira aporosceles (Alcock & Finn, 1896) with a view to clarifying its status. It is endemic to the Chagai Desert [SOURCE].
E. argus		E Mongolia, NE China, C Mongolia and adjacent parts of China (Inner Mongolia), W Korea, Russia (southern bank of Lake Baikal, SW Chitinskaya Oblast, S Buryatia)		Click here for a picture.
Eremias arguta arguta	(Steppe) Racerunner / Desert Lacertid	Danube delta, Caucasus; Mongolia, C. Asia	12?"	The Racerunner is rare in Europe but widely distributed from Rumania to Mongolia. Unusually for lacertids, it has a pointed snout and the tail suddenly narrows after about a third of its length. The European subspecies is usually a shade of grey in colour, with somewhat irregular lighter stripes running dorsally and pale ocelli and darker markings: there is usually considerable variation in patterning. It only lives on sandy ground, usually (in Europe) sandy areas on coasts or banks or even in marshes. Preferred shelters are beneath stones or a burrow dug about half a metre long under clumps of tall grass. It also uses the burrow to hibernate from Sept-Oct onwards, depending on the weather, and emerges in March-April. Mating occurs in April and females lay 3-11 eggs. Incubation time is about two months: the young measure 6cm on hatching. Diet is various arthropods, inc. beetles, and small snails. There are five subspecies other than the nominate. Click here for a picture of E. a. potanini. Ventral scale rows: 14-20.
E. a. darevskii		?
E. a. deserti		Rumania to Azerbaijan
E. a. potanini		Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
E. a. transcaucasica		Transcaucasia
E. a. uzbekistana		?
E. aria		E Afghanistan	SVL 6cm, TL 18½cm	Anderson and Leviton suggested that this species is allied to the E. velox group. Scalation details: subocular does not border mouth; frontal and supraoculars not separated by complete row of granules; 3 nasals, of which lower is in contact with 3 anterior supralabials; anterior enlarged supraocular longer than its distance from 2nd loreal; 1st transverse row of pectoral scales twice as long as wide, and twice as long as succeeding rows; occipital absent; ventrals in 12-14 longitudinal rows. Other: 17-18 femoral pores on each side; toes have single row of single-keeled subdigital lamellae [SOURCE: Anderson and Leviton].
E. brenchleyi		NE China, Russia (south of the Lake Baikal)	?"	The distribution of this species in the Lake Baikal region is disputed (Er & Adler).
E. brevirostris	Short-Nosed Desert Lacerta	N Arabia, Pakistan, SW Iran, W Syria Jordan, Sinai, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates	?"	This is another species whose membership is disputed between the genera Eremias and Mesalina. We have placed it in both lists as it may be referred to as either! See EMBL reptile database entry for details.
E. b. brevirostris
E. b. fieldi
E. b. microlepis
E. buechneri		NW China, adjacent parts of SE Kyrgyzstan	?"
E. fasciata	Yellow-Headed Desert Lacerta	E Iran, SW Afghanistan, W Pakistan	?"
E. grammica	Mesh Lizard, ? Racerunner	S Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, NE Iran, N Afghanistan, NW China	?"	Click here for a picture.
E. guttulata	? Racerunner	Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sinai, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, S Turkmenistan, N Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Senegal, Niger, Sudan, Syria	6"	Finnish speakers may like to click here for an article on this lizard. The EMBL database considers this to be a member of the Mesalina genus instead. The subspecies watsonana is referred to on the Reptiles of Pakistan checklist as the Long-Tailed Desert Lacerta.
E. intermedia	?	Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, SW Tajikistan	?"	.
E. kessleri	Kessler's Racerunner	Inner Mongolia, China	6"	Ovoviviparous species. Although mentioned in Grzimek, this is in fact a synonym for E. przewalskii (see Er & Adler p.204 for further details).
E. lalezharica	?	SE Iran	?"	First described in 1994: found in the Mt. Lalezhar region. See EMBL database entry.
E. lineolata	?	Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadzhikistan, S Kazakhstan, NE Iran, NW Afghanistan	?"	.
E. multiocellata	?	S Mongolia, NW China, Uzbekistan, E & SE Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, SE Russia (Tuva)	7"	Ovoviviparous species. See EMBL database entry.
E. m. bannikowi
E. m. kozlowi		Gansu Province, China
E. m. multiocellata		E Xinjiang and Qinghai eastwards through Inner Mongolia to W Liaoning, China: E Kazakhstan to S Tuvin district in Siberia
E. m. stummeri
E. m. szczerbaki
E. m. yarkandensis		W Xinjiang, China: E Kirgizstand, SE Kazakhstan
E. nigrocellata	?	SE Turkmenistan, S Uzbekistan, SW Tadzhikistan, NE Iran, NE Afghanistan	?"	.
E. nigrolateralis	?	Iran, C Asia?	?"	Details a little uncertain: species first described in 1998. See EMBL database entry for details.
E. nikolskii	?	Usbekistan, N Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, SE Kazakhstan (as far as China), SE Kazakhstan	?"	More of a mountain dwelling species than many of the others. This species has often been reclassified: see EMBL database entry for details.
E. persica	Persian Desert Lacerta	S Turkmenistan, N/C/E Iran, Afghanistan, NW Pakistan	?"	Recently raised from a subspecies of E. velox: see EMBL database entry for details. Common name taken from Reptiles of Pakistan checklist.
E. pleski	Transcaucasian Keeled Lizard/ Pleski's Racerunner	S Armenia and adj. NE Turkey and NW Iran	6"?	?.
E. przewalskii	? Przewalskii's Racerunner	W, C & S Mongolia and adjacent parts of Russia, N China/ Inner Mongolia, E Kyrgyzstan, SE Kazakhstan	?"	Two subspecies, the nominate and E. p. tuvensis.
E. quadrifons	? Racerunner	Nei Monol (Inner Mongolia), China	?"	Found in the Ala Shan desert of Inner Mongolia.
E. regeli	? Racerunner	SE Turkmenia, S Uzbekistan, SW Tadzhikistan, N Afghanistan	?"	Somewhat disputed classification: see EMBL database entry for details.
E. scripta	Sand Racerunner/ Caspian Desert Lacerta	S Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, NE Iran, Afghanistan, NW Pakistan, SE Uzbekistan, SW Tajikistan	8½?"	There are three subspecies, the nominate and E. s. lasdini and E. s. pherganensis. E. s. kopetdaghica was also considered a subspecies in Grzimek. See EMBL database entry for details. The Uzbekistan population is restricted to the Fergana valley in the southeast.
E. strauchi	Strauch's Racerunner	Armenia, Azerbaidzhan, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Iran	8½"	There are two subspecies, the nominate and E. s. kopetdaghica.
E. suphani	Basoglu's Racerunner	E Turkey (Lake Van region).	?"	First described as a subspecies of E. velox in 1968 and raised to species level in 1980. See EMBL database entry for details.
E. velox	Rapid Fringe-Toed Lizard	Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, W Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, N Iran, N Afghanistan, Pakistan China (inc. Inner Mongolia) Russia (lower Volga region, Kalmyk Steppe, Daghestan), Azerbaijan, E Georgia	7"	One of the most widely distributed of the Eremias species. Click here for a picture. I have been unable to trace complete information on the geography of the three subspecies.
E. v. roborowski
E. velox caucasica		Volga basin, W. Caspian; C. Asia
E. vermiculata	? Racerunner	C/S Mongolia, NW China (Xinjiang east to Nei Mongol), E Kazakhstan	?"