Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: May 12th, 2024.
 
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Genus
Eirenis
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Middle Eastern Dwarf Snakes, Dwarf Racers, Peace Snakes
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Mittelöstliche Zwergnattern
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Mellemøstlige Dværgsnoge
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1843 |  |
Pediophis Fitzinger (type species: Calamaria coronella Schlegel 1837; syn. Williams & Wallach 1989) |
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1863 | |
Eirenis Jan (type species: Coluber collaris Menetries 1832) |
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1863 | |
Psilosoma Jan (type species: Calamaria coronella Schlegel 1837) |
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1888 | |
Pseudocyclophis Boettger (type species: Pseudocyclophis walteri Boettger 1888; syn. Nagy, Schmidtler, Joger & Wink 2003) |
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1989 | |
Collaria Dotsenko (type species: Coluber collaris Menetries 1832; syn. Dotsenko 1989) |
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2003 | |
Eoseirenis Nagy, Schmidtler, Joger & Wink (type species: Ablabes decemlineatus Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril 1854) |
Contents:
26 species, of which 8 (30.8%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0%  100%
Remarks:
Previously included in
Contia (e.g., Boulenger 1894, 1914). Revalidated for Old World species by Barbour (1914), presumably on geographic grounds (Stickel 1951). Although some authors continued to include Old World species in
Contia, Stickel (1951) presented evidence that the two genera are not closely related, and Eirenis is now recognized as the valid genus for the Old World species. Pseudocyclophis is here included as a synonym of Eirenis on the basis of Williams & Wallach (1989) and Nagy, Schmidtler, Joger & Wink (2003), although some authors regard it as a valid genus (e.g., Dotsenko 1985; Schätti & Monsch 2004; Zaher, Grazziotin, Cadle, Murphy, Moura-Leite & Bonatto 2009).
Distribution:
NE. Africa, SE. Europe, Middle East, SW. Asia.
Reported from:
Afghanistan,
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Cyprus,
Djibouti,
Egypt
(Sinai),
Eritrea,
Georgia,
Greece
(Aegean Islands),
Iran,
Iraq,
Israel,
Jordan,
Lebanon,
Pakistan,
Russia,
Saudi Arabia,
Sudan,
Syria,
Turkey
(incl.
European Turkey),
Turkmenistan.
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Eirenis africanus
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African Dwarf Snake
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Afrikanische Zwergnatter
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Afrikansk Dværgsnog
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1914 | |
Contia africana Boulenger |
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Eirenis africana Nagy, Schmidtler, Joger & Wink 2004 |
Distribution:
Djibouti,
Eritrea,
Sudan.
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Eirenis angusticeps
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Balochistan Dwarf Snake
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Belutschistan-Zwergnatter
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Balochistan-dværgsnog
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1894 | |
Contia angusticeps Boulenger (Smith 1943) |
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Eirenis angusticeps Rajabizadeh, Nagy, Adriaens, Avci, Masroor, Schmidtler, Nazarov, Esmaeili & Christiaens 2015 |
Remarks:
Previuosly regarded as a synonym of persicus (e.g., Smith 1943).
Revalidated by Rajabizadeh, Nagy, Adriaens, Avci, Masroor, Schmidtler, Nazarov, Esmaeili & Christiaens (2015).
Distribution:
Pakistan.
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Eirenis aurolineatus
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Golden-striped Dwarf Snake
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Goldstreifen-Zwergnatter
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Gyldenstribet Dværgsnog
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1919 | |
Contia collaris var. aurolineata Venzmer |
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Eirenis aurolineatus Schmidtler & Schmidtler 1978 |
Remarks:
Revalidated as a separate species by Schmidtler (1993). Status of Lebanese and Israelian modestus is uncertain, but refer to either aurolineatus or levantinus (Schmidtler 1993). Bouskila (2004) listed only levantinus from Israel.
Distribution:
Lebanon,
Turkey.
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Eirenis barani
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Adana Dwarf Snake, (Baran's Dwarf Snake)
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Adana-Zwergnatter, (Barans Zwergnatter)
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Adana-dværgsnog
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1988 | |
Eirenis barani Schmidtler |
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1997 | |
Eirenis barani bischofforum Schmidtler |
Distribution:
Syria,
Turkey.
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Eirenis collaris
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Collared Dwarf Snake, Ringhals Dwarf Snake
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Halsband-Zwergnatter
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Halsbånd-dværgsnog
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1832 | |
Coluber collaris Menetries |
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Eirenis collaris Jan 1863 |
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1903 | |
Contia macrospilota Werner (Böhme (ed.) 1993) |
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Eirenis collaris macrospilota Darevsky & Bakradze 1982 |
Remarks:
Presence in Lebanon needs confirmation, since a previous record from the country (Boulenger 1923) may refer to rothii (Hraoui-Bloquet, Sadek, Sindaco & Venchi 2002). Haas' (1951) report of this species from Jordan (repeated by Werner 1971) most likely also represent rothii (Venchi & Sindaco 2007). Presence in Cyprus needs confirmation (Baier, Sparrow & Wiedl 2009).
Distribution:
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Georgia,
Iran,
Iraq,
Russia,
Syria,
Turkey.
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Eirenis coronella
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Crowned Dwarf Snake, Crowned Peace Snake
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Krönchen-Zwergnatter
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Krone-dværgsnog
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1837 | |
Calamaria coronella Schlegel |
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Contia coronella Boulenger 1894 |
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Homalosoma coronella Peracca 1894 |
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Eirenis coronella Barbour 1914 |
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1863 | |
Eirenis fasciatus Jan (Schmidtler & Schmidtler 1978) |
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1907 | |
Contia brevicauda Nikolsky (Schmidtler & Schmidtler 1978) |
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1939 | |
Eirenis coronella fraseri Schmidt |
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1961 | |
Eirenis arabica Haas (Gasperetti 1988) |
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1982 | |
Eirenis coronella fennelli Arnold |
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2003 | |
Eirenis coronella ibrahimi Sivan & Werner |
Other common names:
coronella: Syrian Dwarf Snake
fennelli: Fennell's Dwarf Snake
Remarks:
Previously included coronelloides.
Older records from within the range of coronelloides may represent that species (see Nilson & Rastegar-Pouyani 2011).
Records from Lebanon (e.g., Bosch 1998) are regarded as doubtful (Hraoui-Bloquet, Sadek, Sindaco & Venchi 2002).
Not listed for Iran by Kamali (2020).
Distribution:
Egypt
(Sinai),
Iran,
Iraq,
Israel,
Jordan,
Saudi Arabia,
Syria.
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Eirenis coronelloides
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Sinai Dwarf Snake, Sinai Dwarf Racer
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Sinai-Zwergnatter
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Sinai-dværgsnog
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1862 | |
Homalosoma coronelloides Jan |
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Contia coronelloides Chernov 1948 |
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Eirenis coronelloides Welch 1983 |
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Eirenis coronella coronelloides Venchi & Sindaco 2007 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a synonym of coronella (e.g., Schmidtler & Schmidtler 1978; Gasperetti 1988).
Revalidated by Sivan & Werner (2003).
Venchi & Sindaco (2007) questioned this decision, and regarded coronelloides as a subspecies of coronella, but most recent works have treated it as a
separate species (e.g., Amr & Disi 2011; Avci & Olgun 2011; Nilson & Rastegar-Pouyani 2011; Mahlow, Tillack, Schmidtler & Müller 2013).
Distribution:
Iraq,
Jordan,
Syria,
Turkey.
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Eirenis decemlineatus
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Narrow-striped Dwarf Snake, Ten-lined Dwarf Snake, Ten-lined Peace-snake, Lined Dwarf Racer
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Zehnstreifen-Zwergnatter
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Smalstribet Dværgsnog
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1854 | |
Ablabes decemlineatus Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril |
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Eirenis collaris decemlineata Jan 1866 |
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Contia decemlineata Werner 1898 |
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Eirenis decemlineata Schmidt 1939 |
Remarks:
Presence in Iran doubtful. The only known Iranian specimens (Wall 1908) and literature records most probably refer to punctatolineatus or rechingeri (Schätti & Monsch 2004; Sindaco, Venchi & Grieco 2013; Mahlow, Tillack, Schmidtler & Müller 2013). Only a single record from Iraq (Corkill 1932).
Distribution:
Iraq,
Israel,
Jordan,
Lebanon,
Syria,
Turkey.
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Eirenis eiselti
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Urfa Dwarf Snake, (Eiselt's Dwarf Snake)
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Urfa-Zwergnatter
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Urfa-dværgsnog
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1978 | |
Eirenis eiselti Schmidtler & Schmidtler |
Distribution:
Syria,
Turkey.
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Eirenis hakkariensis
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Hakkari Dwarf Snake
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Hakkari-Zwergnatter
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Hakkari-dværgsnog
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1991 | |
Eirenis hakkariensis Schmidtler & Eiselt |
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Eirenis thospitis hakkariensis Nagy, Schmidtler, Joger & Wink 2003 |
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a subspecies of thospitis.
Revalidated as a separate species by Mahlow, Tillack, Schmidtler & Müller (2013).
Distribution:
Turkey.
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Eirenis kermanensis
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Kerman Dwarf Snake
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Kerman-Zwergnatter
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Kerman-dværgsnog
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2012 | |
Eirenis kermanensis Rajabizadeh, Schmidtler, Orlov & Soleimani |
Remarks:
Status uncertain. Suggested to be a synonym of medus by Rajabizadeh, Schmidtler, Orlov & Soleimani (2012), followed by Safaei-Mahroo & al. (2015).
Distribution:
Iran.
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Eirenis levantinus
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Levant Dwarf Snake, Asia Minor Dwarf Racer
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Levantische Zwergnatter
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Levantisk Dværgsnog
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1993 | |
Eirenis levantinus Schmidtler |
Remarks:
Status of Lebanese and Israelian modestus is uncertain, but refer to either aurolineatus or levantinus (Schmidtler 1993). Bouskila (2004) listed only levantinus from Israel. The doubtful records of modestus from Cyprus are referred to levantinus by Schmidtler (1993).
Distribution:
Cyprus,
Israel,
Lebanon,
Syria,
Turkey.
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Eirenis lineomaculatus
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Spotted-line Dwarf Snake, (Striped Dwarf Snake, Crowned Dwarf Racer)
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Längsgepunktete Zwergnatter
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Stiplet Dværgsnog
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1939 | |
Eirenis lineomaculatus Schmidt |
Distribution:
Iraq,
Israel,
Jordan,
Lebanon,
Syria,
Turkey.
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Eirenis mcmahoni
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Suleiman Mountains Dwarf Snake
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Suleiman-Zwergnatter
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Suleiman-dværgsnog
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1911 | |
Contia mcmahoni Wall |
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Eirenis mcmahoni Welch 1988 |
Remarks:
Status uncertain.
Listed as a valid species by some authors (e.g., Das 1996).
Regarded as a synonym of persicus by others (e.g., Minton 1966).
Not mentioned by Khan (2006) or Masroor (2012), indicating that these authors did not regard it as a valid species either.
Rajabizadeh, Nagy, Adriaens, Avci, Masroor, Schmidtler, Nazarov, Esmaeili & Christiaens (2015) noted the unique scalation of specimens from the Suleiman Mountains
which can be referred to mcmahoni, but although the authors listed the species separately, they also pointed out the current lack of sufficient data to
evaluate the taxonomy of the species.
It is provisionally included herein as a valid species, pending further studies to resolve its status.
Distribution:
Pakistan.
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Eirenis medus
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Turkmen Dwarf Snake, (Striped Dwarf Snake)
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Turkmenische Zwergnatter
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Turkmensk Dværgsnog
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1940 | |
Contia meda Chernov |
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Eirenis medus Schmidtler & Schmidtler 1978 |
Distribution:
Iran,
Turkmenistan.
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Eirenis modestus
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Ring-headed Dwarf Snake, Asia Minor Dwarf Snake, Mild Dwarf Snake
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Kopfbinden-Zwergnatter
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Anatolsk Dværgsnog
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1838 | |
Coronella modesta Martin |
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Contia modesta Werner 1939 |
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Eirenis modesta Stickel 1951 |
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1839 | |
Tyria argonauta Eichwald (Böhme (ed.) 1993) |
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1876 | |
Eirenis modestus semimaculatus Boettger |
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1937 | |
Contia modesta werneri Wettstein |
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Eirenis modestus werneri Welch 1983 |
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1993 | |
Eirenis modestus cilicius Schmidtler |
Remarks:
Syrian and Lebanese records refer to levantinus (Schmidtler 1993; Martens 1997; Hraoui-Bloquet, Sadek, Sindaco & Venchi 2002).
According to Schmidtler (1993), status of Israelian records is uncertain, but refer to either aurolineatus or levantinus,
however, Bouskila (2004) listed only levantinus from Israel.
The doubtful records of modestus from Cyprus are referred to levantinus by Schmidtler (1993).
Not listed for Iran by Kamali (2020).
Distribution:
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Georgia,
Greece
(Aegean Islands),
Iran,
Russia,
Syria,
Turkey
(incl.
European Turkey).
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Eirenis modestus
© Henrik Bringsøe
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Eirenis nigrofasciatus
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Black-banded Dwarf Snake
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Schwarzgebänderte Zwergnatter
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Sortbåndet Dværgsnog
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1907 | |
Contia persica var. nigrofasciata Nikolsky |
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Contia persica nigrofasciata Terentjev & Chernov 1949 |
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Eirenis nigrofasciatus Rajabizadeh, Nagy, Adriaens, Avci, Masroor, Schmidtler, Nazarov, Esmaeili & Christiaens 2015 |
Remarks:
Previuosly regarded as a synonym of persicus.
Revalidated by Rajabizadeh, Nagy, Adriaens, Avci, Masroor, Schmidtler, Nazarov, Esmaeili & Christiaens (2015).
Distribution:
Iran,
Iraq.
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Eirenis occidentalis
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Sanliurfa Dwarf Snake
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Sanliurfa-Zwergnatter
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Sanliurfa-dværgsnog
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2015 | |
Eirenis occidentalis Rajabizadeh, Nagy, Adriaens, Avci, Masroor, Schmidtler, Nazarov, Esmaeili & Christiaens |
Distribution:
Iran,
Turkey.
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Eirenis persicus
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Persian Dwarf Snake, Dark-headed Dwarf Snake, Persian False Dwarf Snake
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Persische Zwergnatter
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Persisk Dværgsnog
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1872 | |
Cyclophis persicus Anderson |
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Pseudocyclophis persicus Boettger 1888 |
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Contia persica Terentjev & Chernov 1949 |
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Eirenis persica Khalaf 1959 |
Remarks:
Previously included angusticeps, mcmahoni, nigrofasciatus, walteri, and the populations now assigned to occidentalis.
Although reported to occur in India (e.g., Terentjev & Chernov 1949; Leviton, Anderson, Adler & Minton 1992), the species is probably not found there
(Das, cited in the Reptile Database, viewed 15 February 2018).
Distribution:
Armenia,
Iran.
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Eirenis punctatolineatus
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Armenian Dwarf Snake, Dotted Dwarf Snake
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Armenische Zwergnatter
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Armensk Dværgsnog
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1892 | |
Cyclophis modestus punctatolineata Boettger |
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Eirenis punctatolineatus Engelmann, Fritzsche, Günther & Obst 1933 |
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1903 | |
Zamenis bornmüllerorum Werner (Rajabizadeh, Schmidtler, Javanmardi, Rastegar-Pouyani & Esmaeili 2012) |
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1909 | |
Contia schelkovnikovi Nikolsky (Rajabizadeh, Schmidtler, Javanmardi, Rastegar-Pouyani & Esmaeili 2012) |
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1939 | |
Eirenis iranica Schmidt (Rajabizadeh, Schmidtler, Javanmardi, Rastegar-Pouyani & Esmaeili 2012) |
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1920 | |
Contia condoni Boulenger |
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Eirenis punctatolineatus condoni Rajabizadeh, Schmidtler, Javanmardi, Rastegar-Pouyani & Esmaeili 2012 |
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1970 | |
Eirenis punctatolineatus kumerloevi Eiselt |
Distribution:
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Iran,
Iraq,
Turkey.
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Eirenis rafsanjanicus
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Rafsanjan Dwarf Snake
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Rafsanjan-Zwergnatter
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Rafsanjan-dværgsnog
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2020 | |
Eirenis rafsanjanicus Akbarpour, Rastegar-Pouyani, Fathinia & Rastegar-Pouyani |
Distribution:
Iran.
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Eirenis rechingeri
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Schiras Dwarf Snake
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Schiras-Zwergnatter
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Schiras-dværgsnog
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1971 | |
Eirenis rechingeri Eiselt |
Distribution:
Iran.
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Eirenis rothii
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Israeli Dwarf Snake, (Roth's Dwarf Snake, Roth's Snake)
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Israelische Zwergnatter
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Israelsk Dværgsnog
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1863 | |
Eirenis rothii Jan |
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Contia rothii Werner 1939 |
Remarks:
Erroneously recorded from Iraq by Marx & Reed (1959), a record which was based on misidentified collaris (Leviton, Anderson, Adler & Minton 1992). Only a single record from Lebanon without precise locality (Hraoui-Bloquet, Sadek, Sindaco & Venchi 2002).
Distribution:
Israel,
Jordan,
Lebanon,
Syria,
Turkey.
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Eirenis thospitis
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Kurdish Dwarf Snake
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Kurdische Zwergnatter
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Kurdisk Dværgsnog
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1990 | |
Eirenis thospitis Schmidtler & Lanza |
Remarks:
Previously included hakkariensis.
Distribution:
Iran,
Turkey.
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Eirenis walteri
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Northern Dwarf Snake
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Nördliche Zwergnatter
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Nordlig Dværgsnog
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1888 | |
Pseudocyclophis walteri Boettger |
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Contia walteri Boulenger 1894 |
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Contia persica walteri Terentjev & Chernov 1949 |
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Eirenis persicus walteri Mertens 1969 |
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Eirenis walteri Rajabizadeh, Nagy, Adriaens, Avci, Masroor, Schmidtler, Nazarov, Esmaeili & Christiaens 2015 |
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1923 | |
Contia zebrina Wall (syn. Rajabizadeh, Nagy, Adriaens, Avci, Masroor, Schmidtler, Nazarov, Esmaeili & Christiaens 2015) |
Remarks:
Previuosly regarded as a subspecies or synonym of persicus.
Revalidated by Rajabizadeh, Nagy, Adriaens, Avci, Masroor, Schmidtler, Nazarov, Esmaeili & Christiaens (2015).
Distribution:
Afghanistan,
Iran,
Pakistan,
Turkmenistan.
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Eirenis yassujicus
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Yasouj Dwarf Snake
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Yasouj-Zwergnatter
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Yasouj-dværgsnog
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2019 | |
Eirenis yassujicus Fathinia, Rastegar-Pouyani & Shafaeipour |
Distribution:
Iran.
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