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Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: October 31st, 2023.


Taxonomy of the family Lacertidae
Bibliography of the genus Mesalina
Biodiversity of the family Lacertidae








Genus
Mesalina

Afro-Asian Desert Lizards, Desert Racers, (Sand Lizards)

Afro-Asiatischer Wüstenrenner

Vestpalæarktiske Ørkenfirben

1838 Mesalina Gray (type species: Mesalina lichtensteinii Gray 1838)
1843 Dioptroblepharis Fitzinger (type species: Eremias pardalis Dumeril & Bibron 1839; syn. Boulenger 1921)
1843 Tachyscelis Fitzinger (type species: Lacerta rubropunctata Lichtenstein 1823; syn. Arnold 1989)
Contents: 20 species, of which 5 (25.0%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0% 100%
Remarks: Previously regarded as a synonym of Eremias (e.g., Boulenger 1921). Revalidated by Szczerbak (1975). Validity as a separate genus confirmed by Arnold (1980).
Distribution: N. Africa, Middle East, SW. Asia.
Reported from: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt (incl. Sinai), Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Ethiopia, India (Rajasthan), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman (incl. Masirah), Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (incl. Farasan Islands), Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Western Sahara, Yemen (incl. Socotra Archipelago [Abd al Kuri, Darsa, Samha, Socotra]).

Mesalina adramitana

Hadramaut Desert Lizard

Hadramaut-Wüstenrenner

Hadhramaut-ørkenfirben

1917 Eremias adramitana Boulenger
Mesalina adramitana Szczerbak 1975

Distribution: Oman (incl. Masirah), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.


Mesalina adrarensis

Mauritanian Desert Lizard

Mauritanischer Wüstenrenner

Mauritansk Ørkenfirben

2021 Mesalina adrarensis Pizzigalli, Crochet, Geniez, Martínez-Freiría, Velo-Antón & Brito

Distribution: Mauritania, Western Sahara.





Mesalina arnoldi

Yemen Desert Lizard

Yemen-Wüstenrenner

Yemen-ørkenfirben

2018 Mesalina arnoldi Sindaco, Simó-Riudalbas, Sacchi & Carranza

Distribution: Saudi Arabia (incl. Farasan Islands), Yemen.





Mesalina austroarabica

South Arabian Desert Lizard

Südarabischer Wüstenrenner

Sydarabisk Ørkenfirben

2018 Mesalina austroarabica Sindaco, Simó-Riudalbas, Sacchi & Carranza

Distribution: Oman, Yemen.





Mesalina ayunensis

Ayun Desert Lizard, Dhofar Sand Lizard

Ayun-Wüstenrenner

Ayun-ørkenfirben

1980 Mesalina ayunensis Arnold

Distribution: Oman.


Mesalina bahaeldini

Mount Sinai Desert Lizard

Sinai-Wüstenrenner

Sinai-ørkenfirben

2002 Mesalina bahaeldini Segoli, Cohen & Werner
2010 Mesalina bahaeldini curatorum Werner & Ashkenazi

Remarks: Includes populations previously assigned to guttulata (Sindaco, Simó-Riudalbas, Sacchi & Carranza 2018). Not mentioned for Saudi Arabia by Aloufi, Amr, Baker & Hamidan (2019).
Distribution: Egypt (incl. Sinai), Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia.


Mesalina balfouri

Socotra Desert Lizard

Sokotra-Wüstenrenner

Socotra-ørkenfirben

1881 Eremias balfouri Blanford
Eremias guttulata balfouri Neumann 1905
Eremias olivieri balfouri Haas 1951
Mesalina olivieri balfouri Szczerbak 1975
Mesalina balfouri Arnold 1986

Remarks: Records from Abd el Kuri (e.g., Wranik 1998; Schätti & Desvoignes 1999) refer to kuri, which was previously regarded as a population of balfouri.
Distribution: Yemen (incl. Socotra Archipelago [Darsa, Samha, Socotra]).


Mesalina bernoullii

Syrian Desert Lizard, (Bernoulli’s Short-Nosed Desert Lizard)

Syrischer Wüstenrenner

Syrisk Ørkenfirben

1901 Eremias bernoullii Schenkel
Mesalina bernoullii Smíd, Moravec, Gvozdík, Stundl, Frynta, Lymberakis, Kapli, Wilms, Schmitz, Shobrak, Yousefkhani, Rastegar-Pouyani, Castilla, Els & Mayer 2017
1969 Eremias brevirostris fieldi Haas & Werner (Smíd, Moravec, Gvozdík, Stundl, Frynta, Lymberakis, Kapli, Wilms, Schmitz, Shobrak, Yousefkhani, Rastegar-Pouyani, Castilla, Els & Mayer 2017)
Mesalina brevirostris fieldi Welch 1983

Remarks: Previously regarded as a synonym of brevirostris (e.g., Szczerbak 1975). Revalidated as a separate species by Smíd, Moravec, Gvozdík, Stundl, Frynta, Lymberakis, Kapli, Wilms, Schmitz, Shobrak, Yousefkhani, Rastegar-Pouyani, Castilla, Els & Mayer (2017).
Distribution: Egypt (Sinai), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria.


Mesalina brevirostris

Short-nosed Desert Lizard, Short-snouted Desert Lizard

Kurzschnauzen-Wüstenrenner

Kortsnudet Ørkenfirben

1874 Mesalina brevirostris Blanford
Eremias brevirostris Boulenger 1887

Remarks: Previously included bernouillii, microlepis, and the populations now assigned to saudiarabica (Smíd, Moravec, Gvozdík, Stundl, Frynta, Lymberakis, Kapli, Wilms, Schmitz, Shobrak, Yousefkhani, Rastegar-Pouyani, Castilla, Els & Mayer 2017). Sindaco & Jeremchenko's (2008) claim that the species occurs in India seems to be unsupported by other sources.
Distribution: Bahrain, Iran, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.


Mesalina ercolinii

Somali Desert Lizard

Somalischer Wüstenrenner

Somalisk Ørkenfirben

1975 Eremias ercolinii Lanza & Poggesi
Mesalina ercolinii Welch 1982

Remarks: Welch (1982) assigned ercolinii to the genus Mesalina, but without discussion. However, Arnold, Lanza, Poggesi & Corti (1998) tentatively confirmed the assigment.
Distribution: Somalia.


Mesalina guttulata

Common Small-spotted Desert Lizard

Gewöhnlicher Kleinflecken-Wüstenrenner

Almindeligt Spættet Ørkenfirben

1823 Lacerta guttulata Lichtenstein
Eremias guttulata Duméril & Bibron 1839
Mesalina guttulata Blanford 1879
1838 Scapteira punctulata Gray (Szczerbak 1975)
1839 Eremias pardalis Duméril & Bibron (Szczerbak 1975)
Mesalina pardalis Gray 1845
Podarces pardalis Boettger 1880

Remarks: Now restricted to Africa. Previously included balfouri, martini, olivieri, and watsonana, as well as the populations now assigned to arnoldi, austroarabica, and bahaeldini (Sindaco, Simó-Riudalbas, Sacchi & Carranza 2018). A single, old record from Eritrea (Sindaco & Jeremchenko 2008; Spawls, Mazuch & Mohammad 2023). Records from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan refer to watsonana. Records from Yemen refer to arnoldi or austroarabica. Some Arabian records (including records from Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Syria) are of unresolved status, but probably represent an undescribed species (Sindaco, Simó-Riudalbas, Sacchi & Carranza 2018).
Distribution: Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia, Western Sahara.


Mesalina kuri

Abd al Kuri Desert Lizard

Abd-al-Kuri-Wüstenrenner

Abd al Kuri-ørkenfirben

2002 Mesalina kuri Joger & Mayer

Remarks: Previously regarded as a population of balfouri.
Distribution: Yemen (Socotra Archipelago: Abd al Kuri).


Mesalina martini

Red Sea Desert Lizard, (Martin's Desert Racer)

Rotes-Meer-Wüstenrenner

Rødehavs-ørkenfirben

1897 Eremias martini Boulenger
Eremias guttulata martini Neumann 1905
Eremias olivieri martini Haas 1951
Mesalina olivieri martini Szczerbak 1975
Mesalina martini Arnold 1986

Distribution: Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen.


Mesalina microlepis

Arabian Small-scaled Desert Lizard

Kleinschuppiger Wüstenrenner

Arabisk Finskællet Ørkenfirben

1936 Eremias brevirostris microlepis Angel
Mesalina brevirostris microlepis Szczerbak 1975
Mesalina microlepis Smíd, Moravec, Gvozdík, Stundl, Frynta, Lymberakis, Kapli, Wilms, Schmitz, Shobrak, Yousefkhani, Rastegar-Pouyani, Castilla, Els & Mayer 2017

Remarks: Previously regarded as a subspecies of brevirostris (e.g., Szczerbak 1975). Revalidated as a separate species by Smíd, Moravec, Gvozdík, Stundl, Frynta, Lymberakis, Kapli, Wilms, Schmitz, Shobrak, Yousefkhani, Rastegar-Pouyani, Castilla, Els & Mayer (2017).
Distribution: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey.


Mesalina olivieri

Egyptian Small-spotted Desert Lizard, (Olivier's Small-spotted Desert Lizard, Olivier's Desert Lizard)

Ägyptischer Kleinflecken-Wüstenrenner

Ægyptisk Spættet Ørkenfirben

1829 Lacerta olivieri Audouin
Eremias guttulata olivieri Boulenger 1918
Eremias olivieri Haas 1951
Mesalina olivieri Szczerbak 1975
1901 Eremias guichenoti Doumergue (Szczerbak 1975)
1918 Eremias guttulata latastii Boulenger (Szczerbak 1975)
Eremias olivieri latastii Haas 1951
Mesalina olivieri latasti Szczerbak 1975
1918 Eremias guttulata susana Boulenger (Bischoff 1991; Sindaco & Jeremchenko 2008)
Eremias olivieri susana Haas 1951
Mesalina guttulata susana Szczerbak 1975
Mesalina olivieri susana Bischoff 1991
1951 Eremias olivieri schmidti Haas
Mesalina olivieri schmidtii Szczerbak 1975

Remarks: Previously included balfouri, martini, and simoni.
Distribution: Algeria, Egypt (incl. Sinai), Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia.


Mesalina pasteuri

Sahara Desert Lizard, (Pasteur's Desert Racer)

Sahara-Wüstenrenner

Sahara-ørkenfirben

1960 Eremias pasteuri Bons
Mesalina pasteuri Szczerbak 1975

Distribution: Algeria, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara.


Mesalina rubropunctata

Red-spotted Desert Lizard

Rotgepunkteter Wüstenrenner

Rødplettet Ørkenfirben

1823 Lacerta rubropunctata Lichtenstein
Eremias rubropunctata Duméril & Bibron 1839
Mesalina rubropunctata Gray 1845
1838 Mesalina lichtensteinii Gray (Szczerbak 1975)
1838 Scapteira nebulosa Gray (Szczerbak 1975)

Remarks: Berre (1989) listed rubropunctata for Tunisia, but according to Schlüter (2007), guttulata and olivieri are the only species of the genus Mesalina found in the country. Not mentioned for Saudi Arabia by Aloufi, Amr, Baker & Hamidan (2019).
Distribution: Algeria, Chad, Egypt (incl. Sinai), Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Western Sahara.


Mesalina saudiarabica

West Arabian Desert Lizard

Westarabischer Wüstenrenner

Vestarabisk Ørkenfirben

2017 Mesalina saudiarabica Moravec, Smíd, Schmitz, Shobrak & Wilms in Smíd, Moravec, Gvozdík, Stundl, Frynta, Lymberakis, Kapli, Wilms, Schmitz, Shobrak, Yousefkhani, Rastegar-Pouyani, Castilla, Els & Mayer

Distribution: Saudi Arabia.


Mesalina simoni

Moroccan Small-spotted Desert Lizard, (Simon's Small-spotted Lizard)

Marokkanischer Kleinflecken-Wüstenrenner

Marokkansk Spættet Ørkenfirben

1881 Podarces simoni Boettger
Eremias olivieri simoni Bons 1959
Mesalina olivieri simoni Szczerbak 1975
Mesalina simoni Arnold 1986
2021 Mesalina simoni saharae Pizzigalli, Crochet, Geniez, Martínez-Freiría, Velo-Antón & Brito

Distribution: Morocco, Western Sahara.


Mesalina watsonana

Long-tailed Desert Lizard, Persian Long-tailed Sand Lizard, Blue-tailed Desert Lizard

Langschwanz-Wüstenrenner

Langhalet Ørkenfirben

1872 Eremias watsonana Stoliczka
Mesalina watsonana Murray 1884
Eremias guttulata watsonana Smith 1935
Mesalina guttulata watsonana Szczerbak 1975
1874 Mesalina pardaloides Blanford (Smith 1935)
Eremias pardaloides Boulenger 1887

Distribution: Afghanistan, India (Rajasthan), Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan.