Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Acanthodactylus harranensis (Acanthodactylus harranensis), recorded as Critically Endangered
Acanthodactylus harranensis (Acanthodactylus harranensis). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Acanthodactylus harranensis

Acanthodactylus harranensis

Acanthodactylus harranensis is a lizard or snake in the family Lacertidae, recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Acanthodactylus harranensis
Taxonomy
Squamata · Lacertidae · Acanthodactylus

Appearance

A. Harranensis is a relatively large and stout-bodied Acanthodactylus, with a snout–vent length of 76.5–94.8 mm. The dorsal pattern consists of irregular longitudinal dark and light stripes or, in juveniles, a series of spots.

The tail is more than 1.5 times the body length.

Range and habitat

A. Harranensis is native to Turkey, and is known only from the ruins of the ancient city of Harran. It may also occur in Syria and Iraq. The natural A. Harranensis usually lives in in rocky areas, among them the ruins of the ancient university at Harran.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

The Harran fringe-toed lizard is listed as being critically endangered on the IUCN Red List due to its tiny range and ongoing habitat degradation. It is threatened by increases in tourism, ongoing excavation of the ruins, and overgrazing.

Acanthodactylus harranensis is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Acanthodactylus harranensis, Wikidata item Q2822543. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Be'er Sheva Fringe-fingered Lizard (Acanthodactylus beershebensis), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Be'er Sheva Fringe-fingered Lizard

Acanthodactylus beershebensis
Photograph of Savigny's Fringe-fingered Lizard (Acanthodactylus savignyi), recorded as EndangeredEN

Savigny's Fringe-fingered Lizard

Acanthodactylus savignyi
Photograph of Schreiber's Fringe-fingered Lizard (Acanthodactylus schreiberi), recorded as EndangeredEN

Schreiber's Fringe-fingered Lizard

Acanthodactylus schreiberi
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus

Quick answers

What is Acanthodactylus harranensis?
Acanthodactylus harranensis is a lizard or snake in the family Lacertidae.
What is the conservation status of Acanthodactylus harranensis?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Acanthodactylus harranensis. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Acanthodactylus harranensis live?
A. Harranensis is native to Turkey, and is known only from the ruins of the ancient city of Harran.
Why is Acanthodactylus harranensis in crisis?
The Harran fringe-toed lizard is listed as being critically endangered on the IUCN Red List due to its tiny range and ongoing habitat degradation.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Acanthodactylus harranensis?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Acanthodactylus harranensis a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.