Photos of UAE reptiles and amphibians

There are 56 species of terrestrial reptiles known to occur in UAE.

The common names of many of the species have multiple synonyms and should not be used when referring to a species.
In some cases over the last 10 years, the scientific names have changed (for example Agama flavimaculata has become Trapelus flavimaculatus).

Arabian Toad-headed Agama Phrynocephalus arabicus

Spotted Toad-headed Agama Phrynocephalus maculatus

Yellow-spotted Agama Trapelus flavimaculatus

Sinai Agama Pseudotrapelus sinaitus

Spiny-tailed Lizard Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis
- all Uromastyx south of the Abu Dhabi to Al Ain road will be this species.

Leptien's Spiny-tailed Lizard Uromastyx leptieni
- all Uromastyx north of the Abu Dhabi to Al Ain road will be this species.

Musandam Leaf-toed Gecko Asaccus caudivolvulus
- Described as a separate species in 1994, endemic to the mountains of the eastern UAE and the Musandam Peninsula.

Gallagher’s Leaf-toed Gecko Asaccus gallagheri
- Widespread in mountains from Musandam through the Hajar Mountains to central Oman.

Rough-tailed Bowfoot Gecko Cyrtopodion scabrum
- Usually found in disturbed habitat such as towns, oil camps and desert farms.

Banded Ground Gecko Bunopus spatalurus hajarensis
- Found in the mountains and gravel outwash plains.

Baluch Ground Gecko Bunopus tuberculatus
- Abundant and widespread species of vegetated sandy plains and coastal habitats.

Yellow-bellied House Gecko Hemidactylus flaviviridis
- Probably the most familiar gecko as it lives in close proximity with man.

Persian Leaf-toed Gecko Hemidactylus persicus
- Recorded Qarn Nazwa only, where common.

Gecko Hemidactylus robustus
- Occupies a wide range of habitats from the rough bark of desert ghaf trees and rocky outcrops to the date palms on city streets and house walls.

Bar-tailed Semaphore Gecko Pristurus celerrimus
- Large, up to 40 mm in lenght and active by day. Found in the Hajar Mountains and abundant in the limestone mountains of Ru’us al-Jibal (Musandam).

Least Semaphore Gecko Pristurus minimus
- Up to 27 mm in lenght, lives on the sand and gravel outwash plains and on the coastal plains of the eastern UAE. It was discovered in the UAE in 1989, lives within clumps of vegetation and is easily missed.

Rock Semaphore Gecko Pristurus rupestris
- The most common Pristurus and active by day. Found in the mountains and other rocky areas, and in cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai, often found on walls and in gardens.

Carter's Semaphore Gecko Pristurus carteri
- Discovered east of Jebel Hafit in 2009 (Dr. Drew Gardner pers comm).

Fan-footed Gecko Ptyodactylus hasselquistii
- Fairly common in the mountains; during daytime often found together in caves, deeply-shaded overhangs and ruined buildings.

Arabian Sand Gecko Stenodactylus arabicus
- Another soft sand dweller up to 40 mm in lenght.

Dune Sand Gecko Stenodactylus doriae
- A large species up to 83 mm in lenght living on fine, wind-blown sands where they walk slowly at night.

Gulf Sand Gecko Stenodactylus khobarensis
- Found in sabhkas.

Eastern Sand Gecko Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes
- Found on gravel plains.

Slevin's Sand Gecko Stenodactylus slevini
- Looks very similar to the Dune Sand Gecko but has a chevron mark on the back of the head. Prefers firmer sandy plains.

Persian Wonder Gecko Teratoscincus keyserlingii
- Arguably the most beautiful gecko in the UAE, rare and nocturnal in the northern parts of the UAE in areas of low, undulating sand dunes and coastal gravel plains.

Striped Sand Lizard Acanthodactylus boskianus

Fringe-toed Lizard Acanthodactylus gongrorhynchatus

Blanford's fringe-toed Lizard Acanthodactylus blanfordii
- only found on the sanddune at Khor Kalba.

Schmidt's fringe-toed (White-spotted) Lizard Acanthodactylus schmidti

Haas’s Spiny-footed Lizard Acanthodactylus haasi

Spiny-footed Lizard Acanthodactylus opheodurus

Blue-tailed Oman Lizard Omanosaura cyanura

Jayakar’s Oman Lizard Omanosaura jayakari

Desert Race-runner Mesalina adramitana

Short-snouted Lizard Mesalina brevirostris

Snake-eyed Skink Ablepharus pannonicus

Ocellated Skink Chalcides ocellatus

Tesselated Mabuya Mabuya tessellata

Eastern Sand Skink Scincus mitranus

Common Skink Scincus scincus conirostris

Desert Monitor Varanus griseus
- Fairly common and widespread, most often seen morning and afternoons.

Zarudny’s Worm Lizard Diplometopon zarudnyi

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Hook-nosed Thread Snake Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus

Flowerpot Snake Rhamphotyphlops braminus

Jayakar's Sand Boa Eryx jayakari

Rat Snake Platyceps ventromaculatus

Wadi Racer Platyceps rhodorachis

Leaf-nosed Snake Lytorhynchus diadema

Hooded Malpolon Malpolon moilensis

Schokari Sand Racer Psammophis schokari

Arabian Cat Snake Telescopus dhara

Clifford's Diadem Snake Spalerosophis diadema
One known record in the UAE; in 1971 from Tayyibah north of Masafi.
 

Arabian Horned Viper Cerastes gasperettii

Persian Horned Viper Pseudocerastes persicus

Saw-scaled Viper Echis carinatus

Oman Saw-scaled Viper Echis omanensis

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The Amphibians of the UAE

There are only 2 species of amphibians recorded in The UAE. The Dhofar toad, Bufo dhufarensis has been recorded around plantations in the Al Ain area, although it is possible that they may occur within some of the permanent, inaccessible water pools on Jebel Hafeet.
 

Arabian Toad Bufo arabicus

Dhofar Toad Bufo dhufarensis