Whilst birdwatching at Jebal Hamrah recently I found a Blandford's Short-nosed Desert Lizard or Short-nosed Lizard. It is a small to medium-sized, slightly depressed
lizard, with a maximum length of 55 millimetres Snout distinctly short and nasal
areas somewhat swollen. Lower eyelid with a window made of two large,
semi-transparent scales of roughly equal size. Dorsal side of tibia covered
with smooth scales. Dorsal surfaces pinkish gray, with reddish and light spots,
which might form a weak striated pattern; reddish spots are larger on the
flanks and sides of tail. This species ranges from Turkey, through much of
Syria, eastern Lebanon, and most of Jordan to the northern Arabian Peninsula
(northern and eastern Saudi Arabia, Kuwait United Arab Emirates), east to Iraq,
Iran, Pakistan and Punjab, northern India. It occurs from sea-level up to at
least 900 m. There is also an isolated population in the southern part of the
Sinai Peninsula (Egypt). They are found in a wide variety of arid areas with
hard substrates. It can be found on gravelly plains with sparse vegetation, and
in coastal areas. It is also known from gravel plains and blown sand areas in
wadis. The female lays five clutches of between one and six eggs per year. I thank Mansur Al-Fahad for the identification of this lizard.
