Phrynocephalus guttatus


Phrynocephalus guttatus, also known commonly as the spotted toadhead agama, the Saissan toad-headed agama, the Central Asian toadhead agama, and Salensky's toadhead agama, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is native to southeastern Europe and western Asia. There are five recognized subspecies.

Geographic range

Phrynocephalus guttatus is found in Kazakhstan, southern Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Phrynocephalus guttatus is desert, at altitudes from below sea level to.

Reproduction

Phrynocephalus guttatus is oviparous.

Subspecies

Five subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
  • Phrynocephalus guttatus alpherakii
  • Phrynocephalus guttatus guttatus
  • Phrynocephalus guttatus melanurus – Saissan toad-headed agama
  • Phrynocephalus guttatus moltschanowi
  • Phrynocephalus guttatus salsatus
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Phrynocephalus.

Etymology

The subspecific name, moltschanowi, is in honor of Russian ornithologist L.A. Molchanov who collected natural history specimens in the Crimea from 1903 to 1933.