Annotated checklist of the endemic Tetrapoda species of Iran

ABSTRACT During past years different studies have attempted to describe the tetrapod fauna of Iran, most of which have focused on the herpetofauna. However there is no coherent study of the endemic species of Tetrapoda in Iran. In this study, we provide a list of endemic species of Tetrapoda in Iran, mention their habitat, distribution, their conservation status (IUCN) and important biological note. Eighty endemic species of Tetrapoda occur in Iran, of which 82.50% are reptiles. Thirty-eight species (47.50% of total endemic species of Tetrapoda) have no submitted data to IUCN; of which 35 species are reptiles. Additional studies are needed to provide data about the conservation status of tetrapod fauna of Iran, especially the endemic fauna.


INTRODUCTION
Endemicity is one of the crucial issues in conservation biology, an idea fi rst employed by de Candolle 200 years ago. "Endemicity" may result from: 1) the organism originated in a special place and never dispersed elsewhere; or 2) the organism survived in a portion of its former broader range. Historical events and ecological processes infl uence endemicity (Brown & Lomolino 1998) and furthermore degree of endemicity differs among taxa.
Iran is a prominent area from the zoogeographical point of view; located on the border of the Palearctic, Ethiopian and Oriental zoogeographic regions, it ranks 20 th among global hotspot (Coad & Vilenkin 2004;Hosseinzadeh et al. 2014). Hosseinzadeh et al. (2014) reported the western and southwestern areas of Iran as hotspots for Iranian endemic reptiles, designated as the Irano-Anatolian biodiversity hotspot. Th e annual mean temperature was identifi ed as the factor that has the most eff ect on the reptile species richness (Hosseinzadeh et al. 2014).
Numerous studies have been conducted related to Iran endemicity, most of which focused on the herpetofauna. In 2011, Gholamifard published a study of the endemic reptiles of Iran, identifying 36 endemic species. Smid et al. (2014) published a checklist of the Iranian lizards, listing 46 endemic species. However, Hosseinzadeh et al. (2014) recognized 50 endemic species of terrestrial reptiles in Iran. In the most recent study, six endemic amphibians and 55 endemic reptiles were listed for Iran (Safaei-Mahroo et al. 2015).
On the other hand, Karami et al. (2016) published the checklist of the mammals of Iran and listed 202 species (including both extirpated and introduced species). Rodents were the most diverse order (71 species) followed by Chiroptera (49 species) and Carnivora (31 species) (Karami et al. 2016).
In this study, we provide a list of the endemic Tetrapoda of Iran in addition to their distribution, conservation status (IUCN), common name and habitat. Species with known ranges restricted to the political borders of Iran are considered endemic. Th is is the fi rst coherent report of the endemic species of Tetrapoda in Iran.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Th is revised checklist has been prepared based on the previous works done on the tetrapod fauna of Iran (see the selected bibliography) and also by examination of material from various zoological collections as well as carrying out extensive fi eld expeditions during recent years in the Iranian Plateau. An endemic is here defi ned as any species found solely in Iran. Some species are known with rare specimens only from specifi c locations within the political boundaries of Iranian provinces or have a restricted distribution within the Iranian Plateau. Others are recorded from Iranian provinces adjacent to neighboring countries and may eventually be found there, but as yet are known only inside the Iranian borders. Th e classifi cation follows Wilson & Reeder (2005) and Wilson et al. (2017) for mammals, Frost (2018) for amphibians, and Smid et al. (2014), Wallach et al. (2014) and Uetz (2018)  Family RANIDAE Rafi nesque, 1814 Genus Rana Linnaeus, 1758 Rana pseudodalmatina Eiselt & Schmidtler, 1971 (Fig. 2) Rana pseudodalmatina Eiselt & Schmidtler, 1971: 384. IUCN.

REMARKS
Described as Batrachuperus persicus the species was transferred to Paradactylon according to molecular study (Zhang et al. 2006 (Sharifi et al. 2008.
HABITAT. -Outside the breeding season, the species leaves the water. Vegetation cover of its habitat ranges from thin shrubland on steep rock outcrops to dense woodlands with diverse tree species (Sharifi et al. 2008. IUCN.

REMARKS
Th is species is closely similar to C. gastropholis. DISTRIBUTION. -Nazarov and Rajabizadeh found the species in the type locality and in 100 km North, North West of Iranshehr, near Bazman. And it is possible to be found in the central provinces of Iran and bordering regions of Pakistan.

Cyrtopodion sistanensis
HABITAT. -It inhabits dry low clay incline with poor bushy plants typical for Southern Iran. Th e habitat is diff erent in Bazman and represented by a more humid valley with rather dense shrub cover.
REFERENCE. -Nazarov & Rajabizadeh (2007 HABITAT. -Th e type and paratype samples were collected by Anderson (1999) under small and fl at stones next to a dry stream, in an area with scattered plants (Anderson 1999). It is also found on the wall and ceiling of buildings (Karamiani & Rastegar-Pouyani 2011).
-Not evaluated.   et al. 2003). According to Rajabizadeh et al. (2010) it is found in mountainous area with scattered vegetation. IUCN.

REMARK
According to Kapli et al. (2013) "Th e phylogeographical scenario emerging from the genetic data suggests that the present distribution of the genus was determined by a combination of dispersal and vicariance events between Anatolia and South West of Asia dating back to the Miocene and continuing up to the Pleistocene".   REFERENCES. -Camerano (1877)
HOLOTYPE. -NMW 33715.  HABITAT. -Isolated areas of semi-stable sands in stony desert. Largely found in the low areas between dunes among grasses and low shrubs (Anderson 1999).

REMARK
Th is species is known only from the holotype and two paratypes. According to morphological evalutions, it shows affi nity to Eremias fasciata Blanford, 1874, but its subgeneric position remains unclear (Darevsky & Shcherbak 1978;Anderson 1999). DISTRIBUTION. -Only currently known from the type locality and believed to be a restricted-range species.
HABITAT. -Th is species is believed to be endemic to the Maranjab sand dune habitat. Animals are found in the sand dunes, and are not present in surrounding gravelly areas. Th e dune weed Stipagrostis pennata De Winter, 1963 dominates the vegetation at the type locality. E. kavirensis is presumably an egg-laying species.

REMARK
Th is species can be diff erentiated from Eremias grammica (Lichtenstein, 1883) by having enlarged tibial scales and from E. acutirostris (Boulenger, 1887) by having scales of the fl ank larger than those of the back as well as having two rows of enlarged tibial scales instead of one. Moravec, 1994 Eremias lalezharica Moravec, 1994:  HABITAT. -E. lalezharica has been recorded from a mountain plateau with degraded steppe habitat, rural gardens and fi elds and wet meadows. Specimens were collected in open fi elds of soil and stones washed down the slopes of Mount Lalehzar. Animals were observed along the banks of an irrigation ditch and in the vicinity of irrigated gardens (Moravec 1994;Anderson 1999).
REFERENCES. - Moravec (1994); Anderson (1999)  HABITAT. -Th is species is associated with upland and mountainous steppes, with luxurious vegetation. Th e animals forage among shrubs and hide in holes when disturbed. In the Alvand Mountains, this species has been recorded from stony hills and mountainous steppes. Vegetation at the type locality is mainly Astragalus, Euphorbia, Gondelium as well as other species of the families Graminaceae and Compositeae. Th e area is snowcovered during the winter, with a relatively short mild summer period. Animals may be found foraging among the shrubs, and take refuge in these shrubs when alarmed (Rastegar-Pouyani & Rastegar-Pouyani 2005).

REMARK
Th is is a sister clade to T. kurdistanicus (Suchow, 1936)  DISTRIBUTION. -Only recorded from the type locality.
HABITAT. -A mountainous area covered with scattered oak forests which is characterized by deeply carved-out gullies running from the base to the top with large rocks and boulders inside and high rocky walls at both sides. IUCN.

REMARK
Th e species diff ers from all Iranian congeners by the absence of tubercular scales on the neck and upper side of the head. DISTRIBUTION. -Only known from the type locality.
HABITAT. -Elevation of type locality is 100 m a.s.l. No mountain or hill is found in the region.

REMARK
Th e holotype has been misidentifi ed as a Ptyodactylus Goldfuss, 1820 by Schmidt (1952

REMARK
Until now the species is recorded from two localities: South of Tehran (holotype) and Kerman Provinces (paratypes).    HABITAT. -Living in dry sandy ground (Rathor 1969).

IUCN. -Least concern.
REFERENCES.  HABITAT. -Valleys and mountainsides to the elevation of 2800 m a.s.l. Habitat substrate is composed of igneous stones and sandy soil. Habitat is characterized by a high density of Artemisia sp. and scattered trees of Amygdalus sp. and terebinth (Rajabizadeh et al. 2012).

REMARK
Th e morphology of this species is similar to E. medus (Chernov, 1940), requiring further investigations to be done (Mahlow et al. 2013). Eiselt, 1971 Eirenis rechingeri Eiselt, 1971: 375. HABITAT. -Few data are available for the habitat of this species, but the holotype was collected at dawn on the bank of a temporary dry river close to a hill of soft limestone covered with degraded bush forest steppe (Mahlow et al. 2013).

REMARK
Further investigation is needed to reveal whether Lytorhynchus levitoni and Rhynchocalamus Ilamensis are synonyms.

REMARK
According to Sehhatisabet (2007) P. pleskei is observed within a few km of the Afghanistan border in the Namakazar Basin between Niyaz Abad and Kalateh Kabudeh in East of Khorasan. Moreover, its range extends toward the Iran-Pakistan border (Radnezhad et al. 2011). Despite the LC status of the Iranian Ground-Jay, some crucial factors such as habitat loss and the sample collection for museums aff ect its populations (Sehhatisabet 2007 HABITAT. -Th is species inhabits semi-arid stepps and the edges of permanent streams with herbaceous plants and scattered shrubs (Karami et al. 2016). IUCN.

REMARK
Description postdates Lay (1967). Th is species is known only from a very restricted area, but may range more widely. Th ere is no information available regarding extent of occurrence, area of occupancy and other aspects (Hutterer 2005; Karami et al. 2008).  HABITAT. -Relatively little is known about its ecology. It is commonly found in forests at intermediate altitudes under evergreens as well as on barren, dry and rocky mountainsides with little vegetation. It favors mountain steppe regions between 400 and 3500 m, and is typically absent from low valleys. Moreover, it favors crevices between stone walls and embankments in small fi elds and terraced cultivation. In these crevices nests made of woven grass, wool, and other various soft materials have been found (Lay 1967;Grzimek et al. 2004). IUCN.

REMARK
All Iranian samples from Khuzestan, Fars, Khorasan, Esfahan, Tehran, and Semnan Provinces belonging to several distinct species were listed under C. bailwardi by Lay (1967) as Calomyscus was considered to be monotypic (Ellerman 1961

REMARK
Description postdates Lay (1967). Th e limits of its distribution remain unresolved and this species almost certainly occurs more widely than current records suggest, though it is likely to be endemic to the Alborz Mountains (Karami et al. 2008
-Th e Toussi Jerboa has been described from the steppe regions of the North East of Iran on the basis of morphological and morphometric data ).
HABITAT. -Poorly known. Steppe regions of the North East of Iran . IUCN.

REMARK
Th is species is distinguished from its parapatric species, i.e., S. elater Lichtenstein, 1825, and other Iranian fi ve-toed jerboas, by diff erences in external, cranial and molar morphological and morphometric characteristics data

REMARK
Th is species is closely related to J. blanfordi (Murray, 1884) by skull characteristics and the very complex structure of penis. However, the white fl ag is absent in the tail of J. thaleri, and karyotype is diff erent from J. blanfordi (Darvish & Hosseinie 2005). Michaux & Shenbrot (2017) concluded that the Th aler's Jerboa was an aberrant phenotype of J. blanfordi rather than an independent species. Hence, further sampling around the type locality (Kavir-e-Namak) and more integrated taxonomic studies are needed for precise inferences on this issue. Undoubtedly these numbers are not stable, especially in a group such as reptiles. With discoveries of new species and reductions of several species into one -especially in recent years -these numbers always change. So the percentages in this paper are not so precise. Obtaining the exact number of species in each group requires a separate complete study.

DISCUSSION
Sixty six out of about 232 reptilian species are endemic in Iran (about 28.45% of total reptilian species in Iran). Th is rate for amphibians is about 22.73% (fi ve out of about 22 species), for birds about 0.2% (one out of about 500 species) and for mammals about 3.96% (eight out of about 202 species).
A total of 80 endemic species of Tetrapoda inhabit Iran. Th e highest amount of endemicity is attributed to reptilian species with 82.50% (66 out of a total 80 endemic species) including lizards with 67.50% (54 species) and snakes with 15% (12 species). Second to fourth place belong to mammalians with eight endemic species (10%), amphibians with fi ve endemic species (6.25%), and aves with one endemic species (1.25%) respectively (Fig. 10).
Th e distribution ranges of reptiles are usually narrower than birds and mammals, yielding to a high species rich-ness area. Th e diverse geographical conditions along with various climate may have generated herpetofaunal biodiversity in Iran. Th e number of endemic species in the Zagros Mountains, central Iranian Plateau, and the western foothills of the Zagros and Alborz Mountains is considerable. Th e Zagros Mountain acts as a barrier between the Central Plateau and the Mesopotamian lowlands, and also as a corridor for distribution of northern faunal elements southward . Th e eff ect of the Zagros Mountains from North West to South East of Iran is prominent in isolation of populations and cause speciation by separating the fauna of central Iranian Plateau from the Mesopotamian plain (Fig. 11). In addition to the contribution of mountain chains, in the borders of Iran, at making an eff ective barrier for such species, the location of Iran on the boundary of the Palearctic, Afrotropic and Indo-Malay biogeographic realms, supports a special condition for a high degree of endemicity in tetrapod species (Hosseinzadeh et al. 2014;Smid et al. 2014).
Regarding the mammals, Misonne (1959) mentioned two centers of "presumed origin" for endemic mammalian species of Iran. Th e fi rst one is in northeast of Iran (including Eskandarzadeh N. et al. Khorasan reaches out to Baluchestan) and the second one is northwest of Iran (including Azarbaijan, Kurdistan and Arasbaran). Of the total endemic mammalian species in Iran two (25%) are present in the fi rst center and another two (25%) in the second center. Dispersal ability among diff erent taxa is variable. Because of the fl ying ability in birds they can extend into other areas better than other groups of Tetrapoda. Th is can explain the low endemicity of birds in Iran. As mentioned in the list, the only endemic bird species of Iran -Podoces pleskei -is extending its range toward Iran-Pakistan border, so in future years we may have no endemic species of bird in Iran.
Habitat loss and over-exploitation are the main factors that infl uence the extinction risk. Because of having the small ranges and narrow niche requirements, reptiles are more sensitive to human activities. Habitat loss, human disturbance along with invasive species and targeted harvesting are the main threat to terrestrial threatened reptiles (Böhm et al. 2013).
Th e distribution pattern of indicator taxa, such as birds, is used for estimation of biodiversity value. So to what extent this assessment is successful, depends on the degree of congruence between the distribution pattern of these indicator taxa and other taxon. Because of this amphibian and reptiles are greatly overlooked. Reptiles are poorlyrepresented on the IUCN Red List of Th reatened Species (Böhm et al. 2013).
Considering the high diversity of reptiles in Iran and the lack of submitted data in the IUCN in one hand and the high amount of new described species of this group in com-parison to other taxa on the other hand, it will be necessary to perform a more comprehensive study about this group especially the endemic species and assessing their conservation status in the IUCN. Th e Zagros region involves a high number of endemics among reptiles and as Rounaghi et al.
(2018) stated more attention and investigation are needed to survey the fauna in this area.
Endemic species are national resources of a country and unfortunately there is not even a simple list of endemic fauna of Iran. More attempts are required to broaden our knowledge about the endemic species in this country.