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Published December 3, 2025 | Version v1
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Reptiles and amphibians of the Saudi islands in the Arabian Gulf

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Taibah University, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
  • 2. Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dharan, Saudi Arabia
  • 3. The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
  • 4. Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid, Jordan

Description

The herpetofauna of nine Saudi Arabian islands in the Arabian Gulf was studied. A total of 20 species of amphibians and reptiles within 12 families was reported. The number of species per island ranged from one in four islands to 11 in Tarout Island and tended to increase with island area. The colonization of species was made possible by human introduction, especially of geckos. A classification based on species presence/absence data ranked the islands according to their similarity, geographical location, size, and human use, which influenced reptile communities. A comparison between the reptiles on other islands belonging to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iran in the Arabian Gulf was also presented.

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Cites
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Has part
Figure: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e172180.figure5 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e172180.figure2 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e172180.figure3 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e172180.figure6 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e172180.figure1 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e172180.figure4 (DOI)

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