About
Acanthodactylus harranensis is named after the area where it was discovered; the ruins of the ancient city of Harran in Turkey. It has a total known range of approximately 3.6 km2.
Acanthodactylus harranensis is a very rare species. It is believed that there are fewer than 1,000 mature individuals in the Harran locality.
This species is part of the diverse Lacertidae family of lizards, which diverged from all other families of lizards within the Squamata order approximately 62 million years ago, around the time when pigs and llamas shared a common ancestor.
The main threat to this species is habitat degradation. This species is found in the historical site of Harran which is under continuous disruption from archaeological excavations and tourism. Furthermore the area around the archaeological site is threatened by intensive agriculture and overgrazing further degrading this species habitat.
Although this species is found within an archaeological protected area, it is protected for historical conservation rather than biodiversity and tourism is actively encouraged.
- Order: Squamata
- Family: Lacertidae
- Population: <1,000
- Trend: decreasing
- Size: 23cm
EDGE Score
Distribution
This species is found in Harran, Turkey
Habitat and Ecology
This species lives in rocky habitats including ruins but does not live in areas of intensive agriculture such as those that surround the Harran locality.