Aurora M. Castilla

We report, for the first time, evidence of predation by a shrike ( Lanius sp.) on the lizard Mesalina adramitana. This is the first record of predation by shrikes on lizards in Qatar. Whilst we did not directly observe the event, the presence of shrikes in the area and the method of impalement indicate shrikes as the predator. The lizard was found freshly impaled on a palm tree ( Phoenix dactylifera ), at 150 cm above ground. Bird species of the genus Lanius are well-known predators of lizards, and in arid environments reptiles are likely common prey for these birds. We provide a review of literature concerning predatory events by shrikes on reptiles and amphibians. We suggest inspection of shrubs for animals impaled by shrikes can improve biodiversity inventories, complementing other commonly used methods.

We have updated the list of the lizard species present in Qatar and produced the first distribution maps based on two field surveys in 2012 and 2013. We used the QND95/Qatar National Grid with a grid of 10 × 10 km squares for mapping. Our results show the occurrence of 21 lizard species in Qatar, from the 15 species indicated in the last biodiversity report conducted in 2004. The most abundant family found in Qatar is Gekkonidae with nine species (Bunopus tuberculatus, Cyrtopodion scabrum, Hemidactylus robustus, H. flaviviridis, H. persicus, Stenodactylus arabicus, S. slevini, S. doriae, Pseudoceramodactylus khobarensis), followed by Lacertidae with four species (Acanthodactylus schmidti, A. opheodurus, Mesalina brevirostris, M. adramitana), Agamidae with three species (Trapelus flavimaculatus, Uromastyx aegyptia, Phrynocephalus arabicus), Scincidae with two species (Scincus mitranus, Trachylepis septemtaeniata), and Varanidae (Varanus griseus), Sphaerodactylidae (Pristurus rupestris) and Trogonophiidae (Diplometopon zarudnyi) with one species each. The species richness fluctuated largely across Qatar between one and eleven species per grid square. We believe that the lizard fauna records in Qatar are still incomplete and that additional studies are required. However, our study here fills a gap concerning lizard biodiversity knowledge in the Gulf Region.

The evolution of large body size has often been considered a key trait allowing the evolution of herbivory in lizards. Although many omnivorous lizards appear unspecialized, they typically show high bite forces, allowing them to reduce tough and fibrous plant matter. In contrast, true herbivores often show a suite of morphological and physiological specializations, allowing them to efficiently process and assimilate plant material. Moreover, many specialized herbivores have a large body size, thus likely relaxing constraints on bite‐force generation given that bite force increases with increasing body mass. In this study, we test whether large herbivorous lizards of the genus Uromastyx have relatively lower bite forces for their body size compared with a medium‐sized congener. No differences in bite force or head dimensions were observed between the two species or between both sexes in our sample. Moreover, bite force scaled with positive allometry relative to jaw length, suggesting that larger animals have disproportionately large bite forces. This suggests that even in the largest species, constraints on bite‐force generation are still strong, possibly due to the demands imposed on the jaw system by the mechanical properties of the diet.

As part of the biodiversity surveys conducted by the Department of Biodiversity at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), we can report the presence of Scaurus puncticollis Solier, 1838 in Qatar, and confirm the first record for the tribe Scaurini Billberg, 1820 in the country. We found two living specimens and remains of a third one distributed over the year (February, April and October) in three different locations of the Al Rayyan Municipality in Qatar. These findings reveal that the fauna of darkling beetles of Qatar is, despite previous efforts, still underestimated. To document and report the actual Biodiversity Heritage of Qatar, new exhaustive field biodiversity surveys should be conducted to complete the catalogue of Tenebrionoidae for the State of Qatar.

We report the discovery of the blister beetle, Meloe coelatus Reiche, 1957, in Qatar. According to the Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera there is no record for the genus Meloe in Qatar, although the genus is well represented in other areas of the Arabian Peninsula. M. coelatus is a rare species, that is present along a wide area of Northern Africa and Western Asia. Our findings bridge the current geographic gap in the known distribution of the species from Saudi Arabia to Iran. We believe the Coleoptera fauna of Qatar might be underestimated. A thorough field survey is recommended in order to document the presence of other species of this family, and also to complete the catalogue of Coleoptera for the State of Qatar.

The Gulf sand gecko (Pseudoceramodactylus khobarensis Haas, 1957) is a nocturnal gecko endemic to the Arabian Gulf countries. In this study we report the presence of this species in Qatar for the first time. Our findings bridge one of the current geographic gaps in the known distribution range of this species. In Qatar, the species has been found on the mainland and on two islands occupying coastal salty habitats with shrubs. The islands are the smallest where this species is known to occur. We believe that this gecko species is more widely distributed in Qatar than we report here and that an extensive inventory is required to map the full range of the species in Qatar and also in other countries of the Arabian Gulf.