Snakes Saw-scaled Viper Carpet Viper False horned Viper Horned Viper Sand Snake False Cobra Cat Snake Wadi Racer Diadem Snake Sand Boa Thread Snake Lizards Spiny-Tailed Lizard Monitor Lizard Toad-Head...
The shallows Well within swimming distance of the shore, small reefs and outcrops of coral are inhabited by myriad colourful species with a variety of forms, shapes and beauty. The surf zone, where ...
Thread snake (Leptotyphlos macrorhynchus ) The thread snake (Leptotyphlos macrorhynchus ) is one of the smallest snakes in the world. It grows only to about 15 cms and remains very thin. With its unif...
Monitor lizard (Varanus griseus ) One of the most aggressive reptiles in the UAE is the monitor lizard (Varanus griseus ). Growing to about 120 cms, its body only makes up for about one third of its t...
Toad-head agama (Phrenocephalus arabicus ) The last of the larger lizards that is regularly encountered in the open desert is the toad-head agama (Phrenocephalus arabicus ). Growing to some 25 ...
Fringe-toed sand lizard (Acanthodactylus schmidti ) A small, but common lizard of the sandy plains, dunes and sabkhas is the fringe-toed sand lizard (Acanthodactylus schmidti ). It is easily recognise...
Sand snake (Psammophis schokari ) The most widespread of the “rear -fanged”, or mildly toxic, snakes in this area is the sand snake (Psammophis schokari ) and at 155 cms maximum length it ...
Other lizards The largest lizard known in the wadis of this region is the Oman lizard (Lacerta jayakari ). Blue-grey and brown in colour, it can reach a length of 60 cms, two-thirds consisting of the ...
False horned viper (Pseudocerastes persicus ) Another rare viper that lives in the mountains of the UAE is the false horned viper (Pseudocerastes persicus ). It does not occur at altitudes lower than ...
Carpet viper (Echis coloratus ) A very close relative of the rather common saw-scaled viper is the rarely seen carpet viper (Echis coloratus ) which only occurs in the mountains. With a maximum length...