The Registan-North Pakistan sandy desert is an ecoregion spanning southern Afghanistan; the extreme eastern portion of Iran; part of northwest Pakistan, covering a total land area of approximately 107,100 square miles. This ecoregion is classifed within the Deserts and Xeric Shrublands biome. There is considerable vertebrate species richness within the Registan-North Pakistan sandy desert, although endemism among this group is only represented by five reptilian taxa.
Endemic reptiles of the Registan-North Pakistan sandy desert are: the Afghan toadhead agama (Phrynocephalus clarkorum), De Witte's gecko (Agamura misonnei), point-snouted racerunner (Eremias acutirostris), dark head dwarf-racer (Eirenis mcmahoni) and Scapteira acutirostris. Native special status non-endemic mammals found in this ecoregion are: the Near Threatened argali (Ovis ammon), the Vulnerable Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), the Vulnerable cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), the Near threatened European otter (Lutra lutra), the Vulnerable goitered gazelle (Gazella subguttarosa), the Vulnerable marbled polecat (vormela peregusna), the Endangered markhor (Capra falconeri), the Near Threatened sand cat (Felis margarita), the Near Threatened Schreiber's long-fingered bat (Miniopterus schreibersii), the Near Threatened striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) and the Endangered white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala).
Phrynocephalus clarkorum, also known commonly as the Afghan toad-headed agama and Clark's toad-headed agama, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is native to parts of Central and South Asia.
This species was named after American herpetologists Richard J. Clark and his wife Erica D. Clark (the specific name clarkorum is plural) for their contributions to herpetology. They worked together and co-wrote the paper "Report on a Collection of Amphibians and Reptiles from Turkey" (1973).[2][3]
P. clarkorum is found in Afghanistan and Pakistan.[2]
The preferred natural habitats of P. clarkorum are desert and shrubland.[1]
P. clarkorum is terrestrial and diurnal.[1]
P. clarkorum is oviparous. Breeding takes place in sprigtime, from March to May. Clutch size is 2–6 eggs.[1]
Phrynocephalus clarkorum, also known commonly as the Afghan toad-headed agama and Clark's toad-headed agama, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is native to parts of Central and South Asia.
