THE VERTEBRATE FAUNA RECORDED FROM NORTHEASTERN SINAI, EGYPT

Soliman, Sohail; Mohallal, Eman M.E.

doi:10.21608/ejdr.2018.5766

THE VERTEBRATE FAUNA RECORDED FROM NORTHEASTERN SINAI, EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sohail Soliman ¹
Eman M.E. Mohallal ²

¹ Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, El-Abbaseya, Cairo, Egypt

² Department of Animal and Poultry Physiology, Desert Research Center, El Matareya, Cairo, Egypt

10.21608/ejdr.2018.5766

Abstract

The vertebrate fauna was surveyed in ten major localities of northeastern Sinai over a period of 18 months (From September 2003 to February 2005, inclusive). A total of 27 species of reptiles, birds and mammals were recorded. Reptiles are represented by five species of lizards: Savigny's Agama, Trapelus savignii;Nidua Lizard, Acanthodactylus scutellatus;the Sandfish, Scincus scincus; the Desert Monitor, Varanus griseus; and the Common Chamaeleon, Chamaeleo chamaeleon and one species of vipers: the Sand Viper, Cerastes vipera. Six species of birds were identified during casual field observations: The Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus; Pied Avocet, Recurvirostra avocetta; Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrines; Slender-billed Gull, Larus genei; Little Owl, Athene noctua and Southern Grey Shrike, Lanius meridionalis. Mammals are represented by 15 species; Eleven rodent species and subspecies: Flower's Gerbil, Gerbillus floweri; Lesser Gerbil, G. gerbillus,Aderson's Gerbil, G. andersoni (represented by two subspecies), Wagner’s Dipodil, Dipodillus dasyurus;Pigmy Dipodil,Dipodillus henleyi; Sundevall's Jird, Meriones crassus; Negev Jird, Meriones sacramenti; Tristram’s Jird, Meriones tristrami; Fat Sand-rat, Psammomys obesus; House Mouse, Mus musculus and Lesser Jerboa, Jaculus jaculus. Three carnivores: Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes; Marbled Polecat, Vormela peregosna and Common Badger, Meles meles and one gazelle: Arabian Gazelle, Gazella gazella.

Keywords