The Be'er Sheva fringe-fingered lizard (Acanthodactylus beershebensis) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is a member of the subfamily Lacertinae, and the genus Acanthodactylus (spiny footed lizards). Considered a separate species based on morphological distinction and isolated location, it shares a large portion of its genetics with Acanthodactylus pardalis in this genus.Carretero, Miguel; Fonseca, Miguel; García-Muñoz, Enrique; Brito, José; Harris, James (2011). "Adding Acanthodactylus beershebensis to the mtDNA phylogeny of the Acanthodactylus pardalis group". North-Western Journal of Zoology 7: 138-142. Many of the individual species in this genus are similar, but varying coloration explains why each species has been separated. Like all Acanthodactylus, A. beershebensis lays eggs, varying from three to seven eggs at a time. Adults vary in size from 17 to, but can get much larger. The species is endemic to the loess scrublands of the Negev desert in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, a biodiversity hotspot.Moravec J, Baha-El Din S, Seligmann H, Sivan N, Werner YL (1999). "Systematics and distribution of the Acanthodactylus pardalis group (Reptilia: Sauria: Lacertidae) in Egypt and Israel". Zoology in the Middle East 17: 21–50. A. beershebensis was declared critically endangered after an assessment in 2006 due to a serious population decline. Some estimates claim numbers have declined 80% over the last three generations. The small populations are severely fragmented across the Negev desert. This decline has been caused by habitat destruction and degradation. Conservation efforts also damaged the population, but a small portion of their original range remains untouched and protected.
No narrative description available for this taxon yet.
