Taxonomic status of the Yellow-Headed Agama, Laudakia nupta fusca (Blanford, 1876) (Sauria: Agamidae)

Abstract The taxonomic status of Laudakia nupta fusca (Blanford, 1876) is reevaluated using metric, meristic and qualitative characters of adults and juveniles of the Iranian populations and comparative material of L. nupta nupta (de Filippi, 1843). Two juveniles of fusca, and two adults and one juvenile of nupta, were collected from Kuh-e Bang, east of Bandar-e Genave, Bushehr province, southern Iran, which proved to be the contact zone of fusca and nupta. Morphological analyses show rigorous separation in the distinguishing meristic features, position of the nostril openings, the tail length and most details of the colouration of these subspecies in their contact zone as well as in other parts of their range. Several diagnostic differences are alsoshown. Based on the co-occurrence of these subspecies in Kuh-e Bang and morphological clues for their reproductive isolation at this site, they are recognised as full species.