The herpetofaunal diversity of Takhar Province, Afghanistan Author Jablonski, Daniel https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5394-0114 Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 6, Mlynska dolina, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia daniel.jablonski@uniba.sk Author Khalili, Faizurrahman Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Takhar University, Taleqan, Afghanistan & Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkiye Author Masroor, Rafaqat https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6248-546X Zoological Sciences Division, Pakistan Museum of Natural History, Garden Avenue, Shakarparian, Islamabad, Pakistan text Herpetozoa 2023 2023-04-04 36 73 90 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.36.e98319 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.36.e98319 2682-955X-36-73 C96971CA471F41DEB3849F9045079B54 99736BE2991D50A0AF71BBA07640E7E0 Eremias velox ssp. velox (Pallas, 1771) Figs 6 , 8 Takhar records. Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere), 37.4316°N , 69.7145°E , 692 m a.s.l., 27 February 2019, observed on the ground, under stones, in holes or near vegetation in semi-desert habitat, dozens of adults of both sexes (CUHC-PA 172); Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere), 37.4219°N , 69.7124°E , 822 m a.s.l., 4 April 2020, observed on the ground, under stones, in holes or near vegetation in semi-desert habitat, dozens of adults of both sexes (CUHC-PA 174); Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere), 37.4148°N , 69.7125°E , 733 m a.s.l., 17 March 2020, observed on the ground, under stones, in holes or near vegetation in semi-desert habitat, dozens of adults of both sexes (CUHC-PA 184); Bay Yawa (Qizilqiya), 37.4273°N , 69.7109°E , 711 m a.s.l., 31 January 2021, semi-desert habitat, one adult female (CUHC-PA 193); Bay Yawa, 37.4268°N , 69.7063°E , 812 m a.s.l., 31 January 2021, semi-desert habitat, one adult male (CUHC-PA 194); Bay Yawa, 37.4130°N , 69.7094°E , 747 m a.s.l., 31 January 2021, semi-desert habitat, one adult female (CUHC-PA 195); Khilyazi Payan, 37.4384°N , 69.7319°E , 705 m a.s.l., 13 September 2021, rocky habitat and dry stream, one adult male (CUHC-PA 209). Distribution in Afghanistan. It is known from the Provinces of Balkh, Herat, Jowzjan, Kunduz, Logar, Nangarhar, Takhar and Zabol ( Wagner et al. 2016 ), representing 24% of all provinces. Chorotype. Turanian + Iranian. Remarks. This species has high phenotype variability (Fig. 8 ) and is considered a species complex with un-nested taxonomy ( Rastegar-Pouyani et al. 2012 ; Khan et al. 2021 ). Populations originating in Iran that are showing high levels of genetic diversity can be expected also from the Afghan territory. The disjunct character of the species' distribution in Afghanistan (north and south of the Hindu Kush; Fig. 5 ) suggests a geographic isolation with possible subsequent ecological or genetic divergence that should be tested. From the list of specimens of E. velox provided by Wagner et al. (2016) , we excluded the specimen ZFMK 8584 (locality "Ost-Afghanistan, Prov. Ghazni, Dasht-e-Nawar, 3000 m N.N.") that is the holotype of Eremias afghanistanica Boehme & Szczerbak, 1991. Figure 8. The phenotype diversity in the Eremias velox complex from Tahkar Province: A. Adult male from Bay Yawa (Khilyazi Payin) (CUHC-PA 209); B. Subadult female from Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere) (CUHC-PA 172); C, F. Adult male from Bay Yawa (CUHC-PA 194); D. Adult female from Bay Yawa (CUHC-PA 193); E. Subadult male from Bay Yawa (Sukhtedere) (CUHC-PA 174), adult female from Bay Yawa (CUHC-PA 195).