Analysis of the Distribution of Rock Agamas of Genus Paralaudakia Baig, Wagner, Ananjeva et Böhme, 2012 (Agamidae: Sauria, Reptilia): Use of Maxent Modeling

Abstract

Predictive potential distribution modeling is of increasing importance in modern herpetological studies for determination of environmental and conservation priorities. In this work, the results of analysis and predictions of the potential distribution of four species of rock agamas of the genus Paralaudakia Baig, Wagner, Ananjeva et Böhme, 2012: P. caucasia, P. microlepis, P. lehmanni, and P. erythrogaster, are given, using the distribution models in Maxent (www.cs.princeton.edu/~schapire/maxent). We attempt a comparison of the contribution of bioclimatic factors and the characteristics of biotope distribution for parapatric and sympatric caucasia–microlepis–erythrogaster species group. The overlap of the niches of the Caucasian agama with all the species studied, which, according to the models, can be parapatric or sympatric, is minimal. The maximum overlapping of ecological niches is shown for sympatric species P. microlepis and P. erythrogaster (0.47), as well for spatially separated pairs P. lehmanni and P. erythrogaster (0.39) and P. lehmanni and P. microlepis (0.33). The features and potential distribution of rock agamas of the genus Paralaudakia are studied; a comparative analysis of four species of this genus using the Maxent software and an analysis of their ecological niches based on 19 variable bioclimatic (BIO 1–19) and 8 solar (BIO 10–27) parameters with a minimum resolution of 10 arc-minutes was conducted. The geographical coordinates of locations of findings from the species distribution ranges of P. caucasia (Eichwald, 1831), P. erythrogaster (Nikolsky, 1896), P. lehmanni (Nikolsky, 1896), and P. microlepis (Blanford, 1874) were taken into account in the analysis of bioclimatic factors. A significant contribution to modeling the range of the species studied is made by precipitation of the warmest and coldest quarters of the year.