The Herpetology of the Suez Canal Zone, Egypt

Abstract

The banks of the Suez Canal were surveyed for herpetofauna between 1999 and 2012. A total of 33 species from the west bank, 22 from the east and a sea turtle from the Suez Canal were recorded, with five and 18 new records from the west and east sides respectively. Natrix tessellata, inhabiting freshwater canals east of Bitter Lakes, is the first record for the Sinai Peninsula. The new records of amphibians and reptiles of the Suez Canal area are, in fact, a result of recent main changes to habitat. These new environmental changes have resulted in some cases, in more invasive herpetofaunal taxa expanding their ranges into new territories over the past three decades. The number of species occurring on the west bank was greater than on the east bank; this is presumably due to greater variety of habitat, increased urbanization, and a huge web of irrigation canals which have allowed several species to move from River Nile to the Canal zone. This study suggests the Suez Canal acts as passage for herpetofauna from west to east. Individuals of Trapelus savignyi on the west bank were patternless and juveniles had smooth ventrals. This phenotype was not previously known for the species.