Taxonomic notes: Section empty

This species occurs in eastern Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea (Spawls et al. 2002, Largen and Spawls 2006), as well as Djibouti (Schätti 1989, Ineich 2001). The southern limit of its distribution is in extreme northeastern Kenya, where it is known only from Dandu and Malka Murri (Spawls et al. 2002). In Somalia this lizard occurs mainly in the country's north (with records from West Galbeed, Sanaag, Nogal and Bari), but there is an apparently disjunct record from Hiran in the country's south (Lanza 1990). It occurs at elevations as high as 2,100 m in Ethiopia's northern plateau (Largen and Spawls 2010). It has been reported to occur from sea level at Arafali in Eritrea (Largen and Spawls 2010).

This species is common in Djibouti, where it is particularly abundant at the periphery of villages on the plateau emerging from the Fôret du Day (Ineich 2001). It can be common in rocky habitats in Ethiopia and Eritrea, including artificial structures such as monuments in the urban centre of Axum, but is not found away from rocky habitats (Spawls pers. comm.).

This species is associated with rocky hills and outcrops in dry savannah and semi-desert country (Largen and Spawls 2010). In Djibouti, it is found in open forest, on steep cliffs and along the banks of wadis (Ineich 2001). It prefers areas with vegetation cover and avoids more open habitats (Ineich 2001), although dominant animals bask on rocks (Spawls et al. 2002) It is common around the periphery of villages, particularly on the walls of livestock enclosures (Ineich 2001), and will occur even in the centre of cities if suitable substrates exist (Spawls pers. comm.). Animals live in "loosely structured" colonies, and several large males may share the same shelter sites (Spawls et al. 2002; Largen and Spawls 2010). It feeds mainly on insects and other arthropods (Spawls et al. 2002), primarily ants (Spawls pers. comm.). Female clutch size is unknown (Spawls et al. 2002).

There is no use or trade in this species.

It is unlikely that any major threat is impacting this species. Habitat loss and land degradation due to fuel-wood extraction and agricultural expansion are localized threats within this species' range but do not significantly affect the species. In Kenya it occurs in a protected area, and surrounding land use is minimal (P.K. Malonza pers. comm. 2014).

• 2.1.4 Scale Unknown/Unrecorded
• 5.3.3 Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]

There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place, or needed, for this species. It occurs in or around Fôret du Day National Park in Djibouti (Ineich 2001) and Malka Murri National Park in Kenya (S. Spawls pers. comm. 2014).

Acanthocercus annectans has been assessed as Least Concern owing to its large distribution in northeast Africa. No major threats have been reported across the full extent of its range and this species is is not known to be undergoing significant population declines.

• Baig, K.J. and Böhme, W. 1997. Partition of the "Stellio" group of Agama into two distinct genera: Acanthocercus Fitzinger, 1843, and Laudakia Gray, 1845 (Sauria: Agamidae). In: W. Bischoff, W. Böhme, and T. Ziegler (eds.) (eds), Herpetologia Bonnensis. SHE, Bonn.
• Conservation International. 2006. Biodiversity Hotspots. Available at: www.biodiversityhotspots.org.
• Ineich, I. 2001. Reptiles et amphibians de la République de Djibouti. Museum Nationale d'Histoire Naturelle.
• Lanza, B. 1990. Amphibians and reptiles of the Somali Democratic Republic: checklist and biogeography. Biogeographia 14: 407-465.
• Lanza, B. 1990. Amphibians and reptiles of the Somali Democratic Republic: checklist and biogeography. Biogeographica: 407-465.
• Largen, M. and Spawls, S. 2010. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
• Largen, M.J. and Spawls, S. 2006. Lizards of Ethiopia (Reptilia Sauria): an annotated checklist, bibliography, gazetteer and identification key. Tropical Zoology 19: 21-109.
• Parker, H.W. 1942. The lizards of British Somaliland. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 91: 1-101.
• Schätti, B. 1989. Amphibien und Reptilien aus der Arabischen Republik Jemen und Djibouti. Revue suisse de Zoologie 96: 905-937.
• Spawls, S., Howell, K.M., Drewes, R.C. and Ashe, J. 2002. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa. Academic Press, Elsevier Science.