The Ruus al Jibal — meaning “heads of the mountains” — refers to one of the highest areas of the Hajar mountain range. As of last month it also is the name of a new gecko species, discovered there this year by an international team of scientists.
At a length of up to 98mm, Ptyodactylus ruusaljibalicus may be tiny by human dimensions, yet it is among the largest gecko species. Unimpressed by its size, people are also unlikely to notice the key feature which differentiates this species from its cousin Ptyodactylus orlovi. The difference consists in four prominent scales near the cloaca which ruusaljibalicus has and its cousin lacks.
“In the eye of the average person, if you look at the two geckos, you will say they look exactly the same,” said Johannes Els, head of the herpetology and freshwater fishes department at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife and the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah.
But for Mr Els and his colleagues the differences were quite distinct. These differences were also confirmed by genetic sampling carried out this year.
The scientists collected genetic material from 68 animals found in 46 locations in the Hajar mountains. Afterwards, a team from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Barcelona, Spain, extracted genomic DNA from ethanol-preserved tissue samples and sequenced six genetic markers.
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Read more:
Lizard unique to UAE at risk due to loss of habitat
DNA analysis reveals new identity for UAE geckos
Conservationists unite to save UAE’s endangered wonder gecko
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“Several results in our research can help us define the two species, Ptyodactylus ruusaljibalicus and Ptyodactylus orlovi, as distinct,” said Marc Simó Riudalbas, a researcher at the institute.
The two species do not share any alleles in the four nuclear genes the scientists sequenced. This is important as it suggests the animals are reproductively isolated and are currently evolving as independent units.
The team also confirmed that the mitochondrial genetic divergence between the two species was higher than among other recognised species of the genus. The data suggests that the two species diverged seven million years ago.
Ptyodactylus ruusaljibalicus and Ptyodactylus orlovi are what scientists call cryptic species — morphologically similar species erroneously classified under the same name. These species are very similar in appearance to the point that the boundaries between them can only be identified with the help of molecular methods. Defining those genetic boundaries has an important role in conservation, said Mr Riudalbas.
“Species that are considered common, widely distributed and of low conservation priority may actually contain multiple morphologically similar species, each with small ranges and therefore of high conservation concern,” he said.
Mr Els said Ptyodactylus ruusaljibalicus lives in the extreme northern parts of the Hajar range in Oman and the UAE and is separated from its cousin by the Masafi depression.
The findings were published in early August in the journal Plos One.
The scientists suspect the new species is most likely endemic to the Hajar Mountains which means it is not present anywhere else in the world. This, as well as two discoveries from last year, show that the mountain range has incredible diversity when reptile species are concerned.
In 2016, a study revealed that geckos from the Hajar Mountains thought to belong to a single species (A caudivolvulus) should be reclassified as three.
Of the three species, one kept the designation A caudivolvulus (Emirati leaf-toed gecko), while another was named A gardneri (Gardner’s leaf-toed gecko) and the third named A margaritae (Margarita’s leaf-toed gecko), each in honour of scientists who made a valuable contribution to the study of lizards in the UAE.
There are 18 species of reptiles that are endemic just to the Hajar mountains, said Mr Els.
“They are not found anywhere else outside of the Hajar mountain range,” he said. “Documenting these animals that only occur here again highlights how important the Hajar mountain range is, particularly for Eastern Arabia.”
Like anywhere in the region, the mountain range is higher in diversity in reptile species compared to other taxonomic groups such as mammals and birds. The continued study of these animals can help inform conservation measures to ensure they are protected.
“Highlighting where these particular species occur in different areas of the mountain range, can be incorporated into conservation management plans by allocating certain areas for protected areas or for non-development purposes,” said Mr Els.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
A meeting of young minds
The 3,494 entries for the 2019 Sharjah Children Biennial come from:
435 – UAE
2,000 – China
808 – United Kingdom
165 – Argentina
38 – Lebanon
16 – Saudi Arabia
16 – Bangladesh
6 – Ireland
3 – Egypt
3 – France
2 – Sudan
1 – Kuwait
1 – Australia
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press
Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.
- It’s So Easy
- Mr Brownstone
- Chinese Democracy
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- Better
- Estranged
- Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
- Slither (Velvet Revolver cover)
- Rocket Queen
- You Could Be Mine
- Shadow of Your Love
- Attitude (Misfits cover)
- Civil War
- Coma
- Love Theme from The Godfather (movie cover)
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb cover)
- Wish You Were Here (instrumental Pink Floyd cover)
- November Rain
- Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
- Nightrain
Encore:
- Patience
- Don’t Cry
- The Seeker (The Who cover)
- Paradise City
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
UAE’s revised Cricket World Cup League Two schedule
August, 2021: Host - United States; Teams - UAE, United States and Scotland
Between September and November, 2021 (dates TBC): Host - Namibia; Teams - Namibia, Oman, UAE
December, 2021: Host - UAE; Teams - UAE, Namibia, Oman
February, 2022: Hosts - Nepal; Teams - UAE, Nepal, PNG
June, 2022: Hosts - Scotland; Teams - UAE, United States, Scotland
September, 2022: Hosts - PNG; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal
February, 2023: Hosts - UAE; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.