European regional assessment: Not Applicable (NA)
EU 27 regional assessment: Not Recorded

In Europe, this species occurs as a subpopulation in northeastern Astrakhan in Southern European Russia. It is assessed as Not Applicable for the European region on the basis that it has an extremely restricted extent of occurrence (below 10 km²) in this area, which represents considerably less than 1% of its global range. Nevertheless this is an isolate of local conservation significance, as recolonization would be impossible should it be lost, and while presently generally abundant outside touristed parts Bogdo-Baskunchak Nature Reserve present visitor numbers are not thought to be sustainable.

In Europe this species occurs in northeastern Astrakhan in Russia, in the Volga River Basin, a subpopulation isolated from the species' wide global range (Ščerbak and Golubev 1996). Within this region it is restricted to a "tiny area" within the Bogdo-Baskunchak Nature Reserve (Kudryavtseva 2009, Milto and Ananjeva 2021). Its range here describes an arc along the ridge of Mount Bolshoi Bogdo from the southwest to the northeast, encompassing a total area of about 2.5 ha (Kudryavtesa 2009).

Outside the European region, this species is present from the northern and eastern shore of the Caspian Sea and from there ranges across much of Central Asia, occurring throughout Kazakhstan north to around 50°N to Inner Mongolia (China) and southern Mongolia. It has been recorded throughout northwestern Uzbekistan south to extreme northern Turkmenistan (Ščerbak and Golubev 1996, Sindaco and Jeremçenko 2008). In China, the species occurs in the E'Jin Na Qi, the west end of Inner Mongolia; in the Mazhong Mountains in northwestern Gansu, and in Yili and Hami, in the north of the Tianshan Mountains, in Xinjiang.

This species is not believed to be present in Iran (Anderson 1999, Ananjeva et al. 2006) and it is not included in the most recent field guide to this country's reptiles (Kamali 2020). It is uncertain if the species is present in Afghanistan, as existing records from this country are now attributed to Alsophylax levitoni (Wagner et al. 2016). An occurrence in Afghanistan is considered unlikely (D. Jablonski pers. comm. October 2022). It ranges from 150–350 m asl. in the major part of its range in Middle Asia (Bannikov et al. 1977), and from 600–1,500 m asl in Dzungaria and the Gobi (Ščerbak and Golubev 1996).

This species is rare in Russia, although population density can be high in areas with optimal conditions (Kudryavtseva 2009). This author collected and measured a total of 1,021 individuals over 800 hours of fieldwork between 2000 and 2009. The local population is divided into northeastern, eastern and southwestern subpopulations, with some evidence of a varying metapopulation structure over time (Kudryavtseva 2009). The most stable subpopulations in this study were the two subject to the lowest levels of tourist disturbance, while the eastern subpopulation experienced fluctuations and the displacement of animals from heavily to less disturbed areas over the course of the study (Kudryavtseva 2009).

This gecko is found in semi-desert habitats and steppe containing semi-desert areas. In Astrakhan, it typically occurs on saline white Permian clays with sparse vegetation; Kudryavtseva (2009) reports vegetation coverage below 40%, dominated by halophytic shrubs. On the slopes of the mountain it is also found in wheatgrass communities with 50-80% vegetation cover, and areas of red rock with little or almost no vegetation (Kudryavtseva 2009). It favours areas in the sun-exposed wind shadow of the mountains where both air and body temperature are most constant (Kudryavtseva 2009). Its main microhabitat requirement appears to be the presence of suitable shelter sites, including spaces beneath rocks or deep cracks in the substrate, which are used for both daily shelter and hibernation (Kudryavtseva 2009). This author estimates that breeding age is reached at 1.5 years and eggs are laid communally in shelters and crevices, with up to 510 eggs found in a single shelter (Kudryavseta 2009).

It is generally found on slopes, which are covered with large and small rocks, also in areas of weathered rock slabs and less often on clay plains. It has also been recorded from loose sand dunes (N. Ananjeva and N. Orlov pers. comm. 2008). Vegetation cover is mostly scanty grasses and herbs (Ščerbak and Golubev 1996). The female lays clutches of one or two eggs. Reproduction takes place in May, the release of the young in August. The peak of activity also occurs during these months (Kudryavseta 2009).

Ščerbak and Golubev (1996) reported that the subpopulation at the type locality of this species on Mount Bolshoi Bogdo, Astrakhan, Russia, was then being lost through quarrying of rock for gravel production. After the creation of the Bogdo-Baskunchak Nature Reserve in 1997, mining stopped here. This activity is not mentioned by Kudryavtseva (2009) and may no longer be ongoing. However, this mountain is a very popular spot for tourism and pilgrimage, and despite the protected status of this area tourist numbers and associated disturbance remain high along the main hiking trail (Kudryavtseva 2009). Over the decade of this author's research annual visitor numbers increased from 616 in 2000 to 4,690 in 2008, which this author suggested is not sustainable. The species was found to "gradually disappear" from areas trampled by visitors by Kudryavtseva (2009), who attributed this to either direct mortality or animals abandoning this area in favour of less-visited red clay patches, and to exhibit higher rates of tail autotomy (reflecting levels of stress) in disturbed than undisturbed areas.

There are no major threats to this widespread species as a whole. Any increase in mining intensity within its Mongolian range may result in localized habitat loss (Terbish et al. 2006). In China, habitat loss due to urban development may be a localized threat (L. Shi pers. comm. 2018).

There is no known use of or trade in this species.

In European Russia the species is known only from Bogdo-Baskunchak Nature Reserve. Kudryavtseva (2009) recommend restricting public access to the reserve during the species' May mating season and during August when young are developing; the development of a walking trail up the mountain that will limit trampling of the species' habitat; and educational activities to inform both tourists and the local population. Populating monitoring in the reserve is recommended (Kudryavtseva 2009). Research is recommended in the Volgograd and Orenburg regions of Russia to identify whether undiscovered subpopulations are present.

The species is present in many protected areas. The species is known from only a single locality in Russia (Ananjeva et al. 2006), and is consequently listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2001) in category 1, as an endangered, "disappearing" species (Milto and Ananjeva 2021). Quarrying is a threat to this species in parts of its range and conservation measures are needed to reduce the threats impacting its habitat.