[3] U. aegyptia is one of the largest members of its genus, with an average total length (including tail) of 76 cm (30 in) for males.

[citation needed] U. aegyptia can be found in Egypt east of the Nile,[1][4] Israel, Syria, Jordan, the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and Iran.

[3] The subspecific name, leptieni, is in honor of German herpetologist Rolf Leptien.

Its strong skin made good leather for the bedouins, while its meat was often considered as an alternative source of protein.

[6] U. aegyptia lives in open, flat, gravelly, stony, and rocky areas at elevations up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level.