Overview
Cordylidae is a family of mid-sized lizards that inhabit arid and semi-arid regions in and eastern Africa. T They are commonly known as the Spinytail lizards or Girdle-tailed lizards.1]
Girdle-tailed lizards are diurnal and insectivorous. They are terrestrial, mostly inhabiting crevices in rocky terrain, although at least one species digs burrows. They have flattened heads and bodies, and are distinguished by a heavy armour of osteoderms and large, rectangular, scales, arranged in regular rows around the body and tail. As the common name implies, many species have rings of spines on the tail, that aid in wedging the animal into sheltering crevices, and also in fighting off predators.[2]
Most species have four limbs, but those in the genus Chamaesaura are almost entirely limbless, with only tiny spikes in place of the hind limbs. The family includes both egg-laying and ovoviviparous species.[2]
Genera
FAMILY CORDYLIDAE
- Subfamily Chamaesaurinae
- Genus Chamaesaura - Grass lizards (3 species)
- Subfamily Cordylinae
- Genus Cordylus - (47 species)
- Genus Platysaurus - Flat lizards (15 species)
- Genus Pseudocordylus - (6 species)
Photos
Taxonomy
The Family Cordylidae is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Genus (8): Chamaesaura · Cordylus · Cricochalis · Konkasaurus · Platysaurus · Pseudocordylus · Pseudolacerta · Zonurus
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 206 species and subspecies in the Family Cordylidae.
Genera
Chamaesaura
The Chamaesaura, also known as Grass Lizards, are a of legless lizards from southern and eastern Africa. The limbs are reduced to small spikes. The elongate shape and lack of limbs allows them to "swim" through grass. They are viviparous and eat small invertebrates, especially grasshoppers. [more]
Cordylus
The genus Cordylus (Sauria: Cordylidae) includes a wide variety of small to medium sized spiny lizards from Africa, collectively called girdle-tailed or girdled lizards. All are diurnal and (live-bearing, with eggs). Most species are rupicolous (rock-dwelling) while a few species are arboreal or live in burrows. They defend themselves with osteoderms (flat bony plates in the skin) and by quickly retreating into rock crevices or burrows. Many species live in groups and males defend territories. [more]
Cricochalis
Konkasaurus
Platysaurus
Platysaurus is a of lizards in the Cordylidae family, known as flat lizards for their flat backs. All species live in isolated populations in southern Africa. [more]
Pseudocordylus
The Crag Lizards (Pseudocordylus) are small to large girdled lizards from South Africa. Six species of Pseudocordylus are known; they are distinguished from other by the presence of granular scales on the back instead of osteoderms. Recent molecular data places Pseudocordylus within Cordylus.[1] [more]
Pseudolacerta
Zonurus
At least 44 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Zonurus.
More info about the Genus Zonurus may be found here.
References
- ^ "Cordylidae." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007.
- ^ a b Bauer, Aaron M. (1998). Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G.. ed. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 160–161. ISBN 0-12-178560-2.
Sources
- The text on this page is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It includes material from Wikipedia retrieved Thursday, August 13, 2009.
- The distribution map on the Distribution tab comes from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and is used with permission.
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