Acanthodactylus

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Acanthodactylus
Bosc's fringe-toed lizards (Acanthodactylus boskianus asper) love bite.jpg
A. boskianus asper in Jordan
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Acanthodactylus
Wiegmann, 1834 [1]
Species

ca. 40. See text.

Acanthodactylus is a genus of lacertid lizards, commonly referred to as fringe-fingered lizards, fringe-toed lizards (though the latter common name is also used for the New World lizard genus Uma ), and spiny-toed lizards.

Contents

Geographic range

The approximately 40 species in the genus Acanthodactylus are native to a wide area in North Africa, southern Europe and Western Asia; across the Sahara Desert, to the Iberian Peninsula, and east through the Arabian Peninsula, to Afghanistan and western India. [2]

Habitat

Though lizards of the genus Acanthodactylus prefer dry and sparsely vegetated regions, they are not strictly tied to an arid terrain; so it is not uncommon to come across them in various environments.[ citation needed ]

Description

Members of the genus Acanthodactylus possess the following combination of traits: [2]

The coloration and pattern of spots of Acanthodactylus is extremely variable, so it is unsurprising that zoologists have, at one time or another, classified every variety as a separate species.[ citation needed ]

Behavior

Every saurian of the genus Acanthodactylus is very aggressive and gets continuously involved in skirmishes with other members of its species.[ citation needed ] The males strenuously defend the borders of their territories.[ citation needed ]

Reproduction

Acanthodactylus are oviparous. The number of eggs in a clutch ranges from 3 to 7. The total length of a sexually mature adult of the genus is, on average, 18 to 20 cm (7.1 to 7.9 in).[ citation needed ]

Classification

Genus Acanthodactylus [3]

Nota bene : A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Acanthodactylus.

Related Research Articles

<i>Acanthodactylus blanfordii</i> Species of lizard

Acanthodactylus blanfordii, commonly called Blanford's fringe-fingered lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Middle East and India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedriaga's fringe-fingered lizard</span> Species of lizard

Bedriaga's fringe-fingered lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Algeria.

Acanthodactylus blanci, commonly known as the white fringe-fingered lizard or Blanc's fringe-toed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to North Africa.

<i>Acanthodactylus maculatus</i> Species of lizard

Acanthodactylus maculatus, known commonly as the spotted fringe-fingered lizard and the spotted fringe-toed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to north-western Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savigny's fringe-fingered lizard</span> Species of lizard

Savigny's fringe-fingered lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to western North Africa.

Doumergue's fringe-fingered lizard, also known commonly as Doumergue's fringe-toed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosc's fringe-toed lizard</span> Species of lizard

Bosc's fringe-toed lizard or Bosk's [sic] fringe-fingered lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to North Africa and Western Asia. Three subspecies are sometimes recognised; A. boskianus boskianus, from Lower Egypt; A. boskianus euphraticus from Iraq; and A. boskianus asper from the rest of the range; however this division is unsatisfactory because each subspecies has much variation and the differences between them are not consistent.

Acanthodactylus arabicus, commonly called the Arabian fringe-fingered lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to southern Yemen.

<i>Acanthodactylus aureus</i> Species of lizard

Acanthodactylus aureus, commonly called the golden fringe-fingered lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to northwestern Africa.

Acanthodactylus felicis, also known commonly as the cat fringe-fingered lizard or the South Arabian fringe-toed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.

Acanthodactylus gongrorhynchatus, also known commonly as the Saudi fringe-fingered lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.

<i>Acanthodactylus grandis</i> Species of lizard

Acanthodactylus grandis, commonly called the giant fringe-fingered lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Western Asia.

Acanthodactylus haasi, also known commonly as Haas' fringe-fingered lizard or Haas's fringe-toed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.

Acanthodactylus hardyi, known commonly as Hardy's fringe-fingered lizard or the Nidua fringe-fingered lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Western Asia.

Acanthodactylus micropholis, known commonly as the Persian fringe-toed lizard and the yellowtail fringe-fingered lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Asia.

Acanthodactylus robustus, also known commonly as the robust fringe-fingered lizard and the robust fringe-toed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Middle East.

Acanthodactylus tilburyi, known commonly as Tilbury's fringe-fingered lizard, Tilbury's fringe-toed lizard, and Tilbury's spiny-footed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Middle East.

Acanthodactylus tristrami, commonly called the Lebanon fringe-fingered lizard and Tristram's spiny-footed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Middle East.

Acanthodactylus yemenicus, known commonly as the Yemen fringe-fingered lizard, the Yemen fringe-toed lizard, or the Yemen spiny-toed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duméril's fringe-fingered lizard</span> Species of lizard

Duméril's fringe-fingered lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. A. dumerilii is in the A. scutellatus species group. A. dumerilii is native to the western and central Sahara.

References

  1. ↑ "Acanthodactylus ". ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
  2. 1 2 Salvador A (1982). "A revision of the lizards of the genus Acanthodactylus (Sauria: Lacertidae)". Bonn. Zool. Monogr. (16): 1–167.
  3. ↑ "Acanthodactylus ". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 13 January 2014.

Further reading

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