Giant girdled lizard

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Sungazer
Cordylus giganteus.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Cordylidae
Genus: Smaug
Species:
S. giganteus
Binomial name
Smaug giganteus
(Smith, 1844)
Synonyms

Cordylus giganteus

Two giant girdled lizards at the Frankfurt Zoo Giantgirdledlizard.jpg
Two giant girdled lizards at the Frankfurt Zoo
Three giant girdled lizards in Tierpark Hagenbeck Giant Girdled Lizard Tierpark Hagenbeck Hamburg.jpg
Three giant girdled lizards in Tierpark Hagenbeck
A pair of giant girdled lizards Riesengurtelschweif (Cordylus giganteus) (3).JPG
A pair of giant girdled lizards
Giant girdled lizard specimen, purchased in 1906 by National Museum of Ireland - Natural History P1020221 - Copy.jpg
Giant girdled lizard specimen, purchased in 1906 by National Museum of Ireland - Natural History
Giant girdled lizard at the San Diego Zoo Cordylus giganteus 2.JPG
Giant girdled lizard at the San Diego Zoo
Giant girdled lizard at the San Diego Zoo Cordylus giganteus 1.JPG
Giant girdled lizard at the San Diego Zoo

The sungazer (Smaug giganteus,syn. Cordylus giganteus), also known as the giant girdled lizard, giant dragon lizard, ouvolk, [2] or giant zonure, [3] is the largest species of the Cordylidae, a family of lizards from sub-Saharan Africa. [4] This threatened species is endemic to Highveld grasslands in the interior of South Africa. [4] In 2011, it was assigned to the new genus Smaug , along with seven other species previously belonging to the genus Cordylus , based on a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the Cordylidae. [5]

Contents

Appearance

The sungazer is a heavily armoured species, with a typical snout–to-vent length of 15–18 cm (5.9–7.1 in) (exceptionally up to 20.5 cm or 8.1 in), and is easily distinguishable from other cordylids by the elongated pair of occipital spines and the enlarged keeled caudal spines. [6]

Names

The species is known as the sungazer because of its distinctive thermoregulatory behaviour of elevating the anterior parts of the body by extending its fore limbs, usually near the entrance of its burrow as if looking at the sun. The species is well known throughout its distribution, and is called by several different common names, in different languages. The most common local name is ouvolk, given by Afrikaans landowners who liken the thermoregulatory basking position of the species to retired farmworkers, who spend much of their days sitting in the sunlight. The sungazer is also known ubiquitously as pPathakalle by Sotho-speaking people and mbedla by Zulu-speaking people. [7]

Behavior

Unlike most other rupicolous (living among rocks) members of the Cordylidae, sungazers live in self-excavated burrows (typically 0.4 m or 1.3 ft deep, and 1.8 m or 6 ft long) in the silty soil of the Themeda grassland in South Africa. [4] They are insectivores, but occasionally eat small vertebrates. [4] These colonial, ovoviviparous lizards reproduce every 2–3 years, and only produce one or two offspring per breeding cycle. [4] They are long-lived, and captives have been recorded surpassing 20 years of age. [4]

Conservation

The decline in sungazer numbers is a result of habitat destruction, and illegal collecting for the pet and traditional medicine trades. [4] [8] Entire colonies can disappear when a patch of native grassland is converted to farmland or otherwise "developed". [8]

Sungazers are very difficult to breed in captivity, and successes have only been reported by a few places worldwide. [9] At least some reports are likely not true captive breeding, but rather pregnant females being caught in the wild and subsequently giving birth in captivity. [9] Wild-caught sungazers are then imported from South Africa to the US, Europe, and Japan, where they command high prices. Most of these animals are smuggled out of the country and are not accompanied by the CITES permits required in legal exports/imports of the species. In its native South Africa, possessing a sungazer (dead or alive) without a permit is illegal. [8] Cordylus tropidosternum and Cordylus jonesii are occasionally marketed as “dwarf sungazers”.

Cultural references

Related Research Articles

<i>Cordylus</i> Genus of lizards

The genus Cordylus includes a wide variety of species of small to medium spiny lizards from Africa, collectively called girdle-tailed lizards or girdled lizards. All are diurnal and ovoviviparous. Most species are rupicolous (rock-dwelling), while a few species are arboreal or live in burrows. They defend themselves with osteoderms and by quickly retreating into rock crevices or burrows. Many species live in groups, and males defend territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armadillo girdled lizard</span> Species of reptile in the family Cordylidae

The armadillo girdled lizard, also commonly known as the armadillo lizard, the armadillo spiny-tailed lizard, and the golden-armadillo lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to desert areas along the western coast of South Africa. In 2011, it was moved to its own genus based on molecular phylogeny, but formerly it was included in the genus Cordylus. It has the largest known genome of all squamates.

Lawrence's girdled lizard is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East African spiny-tailed lizard</span> Species of lizard

The East African armadillo lizard, dwarf sungazer, or tropical girdled lizard is a species of arboreal or rupicolous (rock-dwelling) lizard endemic to East Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transvaal girdled lizard</span> Species of lizard

The Transvaal girdled lizard or Reichenow's spiny-tailed lizard is a very flattened girdled lizard from northeastern South Africa, Eswatini, and southeastern Botswana. It prefers rock outcrops in open grassland and feeds on small arthropods, especially beetles.

An isolated population of the Rhodesian girdled lizard from granite outcrops in montane grassland of northern Malawi was recently redescribed as Cordylus nyikae. Unlike the Rhodesian girdled lizard, the head shields of this species are very rugose, the nostrils are pierced in the lower posterior corner of the nasal scales, and the dorsals do not have a serrated posterior margin. The dorsal coloration is dark brown to gray-brown with lighter spots. The tail and upper lips are light brown. The belly is buff. Its common name is Nyika girdled lizard.

Cordylus meculae, the Mecula girdled lizard, is a third species from the Rhodesian girdled lizard complex, and was described from Mount Mecula in northern Mozambique. It lives in granite outcrops of montane grasslands and dry miombo woodland. The nostril pierces the center of the nasal scale and the head shields are rugose. The dorsal coloration is dark brown with paler infusions on the flanks. The head is almost black with yellow lips and scattered yellow flecks on the head and neck. The belly is buff colored.

The Rhodesian girdled lizard is one of three species of very flattened girdled lizards from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique. The other two species are Cordylus nyikae and Cordylus meculae. They are found living under stones in rock outcrops where they feed on small arthropods. Adults are 60–90 mm long from snout to vent. The tail length is approximately half the total length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warren's girdled lizard</span> Species of lizard

Warren's girdled lizard is a species of relatively large, flattened lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is native to Southern Africa.

<i>Ninurta coeruleopunctatus</i> Species of lizard from South Africa

Ninurta coeruleopunctatus, the blue-spotted girdled lizard or simply blue-spotted lizard, is a monotypic genus that is endemic to southern, coastal South Africa. The Ninurtacoeruleopunctatus, as a member of the Cordylinae subfamily, demonstrates significant variability in body armor. This variation is a cause of the diverse evolutionary pressures within the subfamily. The environments aridity is the significant cause for this body armour's evolution.

Namazonurus campbelli, commonly known as Campbell's girdled lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. A small girdled lizard, N. campbelli is endemic to Namibia. It is often mistaken for the more common Herero girdled lizard, N. pustulatus, as they both are similar in size and have flattened bodies. N. campbelli lives in rock crevices and cracks on dry mountain slopes

<i>Smaug</i> (lizard) Genus of lizards

Smaug is a genus of lizards in the family Cordylidae. The genus Smaug is a group of species of spiny southern African lizards, separated from the genus Cordylus in 2011 on the basis of a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the Cordylidae. The type species is the giant girdled lizard, S. giganteus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Dam's girdled lizard</span> Species of lizard

Van Dam's girdled lizard is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to South Africa.

<i>Karusasaurus</i> Genus of lizards

Karusasaurus, commonly known as Karusa lizards, is a genus of lizards in the family Cordylidae.

<i>Smaug breyeri</i> Species of lizard

Smaug breyeri, also known commonly as the Waterberg dragon lizard or the Waterberg girdled lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rooiberg girdled lizard</span> Species of lizard

The Rooiberg girdled lizard is a species of small, spiny lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to South Africa.

The western dwarf girdled lizard is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. It is a small, spiny lizard found in South Africa.

Karusasaurus jordani, also known commonly as Jordan's girdled lizard and the Namibian girdled lizard, is a species of small, spiny lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to Namibia.

<i>Namazonurus peersi</i> Species of lizard

Namazonurus peersi is a species of small, spiny lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to South Africa.

References

  1. ↑ Alexander, G.J.; Tolley, K.A.; Bates, M.F.; Mouton, P.L.F.N. (2018). "Smaug giganteus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T5336A115650269. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T5336A115650269.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ↑ The ouvolk. An endangered species
  3. ↑ Mouton, P.le.F.N. 2014. Smaug giganteus (Smith, 1844). Pp 209. In: Bates, M.F., Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M., Burger, M., Marais, J., Alexander, G.J., De Villiers, M.S. (eds.). Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bill Branch. 1998. Field Guide to Snakes and other reptiles of Southern Africa, p. 189. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. ISBN   1-86872-040-3
  5. ↑ Stanley, Edward L.; Bauer, Aaron M.; Jackman, Todd R.; Branch, William R.; Mouton, P. Le Fras N. (2011). "Between a rock and a hard polytomy: Rapid radiation in the rupicolous girdled lizards (Squamata: Cordylidae)" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 58 (1): 53–70. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2010.08.024. PMID   20816817.
  6. ↑ Van Wyk, J.H. 1988. Sungazer or Giant Girdled Lizard (Cordylus giganteus). Pp. 78-80. In: W.R. Branch, (ed.) South African Red Data Book – Reptiles and Amphibians. South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 151.
  7. ↑ Parusnath, 2014. A conservation assessment of the Sungazer (Smaug giganteus). Unpublished Masters thesis. University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280073524_A_conservation_assessment_of_the_Sungazer_Smaug_giganteus
  8. 1 2 3 Gibbons, B. (2014). Sungazer Lizards are desperately in need of conservation Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine . Endangered Wildlife Trust, Threatened Grassland Species Programme. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  9. 1 2 Adams, M. (April 2012). Rare Sungazers pose tough challenge for conservators. Archived 2015-08-10 at the Wayback Machine National Zoological Gardens of South Africa. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
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