| Meroles | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Meroles knoxii in South Africa | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Lacertidae |
| Subfamily: | Lacertinae |
| Genus: | Meroles Gray, 1838 |
| Species | |
Eight species, see text. | |
Meroles is a genus of lizards, commonly known as desert lizards, in the family Lacertidae. The genus contains eight species, inhabiting southwestern Africa, especially the Namib Desert.
Desert lizards have fine, granular dorsal scales. The hind toes are elongated and possess fringes of scales. [1]
The following eight species are recognized as being valid. [2]
Nota bene : A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Meroles.
The Lacertidae are the family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. It is a diverse family with at about 360 species in 39 genera. They represent the dominant group of reptiles found in Europe.
Pachydactylus is a genus of insectivorous geckos, lizards in the family Gekkonidae. The genus is endemic to Africa, and member species are commonly known as thick-toed geckos. The genus also displays rich speciation, having 58 distinct species identified when compared to other closely related gecko genera like Rhoptropus, most of which have emerged since 35Ma. It has been suggested that the reason for this rich speciation not from adaptive radiation nor nonadaptive radiation, but that the genus represents a clade somewhere between the two drivers of speciation. P. bibronii geckos have been used by NASA as animal models for experimentation.
Fringe-toed lizards are lizards of the genus Uma in the family Phrynosomatidae, native to deserts of North America. They are adapted for life in sandy deserts with fringe-like scales on their hind toes hence their common name.
Ichnotropis is a genus of African lizards in the family Lacertidae. Species in the genus Ichnotropis are commonly called rough-scaled lizards.
Nucras is a genus of African lacertid lizards, commonly called sandveld lizards.
Pedioplanis is a genus of lizards in the family Lacertidae. All species of Pedioplanis are endemic to southern Africa.
Pseuderemias is a genus of lizards of the family Lacertidae. Common names for the genus are false sand lizards or racerunners.
Psammophis is a genus of snakes in the family Psammophiidae. The genus comprises 33 species, which are found in Africa and Asia. Psammophis are diurnal and prey on lizards and rodents which they actively hunt. All species in the genus are venomous, and the venom is considered mild and not dangerous to humans.
Trachylepis is a skink genus in the subfamily Mabuyinae found mainly in Africa. Its members were formerly included in the "wastebin taxon" Mabuya, and for some time in Euprepis. As defined today, Trachylepis contains the clade of Afro-Malagasy mabuyas. The genus also contains a species from the Brazilian island of Fernando de Noronha, T. atlantica, and may occur in mainland South America with Trachylepis tschudii and Trachylepis maculata, both poorly known and enigmatic. The ancestors of T. atlantica are believed to have rafted across the Atlantic from Africa during the last 9 million years.
Meroles ctenodactylus, also known as the giant desert lizard, Smith's sand lizard or Smith's desert lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae. It occurs in westernmost South Africa and western Namibia.
Meroles squamulosa is a species of African lizard originally placed in the genus Ichnotropis, however phylogenetic evidence moves this species to the genus Meroles. The species is commonly called the common rough-scaled lizard or savanna lizard. It is largely found in southern Africa. These lizards are terrestrial and found in the range of mesic savannah. The common rough-scaled lizard is medium in size and well distributed in parts of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Angola, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Meroles cuneirostris, the wedge-snouted sand lizard or wedge-snouted desert lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae. It occurs in the Namib Desert of Namibia and South Africa.
Prosymna is a genus of elapoid snake. It is the only genus in the family Prosymnidae. They were formerly placed as a subfamily of the Lamprophiidae, but have been more recently identified as a distinct family.
Philothamnus is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Afrotyphlops is a genus of snakes in the family Typhlopidae.
Monopeltis is a genus of amphisbaenians in the family Amphisbaenidae. Species in the genus are commonly known as worm lizards, even though they are not lizards. The genus is endemic to southern Africa. 19 species are placed in this genus.
The shovel-snouted lizard, also known commonly as Anchieta's desert lizard, Anchieta's dune lizard and the Namib sand-diver, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to southern Africa.
Meroles knoxii, also known commonly as Knox's desert lizard and Knox's ocellated sand lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to southern Africa.
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