| Meroles | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Meroles knoxii in South Africa | |
Scientific classification  | |
| 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 Europe, Africa, and Asia. The group includes the genus Lacerta, which contains some of the most commonly seen lizard species in Europe. It is a diverse family with at least 300 species in 39 genera.
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.
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.
Mesalina is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae.
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 Lamprophiidae. The genus comprises 34 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 Lygosominae 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.
Zygaspis is a genus of lizards in the family Amphisbaenidae. Species in the genus are commonly known as purple round-headed worm lizards, and are native to equatorial and southern Africa.
Ichnotropis capensis is a species of African lizard, which is native to the southern Afrotropics. It is the type species for the genus Ichnotropis, and is commonly called the Cape rough-scaled lizard due to them being found in southern Africa's Cape region. They are also called ornate rough-scaled lizard or Smith's rough-scaled sand lizard. The small lizards are terrestrial and occur in grassland, desert and brush areas of southern Africa.
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.
Philothamnus is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Monopeltis is a genus in the family Amphisbaenidae, commonly known as worm lizards. The genus is endemic to southern Africa. 19 species are placed in this genus.
Meroles knoxii, Knox's ocellated sand lizard or Knox's desert lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae. It occurs in Namibia and South Africa.
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