Opluridae

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Opluridae
Oplurus Cuvieri Kirindy Madagascar.jpg
Oplurus cuvieri
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Clade: Pleurodonta
Family: Opluridae
Titus & Frost, 1996
Genera

2 genera (8 recognized species), see article

The Opluridae, or Madagascan iguanas, are a family of moderately-sized lizards native to Madagascar and Grande Comore. There are eight species across two genera, with most of them being under Oplurus . The other genus, Chalarodon , is easily distinguishable from Oplurus as it contains species with a dorsal crest, particularly distinct in males, and has a smoother tail covered in similarly sized scales. Genus Oplurus has large segmented spiny scales, and no dorsal crest along the spine. [1] [2]

Contents

The Opluridae, along with the banded iguanas and their kin (family Iguanidae) of Fiji, are the only extant members of the Pleurodonta that are found outside of the Americas. The Opluridae family includes terrestrial species that live amongst rocks and canyons, along with some that are arboreal, and two that prefer sandier habitats. All of the species are oviparous, or egg-layers, and have teeth that resemble those of the true iguanas. [3] [2] A study to identify the primary foraging methods of the Oplurus genus indicated that ambush hunting was preferred due to the reptiles' low movement-per-minute (MPM) and percent-time-spent-moving (PTM) rates, especially during the very rainy and very dry seasons of the Ampijoroa Forest and Ankarafantsika.

Previously, due to their physical isolation from all other iguanids, it was thought that oplurids had very ancient/basal origins; a study of mitochondrial DNA sequences had put the split between Opluridae and Iguanidae—within which Opluridae is occasionally classified as subfamily Oplurinae—at about 165 million years ago (MYA), during the Middle Jurassic. [4] This study supported the monophyly of the expanded Iguanidae, thus placing Oplurinae in the basal position—consistent with a vicariant origin of the Madagascan iguanians, as Madagascar is believed to have separated from Africa some 140 MYA during the breakup of Gondwana. [4] However, a 2022 study found Opluridae to be the sister group to the Leiosauridae, a family of iguanids found only in South America. Both groups were found to have only diverged during the Paleocene, about 60 MYA. As this divergence was too recent to be a result of vicariance, it was proposed that the Opluridae colonized Madagascar via oceanic dispersal, floating on uprooted trees, shrubbery and other amalgamated natural objects directly to Madagascar from South America. Alternate theories see the reptiles reaching mainland Africa first, before later making their way to Madagascar, or floating from South America to Madagascar with Antarctica as a stopping-point (as the continent was not yet glaciated at the time). [5]

Species

Family Opluridae

ImageGenusLiving species
Three-eyed lizard (Chalarodon madagascariensis) male Toliara.jpg Chalarodon Peters, 1854
Oplurus Cuvieri Kirindy Madagascar.jpg Oplurus Cuvier, 1829

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leiosauridae</span> Family of lizards

Leiosauridae is a family of iguanian lizards containing six genera and 34 species. The family is endemic to Central America and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iguanidae</span> Family of lizards

The Iguanidae is a family of lizards composed of the iguanas, chuckwallas, and their prehistoric relatives, including the widespread green iguana.

<i>Brachylophus</i> Genus of lizards

The genus Brachylophus consists of four extant iguanid species native to the islands of Fiji and a giant extinct species from Tonga in the South West Pacific. One of the extant species, B. fasciatus, is also present on Tonga, where it has apparently been introduced by humans.

<i>Chalarodon</i> Genus of lizards

Chalarodon is a genus of Malagasy terrestrial iguanian lizard. It was considered a monotypic genus, until in 2015 a second species, Chalarodon steinkampi, was recognised based on morphology and DNA sequence data. The common names of this genus include Chalarodon or Dangalia lizard.

<i>Oplurus</i> Genus of lizards

Oplurus is a genus of Malagasy iguanian lizards, most of which are rock-dwelling terrestrial species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iguanomorpha</span> Infraorder of lizards

Iguania is an infraorder of squamate reptiles that includes iguanas, chameleons, agamids, and New World lizards like anoles and phrynosomatids. Using morphological features as a guide to evolutionary relationships, the Iguania are believed to form the sister group to the remainder of the Squamata, which comprise nearly 11,000 named species, roughly 2000 of which are iguanians. However, molecular information has placed Iguania well within the Squamata as sister taxa to the Anguimorpha and closely related to snakes. The order has been under debate and revisions after being classified by Charles Lewis Camp in 1923 due to difficulties finding adequate synapomorphic morphological characteristics. Most iguanians are arboreal but there are several terrestrial groups. They usually have primitive fleshy, non-prehensile tongues, although the tongue is highly modified in chameleons. Today they are scattered occurring in Madagascar, the Fiji and Friendly Islands and Western Hemisphere.

<i>Brachylophus fasciatus</i> Species of lizard

Brachylophus fasciatus, the Lau banded iguana, is an arboreal species of lizard endemic to the Lau Islands of the eastern part of the Fijian archipelago. It is also found in Tonga, where it was probably introduced by humans. It is one of the few species of iguanas found outside of the New World and one of the most geographically isolated members of the family Iguanidae. Populations of these iguanas have been declining over the past century due to habitat destruction, and more significantly, the introduction of mongoose and house cats to the islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Madagascar</span> Native animals of Madagascar

The fauna of Madagascar is a part of the wildlife of Madagascar.

<i>Ctenosaura bakeri</i> Species of lizard

Ctenosaura bakeri, also known as the Utila spiny-tailed iguana, Baker's spinytail iguana, swamper or wishiwilly del suampo, is a critically endangered species of spinytail iguana endemic to the island of Utila, one of the Islas de la Bahía off the coast of Honduras in the Caribbean.

In phylogenetics, basal is the direction of the base of a rooted phylogenetic tree or cladogram. The term may be more strictly applied only to nodes adjacent to the root, or more loosely applied to nodes regarded as being close to the root. Note that extant taxa that lie on branches connecting directly to the root are not more closely related to the root than any other extant taxa.

<i>Iguana</i> Reptile genus of herbivorous lizards

Iguana is a genus of herbivorous lizards that are native to tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The genus was first described in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena. Two species are placed in the genus: the green iguana, which is widespread throughout its range and a popular pet; and the Lesser Antillean iguana, which is native to the Lesser Antilles. Genetic analysis indicates that the green iguana may comprise a complex of multiple species, some of which have been recently described, but the Reptile Database considers all of these as subspecies of the green iguana.

<i>Brachylophus bulabula</i> Species of lizard

Brachylophus bulabula, commonly known as the Central Fijian Banded Iguana is a species of iguanid lizard endemic to some of the larger central and northwestern islands of Fiji, where it occurs in Fijian wet forest. It was described by a team led by a scientist from the Australian National University in 2008. It is one of the few species of iguana found outside of the New World and one of the most geographically isolated members of the family Iguanidae. Initially also reported from Gau Island, in 2017 this population was described as a separate species, B. gau. They can grow up to 2 feet long and have an average lifespan of 10-15 years. However, there have been some captive Fiji banded iguanas that have lived as long as 25 years. Fijian banded iguana typically are found in tropical wet islands that are typically 650-1700 feet above sea level. They also like to bask in temperatures ranging from 75–95 °F (24–35 °C). The areas that are most suitable for Fiji banded iguanas are Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Ovalau, Viwa, and Kadavu. Males are typically are green with blue stripes and the females are green with white stripes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oceanic dispersal</span> Biological dispersal across oceans

Oceanic dispersal is a type of biological dispersal that occurs when terrestrial organisms transfer from one land mass to another by way of a sea crossing. Island hopping is the crossing of an ocean by a series of shorter journeys between islands, as opposed to a single journey directly to the destination. Often this occurs via large rafts of floating vegetation such as are sometimes seen floating down major rivers in the tropics and washing out to sea, occasionally with animals trapped on them. Dispersal via such a raft is sometimes referred to as a rafting event. Colonization of land masses by plants can also occur via long-distance oceanic dispersal of floating seeds.

<i>Oplurus cuvieri</i> Species of lizard

Oplurus cuvieri, commonly known as the collared iguana, the collared iguanid lizard, Cuvier's Madagascar skink, Cuvier's Madagascar swift, and the Madagascan collared iguana, is a species of arboreal lizard in the family Opluridae. The species is native to Madagascar and Comoros. There are two recognized subspecies. O. cuvieri is the largest of six species in the genus Oplurus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oplurus quadrimaculatus</span> Species of lizard

Oplurus quadrimaculatus, the Duméril's Madagascar Swift or Madagascar spotted spiny-tailed iguana, is a terrestrial malagasy iguana belonging to the family Opluridae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green iguana</span> Species of reptile

The green iguana, also known as the American iguana or the common green iguana, is a large, arboreal, mostly herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana. Usually, this animal is simply called the iguana. The green iguana ranges over a large geographic area; it is native from southern Brazil and Paraguay as far north as Mexico.

<i>Oplurus cyclurus</i> Species of lizard

Oplurus cyclurus, also known commonly as the Madagascar swift and Merrem's Madagascar swift, is a species of lizard in the family Opluridae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It is arboreal and mostly insectivorous. Its breeding is timed with the rainy season.

<i>Oplurus fierinensis</i> Species of lizard

Oplurus fierinensis, also known as the Anzamala Madagascar swift or Madagascar blue iguana, is a saxicolous iguana endemic to Madagascar.

Liolaemus boulengeri, also known commonly as Boulenger's tree iguana, is a species of lizard in the family Liolaemidae. The species is endemic to Argentina.

Stenocercus guentheri, also known commonly as Günther's whorltail iguana and la guagsa de Günther in South American Spanish, is a species of lizard in the family Tropiduridae. The species is native to northwestern South America.

References

  1. "Genus Chalarodon – Dwarf Malagasy Iguana". Cyberlizard (UK) Website. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 12 Aug 2014.
  2. 1 2 Schlüter, Uwe (2013). "Madagaskarleguane - Lebensweise, Pflege und Fortpflanzung". KUS-Verlag, Rheinstetten. ISBN   978-3-9808264-8-8. A Monograph on Opluridae (in German).
  3. Bauer, Aaron M. (1998). Cogger, H.G.; Zweifel, R.G. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 145. ISBN   0-12-178560-2.
  4. 1 2 Okajima, Y.; Kumazawa, Y. (2009-07-15). "Mitogenomic perspectives into iguanid phylogeny and biogeography: Gondwanan vicariance for the origin of Madagascan oplurines". Gene . 441 (1–2). Elsevier: 28–35. doi:10.1016/j.gene.2008.06.011. PMID   18598742.
  5. Welt, Rachel S.; Raxworthy, Christopher J. (2022-02-01). "Dispersal, not vicariance, explains the biogeographic origin of iguanas on Madagascar". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 167: 107345. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107345 . ISSN   1055-7903. PMID   34748875. S2CID   243821392.