Philochortus rudolfensis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Lacertidae |
Genus: | Philochortus |
Species: | P. rudolfensis |
Binomial name | |
Philochortus rudolfensis Parker, 1932 | |
Philochortus rudolfensis, the southern shield-backed lizard, is a species of lizard found in Kenya and Ethiopia. [2]
Homo rudolfensis is a species of archaic human from the Early Pleistocene of East Africa about 2 million years ago (mya). Because H. rudolfensis coexisted with several other hominins, it is debated what specimens can be confidently assigned to this species beyond the lectotype skull KNM-ER 1470 and other partial skull aspects. No bodily remains are definitively assigned to H. rudolfensis. Consequently, both its generic classification and validity are debated without any wide consensus, with some recommending the species to actually belong to the genus Australopithecus as A. rudolfensis or Kenyanthropus as K. rudolfensis, or that it is synonymous with the contemporaneous and anatomically similar H. habilis.
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 least 300 species in 39 genera. They represent the dominant group of reptiles found in Europe. The group includes the genus Lacerta (genus), which contains some of the most commonly seen lizard species in Europe.
Leiocephalidae, also known as the curlytail lizards or curly-tailed lizards, is a family of iguanian lizards restricted to the West Indies. One of the defining features of these lizards is that their tail often curls over. They were previously regarded as members of the subfamily Leiocephalinae within the family Tropiduridae. There are presently 29 known species, all in the genus Leiocephalus.
The genus Gallotia are the lacertids of the Canary Islands. This genus consists of a group that has been evolving there ever since the first islands emerged from the sea over 20 million years ago. The endemic species and subspecies of this group have a number of characteristics that make them quite special within their family (Lacertidae); their only close relatives are the sandrunner lizards (Psammodromus) of the western Mediterranean region. Gallotia are characteristic for eating significant quantities of plants, and for several lineages having evolved insular gigantism.
Philochortus is a genus of lizards of the family Lacertidae. Species of this genus are distributed in Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Mali, Niger, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia.
The Mexican beaded lizard is a species of lizard in the family Helodermatidae, one of the two species of venomous beaded lizards found principally in Mexico and southern Guatemala. It and the other member of the same genus, the Gila monster, are the only lizards known to have evolved an overt venom delivery system. The Mexican beaded lizard is larger than the Gila monster, with duller coloration, black with yellowish bands. As it is a specialized predator that feeds primarily upon eggs, the primary use of its venom is still a source of debate among scientists. This venom has been found to contain several enzymes useful for manufacturing drugs in the treatment of diabetes, and research on the pharmacological use of its venom is ongoing.
Oscar Rudolph Neumann was a German ornithologist and naturalist who explored and collected specimens in Africa. He fled via Cuba and settled in the United States to escape Nazi persecution of Jews. Neumann's starling and several other species are named after him.
The lizard catshark is a small shark species of the catshark family, Scyliorhinidae, found off the coast of southern Brazil on the upper continental shelf at depths of between 250 and 500 metres.
Lawrence's girdled lizard is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to South Africa.
Philochortus zolii is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to northern Africa.
Platysaurus torquatus, the striped flat lizard or collared flat lizard, is a species of lizard in the Cordylidae family found in southeast Africa.
The Mwanza flat-headed rock agama or the Spider-Man agama, because of its coloration, is a lizard reptile in the family Agamidae, found in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya.
Tiliqua scincoides is a species of skink. It is native to Australia as well as to the Tanimbar and Babar Islands in the Maluku Province of Indonesia.
Pseudocordylus melanotus, also known as the common crag lizard or Highveld crag lizard, is a species of lizard found in Eswatini, Lesotho, and South Africa. Pseudocordylus subviridis is considered a distinct species by the Reptile Database, but a subspecies of Pseudocordylus melanotus by IUCN.
Philochortus hardeggeri, Hardegger's orangetail lizard or Hardegger's shield-backed lizard, is a species of lizard found in Somalia, Djibouti, and Ethiopia.
Philochortus intermedius, the southern orangetail lizard or Boulenger's shield-backed lizard, is a species of lizard found in Somalia and Ethiopia.
Philochortus neumanni, known commonly as Neumann's orangetail lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia.
Philochortus phillipsi, known commonly as Phillips' orangetail lizard or Phillips' shield-backed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Horn of Africa.
Philochortus spinalis, Peters's shield-backed lizard or Eritrea orangetail lizard, is a species of lizard found from Niger up to Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea.