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Smaug (lizard)
''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'' (formerly ''Cordylus giganteus''). Etymology The genus ''Smaug'' was named for the character Smaug, in J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Hobbit'': Smaug is the name of the dragon encountered by Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist of J.R.R. Tolkien's book ''The Hobbit''. According to Tolkien the name is derived from the Old German verb ''smeugen'' – to squeeze through a hole. Like the type species, Smaug lived underground and was heavily armored. Appropriately Tolkien was born in the Free State province, South Africa, the core area of distribution of the type species. The name is masculine. ''Zonurus'', the former genus name, is from Greek ''zōnē'' 'girdle' + ''oura'' 'tail'. Des ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smaug Giganteus
The sungazer (''Smaug giganteus'', syn. ''Cordylus giganteus''), also known as the giant girdled lizard, giant dragon lizard, ouvolk, or giant zonure, is the largest species of the Cordylidae, a family of lizards from sub-Saharan Africa.Bill Branch. 1998. Field Guide to Snakes and other reptiles of Southern Africa, p. 189. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. This Threatened species, threatened species is Endemism, endemic to Highveld grasslands in the interior of South Africa. In 2011, it was assigned to the new genus ''Smaug (lizard), Smaug'', along with seven other species previously belonging to the genus ''Cordylus'', based on a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the Cordylidae. Appearance The sungazer is a heavily armoured species, with a typical snout–to-Cloaca, vent length of (exceptionally up to ), and is easily distinguishable from other cordylids by the elongated pair of occipital spines and the enlarged keeled caudal spines. Names The species is known as the sungazer b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osteoderm
Osteoderms are bony deposits forming scales, plates, or other structures based in the dermis. Osteoderms are found in many groups of extant and extinct reptiles and amphibians, including lizards, crocodilians, frogs, temnospondyls (extinct amphibians), various groups of dinosaurs (most notably ankylosaurs and stegosaurians), phytosaurs, aetosaurs, placodonts, and hupehsuchians (marine reptiles with possible ichthyosaur affinities). Osteoderms are uncommon in mammals, although they have occurred in many xenarthrans (armadillos and the extinct glyptodonts and mylodontid and scelidotheriid ground sloths). The heavy, bony osteoderms have evolved independently in many different lineages. The armadillo osteoderm is believed to develop in subcutaneous dermal tissues. These varied structures should be thought of as anatomical analogues, not homologues, and do not necessarily indicate monophyly. The structures are however derived from scutes, common to all classes of amniote ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Van Dam's Girdled Lizard
Van Dam's girdled lizard (''Smaug vandami'') is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to South Africa. Geographic range The type locality of ''S. vandami'' is Gravelotte, Limpopo, South Africa. Habitat The preferred natural habitats of ''S. vandami'' are grassland and savanna. Description A large lizard, ''S. vandami'' may attain a snout-vent length (SVL) of . It has a triangular shaped head, and spiny dorsal scales. The predominant colour is dark brown with fragmented yellow rings. Behaviour ''S. vandami'' is largely solitary and hides in cracks in rocks. Reproduction ''S. vandami'' is ovoviviparous. From two to six young are born alive in summer. Branch, Bill (2004). ''Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa''. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. . (''Cordylus vandami'', p. 197 + Plate 70). Etymology The species is named for the collector of the type specimens, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smaug Swazicus
Smaug swazicus (also known as the Swazi dragon lizard) is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. It is a small lizard found in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun .... References Smaug (genus) Reptiles of South Africa Reptiles described in 2020 {{lizard-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regal Girdled Lizard
Smaug regius (also known as the regal girdled lizard) is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. It is a small lizard found in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and .... References Smaug (genus) Reptiles of Zimbabwe Reptiles described in 1962 Taxa named by Donald George Broadley {{lizard-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mozambique Girdled Lizard
The Mozambique girdled lizard or flame-bellied armadillo lizard (''Smaug mossambicus'') is a large, flattened, girdled lizard found on Mount Gorongosa in Mozambique and low elevations in the Chimanimani Mountains at the border of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It lives in rock outcrops in grasslands and dry, wooded mountain slopes. The Mozambique girdled lizard is also called the Gorongosa girdled lizard or ''Cordylus gorongosa'' (not a valid taxon name). Individuals are exported through Mozambique for the pet trade. They eat a wide variety of small insects (especially beetles and grasshoppers), millipedes, spiders, and occasional small vertebrates. Description Mozambique girdled lizards reach 137.5 mm from snout to vent and 281 mm in total length (based on a captive individual). Males are dark brown to black above with bright orange undersides and black throats. Females and juveniles are dark brown above with small cream spots scattered on the neck and back. The belli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrew Smith (zoologist)
Sir Andrew Smith (3 December 1797 – 11 August 1872) was a British surgeon, explorer, ethnologist and zoologist. He is considered the father of zoology in South Africa having described many species across a wide range of groups in his major work, ''Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa''. Smith was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire. He qualified in medicine at the University of Edinburgh obtaining an M.D. degree in 1819, having joined the Army Medical Services in 1816. South Africa 1820–1837 In 1820 he was ordered to the Cape Colony and was sent to Grahamstown to supervise the medical care of European soldiers and soldiers of the Cape Corps. He was appointed the Albany district surgeon in 1822 and started the first free dispensary for indigent patients in South Africa. He led a scientific expedition into the interior and was able to indulge in his interests of natural history and anthropology. On several occasions, he was sent by governors on confidential missions to v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Giant Girdled Lizard
The sungazer (''Smaug giganteus'', syn. ''Cordylus giganteus''), also known as the giant girdled lizard, giant dragon lizard, ouvolk, or giant zonure, is the largest species of the Cordylidae, a family of lizards from sub-Saharan Africa.Bill Branch. 1998. Field Guide to Snakes and other reptiles of Southern Africa, p. 189. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. This threatened species is endemic to Highveld grasslands in the interior of South Africa. 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. Appearance The sungazer is a heavily armoured species, with a typical snout–to-vent length of (exceptionally up to ), and is easily distinguishable from other cordylids by the elongated pair of occipital spines and the enlarged keeled caudal spines. Names The species is known as the sungazer because of its distinctive thermoregulatory behaviou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons
Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons, born in Pietermaritzburg, was a notable herpetologist in South Africa. Also, he contributed to the collection of spermatophyte samples for the National Herbarium which has become part of the South African National Biodiversity Institute at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden. In 1937, together with Anna Amelia Obermeyer, he collected some of the earliest plant specimens from the Eastern Highlands of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Later, as director of the Transvaal Museum, he together with Charles Koch helped to establish the Namib Desert Research Institute in Gobabeb Family Vivian FitzSimons came from a family of naturalists. His father, Frederick William FitzSimons, and his mother Patricia Henrietta (née Russell), both immigrated to South Africa from Ireland. His brother was Desmond Charles Fitzsimons, who in 1939 founded the Fitzsimons Snake Park (Durban) and was a leading distributor of snake antivenoms in South Africa. Vivian FitzSimo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smaug Depressus
Zoutpansberg girdled lizard (''Smaug depressus'') is a species of the genus '' Smaug''.The Reptile Database. http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Smaug&species=depressus&search_param=( This species is only found on and around the Soutpansberg in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ... and was before considered a subspecies of Warren's girdled lizard. Zoutpansberg girdled lizard's grow to a length up to 16 centimeters. Reproduction To prevent females of getting away at the first approach, the male approaches the female during mating season very cautiously. He nods his head constantly to make its peaceful intentions cognizable. After mating it takes six months before two to five young are born. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q18603897 Smaug ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Waterberg Girdled 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. Etymology The specific name, ''breyeri'', is in honor of Dutch naturalist Hermann Gottfried Breyer. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Cordylus warreni breyeri'', p. 38). Habitat The preferred natural habitat of ''S. breyeri'' is rocky areas of savanna, at altitudes of . Description Adults of ''S. breyeri'' usually have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of , but may grow as large as SVL. Reproduction ''S. breyeri'' is viviparous Among animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. This is opposed to oviparity which is a reproductive mode in which females lay developing eggs that complete their development and hatch externally fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
