The Tropiduridae are a
family of
iguanid
The Iguanidae is a family of lizards composed of the iguanas, chuckwallas, and their prehistoric relatives, including the widespread green iguana.
Taxonomy
Iguanidae is thought to be the sister group to the collared lizards (family Crotaphy ...
lizards.
["Tropiduridae". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.] The family is sometimes considered a
subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
, Tropidurinae. The subfamily is native to
South America, including the islands of
Trinidad and the
Galápagos. Commonly known as
neotropical ground lizards, most are ground-dwelling animals, and the subfamily includes some lizards adapted to relatively cold climates, including those of the
Andes mountains and
Tierra del Fuego. Several species give birth to
live young.
A 2021 study described a novel escutcheon-type generation gland ('α-gland') in tropidurines, found in at least 39 species. This gland is believed to be the main potential source of
semiochemicals in this group indicating its importance in
chemical signalling Chemical signalling may refer to:
*Chemical signalling between cells, or cell signalling
*Chemical signalling between animals, or olfactory communication
Animal communication is the transfer of information from one or a group of animals (sender ...
, an essential component of the communication system of lizards.
Genera
The family Tropiduridae contains the following eight
genera
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...
.
[
*'']Eurolophosaurus
''Eurolophosaurus'' is a genus of reptiles belonging to the family Tropiduridae
The Tropiduridae are a family of iguanid lizards."Tropiduridae". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. The family is sometimes considered a subfamily, Tr ...
''
*''Microlophus
''Microlophus'' is a genus of tropidurid lizards native to South America. Around 20 species are recognized and 10 of these are endemic to the Galápagos Islands, where they are commonly known as lava lizardsBenavides E, Baum R, Snell HM, Snell ...
'' – lava lizards and Pacific iguanas (sometimes in ''Tropidurus'')
*''Plica
Plica may refer to:
* ''Plica'' (lizard), a genus of lizards
* ''Capillaria plica'', a parasitic nematode
* Plica (sigillography) - term from sigillography
* A fold or crease, especially of skin or other tissue, from medieval Latin plicare ("to ...
''
*''Stenocercus
''Stenocercus'' is a genus of South American lizards, commonly called whorltail iguanas, of the family Tropiduridae. This genus has 80 valid described species.
Geographic range
The greatest species richness is in Ecuador and Peru, but members o ...
'' – whorltail iguanas
*'' Strobilurus''
*'' Tropidurus'' (including ''Platynotus, Tapinurus'')
*'' Uracentron'' – thornytail iguanas (sometimes in ''Tropidurus'')
*''Uranoscodon
''Uranoscodon'' is a monotypic genus of iguanomorph lizard, its sole member is the diving lizard, brown tree climber or mophead iguana (''Uranoscodon superciliosus''), belonging to the family Tropiduridae, the Neotropical ground lizards. It is ...
''
References
External links
*
Further reading
* Bell T (1843). ''The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Under the Command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the years 1832 to 1836. Edited and Superintended by Charles Darwin ... Naturalist to the Expedition. Part V. Reptiles.'' London: Smith, Elder and Company. vi + 51 pp. + Plates 1-20. (Tropiduridae, new family, p. 1). (in English and Latin).
Lizard families
Taxa named by Thomas Bell (zoologist)
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