''Oplurus'' is a genus of Malagasy iguanian

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

s, most of which are rock-dwelling terrestrial species. The sister genus to ''Oplurus'' is ''Chalarodon'', which contains two species: ''

Chalarodon madagascariensis ''Chalarodon madagascariensis'' is a species of Malagasy terrestrial iguanian lizard native to western, southern, and south eastern Madagascar. Until 2015, it was thought to be the only member of its genus, but a second species, ''C. steinkamp ...

'' and ''

Chalarodon steinkampi ''Chalarodon steinkampi'' is a species of Malagasy terrestrial iguanian lizards. It was recognised as a new species in 2015, which is probably microendemic to a small area in south eastern Madagascar. Habitat The species inhabits areas very si ...

'', which are terrestrial iguanas and easily distinguished from ''Oplurus'' by its smaller size and the presence of a distinct dorsal crest.

Species

The six recognized species in the genus ''Oplurus'' comprise two distinct clades. Uwe Schlüter (2013). ''Madagaskarleguane - Lebensweise, Pflege und Fortpflanzung''. KUS-Verlag, Rheinstetten. . *Spiny-tailed arboreal clade: ** Merrem's Madagascar swift (''

Oplurus cyclurus ''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 has a mostly insectivorous diet. Its breedi ...

'') **Collared iguanid (''

Oplurus cuvieri ''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 speci ...

'') * Saxicolous (rock dwelling) clade: **Madagascar blue iguana (''

Oplurus fierinensis ''Oplurus fierinensis'', also known as the Anzamala Madagascar swift or Madagascar blue iguana, is a saxicolous (rock dwelling) iguana endemic to Madagascar. Description As the name suggests, the Madagascar blue iguana is blue, although can be ...

'') (greyish-blue without dark dorsal bands) ** Grandidier's Madagascar swift (''

Oplurus grandidieri Grandidier's Madagascar swift (''Oplurus grandidieri'') is a species of saxicolous (rock dwelling) lizard in the family Opluridae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. Etymology The specific name ''grandidieri'', is in honor of French naturali ...

'' (with light mid-dorsal band) ** Duméril's Madagascar swift (''

Oplurus quadrimaculatus ''Oplurus quadrimaculatus'', the Duméril's Madagascar Swift or Madagascar spotted spiny-tailed iguana, is a terrestrial malagasy iguana belonging to the family Opluridae. Description ''Oplurus quadrimaculatus'' can reach a length of . This igu ...

'') (with four dorsal bands, dorsal scales coarsely granular) **Marked Madagascar swift (''

Oplurus saxicola ''Oplurus saxicola'' (marked Madagascar swift) is a wiktionary:saxicolous, saxicolous (rock dwelling) iguana. The name of this species, saxicola, comes from the Latin saxum, meaning stone or rock, as they live within that environment. Descriptio ...

'') (different darker color pattern, dorsal scales finely granular) Because of differences is appearance (i.e. the lack of a black neck band), possibly a larger body, and its geographic isolation, the form of ''

'' species found on the Comoro archipelago has recently been given full species rank, as ''

Oplurus comorensis ''Oplurus'' is a genus of Malagasy iguanian lizards, most of which are rock-dwelling terrestrial species. The sister genus to ''Oplurus'' is ''Chalarodon'', which contains two species: ''Chalarodon madagascariensis'' and ''Chalarodon steink ...

'' (Meirte 2004). However the molecular phylogeny research concludes that this full species status is unwarranted.

Distribution

All six species of ''Oplurus'' are all found in Madagascar, with five being endemic. ''

'' is also found on

Grande Comore Grande Comore () is an island in Comoros off the coast of Africa. It is the largest island in the Comoros nation. Most of its population is of the Comorian ethnic group. Its population is about 316,600. The island's capital is Moroni, Comoros, ...

. Subfossil remains of a large, extinct, species have also been found on

Aldabra Aldabra is the world's second-largest coral atoll, lying south-east of the continent of Africa. It is part of the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that are part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles, with a distance of 1,120 k ...

. The two spiny-tailed species (''

'', ''

'') and ''

'' are found in the arid parts of the south and west of Madagascar, whilst the other three species are found on the ground and rocks in the central and southern highland regions and the south. ''

'' is the most widely distributed, and the only species found in Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park.

Species

Distribution

References

Further reading