The

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

''Cordylus'' (

Sauria Sauria is the clade containing the most recent common ancestor of archosaurs (such as crocodilians, dinosaurs, etc.) and lepidosaurs ( lizards and kin), and all its descendants. Since most molecular phylogenies recover turtles as more closely re ...

Cordylidae Cordylidae is a family of small- to medium-sized lizards that occur in southern and eastern Africa. They are commonly known as girdled lizards, spinytail lizards, or girdle-tail lizards. Cordylidae is closely related to the family Gerrhosauridae ...

) includes a wide variety of

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of small to medium spiny lizards from Africa, collectively called girdle-tailed lizards or girdled lizards. All are diurnal and

ovoviviparous Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous and live-bearing viviparous reproduction. Ovoviviparous animals possess embryos that develop insi ...

(live-bearing, without shelled eggs). Most species are rupicolous (rock-dwelling), while a few species are arboreal or live in burrows. They defend themselves with osteoderms (flat bony plates in the skin) and by quickly retreating into rock crevices or burrows. Many species live in groups, and males defend territories. Cordylids are generally listed under

CITES CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...

Appendix II. They are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but trade is controlled to prevent

overexploitation Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Continued overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource, as it will be unable to replenish. The term app ...

. Some species of ''Cordylus'' have limited ranges and may be threatened with

habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

or over collecting for the pet trade.

Classification

Broadley (2006) recognized 47 species in the genus ''Cordylus'', including eight species originally placed in the genus '' Pseudocordylus'' (''P. fasciatus'', ''P. langi'', ''P. melanotus'', ''P. microlepidotus'', ''P. nebulosus'', ''P. spinosus'', ''P. subviridis'', and ''P. transvaalensis'') and ''Hemicordylus capensis''. The greatest diversity of cordylids is in South Africa, with a few species found in Angola and eastern Africa as far north as Ethiopia. Other members of the Cordylidae are the

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 ...

Chamaesaura The ''Chamaesaura'', also known as grass lizards, are a genus of legless lizards from southern and eastern Africa. The limbs are reduced to small spikes. Chamaesaura propel themselves like snakes, pushing against contact points in the environmen ...

'' (a group of legless lizards from southern and eastern Africa) and ''

Platysaurus ''Platysaurus'' is a genus of lizards, commonly known as flat lizards for their flat backs, in the family Cordylidae. Geographic range All species in the genus ''Platysaurus'' live in isolated populations in southern Africa. They are found in ...

''. The sister group of Cordylidae is the plated lizards,

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Gerrhosauridae The Gerrhosauridae are a family of lizards native to Africa and Madagascar. Habitat Also known as plated lizards, species in the family Gerrhosauridae live in a range of habitats, from rocky crevices to sand dunes. Description Their form is va ...

. In 2011, a study based on the molecular

phylogeny A phylogenetic tree (also phylogeny or evolutionary tree Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.) is a branching diagram or a tree showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological spec ...

of the family suggested several species traditionally included in ''Cordylus'' should be moved to other genera: ''

Hemicordylus ''Hemicordylus'', the false girdled lizards, is a genus comprising two lizard species endemic to the Cape Fold Belt of southern South Africa. Description Their maximum snout-to-vent length is about 76 mm. They have gracile features, with a ...

'' (for ''capensis'' and ''nebulosus''), ''

Karusasaurus ''Karusasaurus'', commonly known as Karusa lizards, is a genus of lizards in the family Cordylidae. Its species were previously considered to be included in the genus ''Cordylus'', but more recent studies have shown that they are distinct enough ...

'' (for ''jordani'' and ''polyzonus''), ''

Namazonurus ''Namazonurus'', is a genus of lizards, Common name, commonly known as Namaqua girdled lizards, in the family Cordylidae. The genus contains five species, which are Endemism, endemic to southern Africa, and feed on insects and small vertebrates. ...

'' (for ''campbelli'', ''lawrenci'', ''namaquensis'', ''peersi'' and ''pustulatus''), ''

Ninurta , image= Cropped Image of Carving Showing the Mesopotamian God Ninurta.png , caption= Assyrian stone relief from the temple of Ninurta at Kalhu, showing the god with his thunderbolts pursuing Anzû, who has stolen the Tablet of Destinies from En ...

'' (for ''coeruleopunctatus''), '' Ouroborus'' (for ''cataphractus'') and ''

Smaug Smaug () is a dragon and the main antagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's 1937 novel ''The Hobbit'', his treasure and the mountain he lives in being the goal of the quest. Powerful and fearsome, he invaded the Dwarf kingdom of Erebor 150 years prior ...

'' (for ''breyeri'', ''giganteus'', ''mossambicus'', ''regius'', ''vandami'' and ''warreni''). This classification is supported by the ''

Reptile Database The Reptile Database is a scientific database that collects taxonomic information on all living reptile species (i.e. no fossil species such as dinosaurs). The database focuses on species (as opposed to higher ranks such as families) and has entrie ...

'' where 21 species remain in ''Cordylus''. Uetz, Peter et al. (2014). www.reptile-database.org. Genus'' Cordylus'' (''

sensu stricto ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular co ...

''): *Angolan girdled lizard, '' Cordylus angolensis'' *Maasai girdled lizard, '' Cordylus beraduccii'' *Cape girdled lizard, '' Cordylus cordylus'' *Rooiberg girdled lizard, '' Cordylus imkeae'' *Limpopo girdled lizard, ''

Cordylus jonesii The Limpopo girdled lizard (''Cordylus jonesii''), also known commonly as Jones's armadillo lizard and Jones's girdled lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to Southern Africa. Etymology The specific na ...

'' *Machadoe's girdled lizard, '' Cordylus machadoi'' *Coastal spiny-tailed lizard, '' Cordylus macropholis'' *Marungu girdled lizard, '' Cordylus marunguensis'' *McLachlan's girdled lizard, '' Cordylus mclachlani'' *Mecula girdled lizard, '' Cordylus meculae'' *Dwarf girdled lizard, '' Cordylus minor'' *Kaokoveld girdled lizard, '' Cordylus namakuiyus'' *Black girdled lizard, ''

Cordylus niger ''Cordylus niger'', the black girdled lizard, is a medium-sized lizard restricted to Table Mountain on the Cape Peninsula and a second, isolated population near Langebaan. Black girdled lizards inhabit rocky outcrops on Table Mountain, South Afr ...

*Nyika girdled lizard, '' Cordylus nyikae'' *Oelofsen's girdled lizard, '' Cordylus oelofseni'' *N’Dolondolo girdled lizard, '' Cordylus phonolithos'' *Rhodesian girdled lizard, '' Cordylus rhodesianus'' *Ethiopian girdled lizard, '' Cordylus rivae'' *East African spiny-tailed lizard, ''

Cordylus tropidosternum The East African armadillo lizard, dwarf sungazer, or tropical girdled lizard (''Cordylus tropidosternum'') is a species of arboreal or rupicolous (rock-dwelling) lizard endemic to East Africa. Habitat The preferred habitat of the East African a ...

'' *Ukinga girdled lizard, '' Cordylus ukingensis'' *Transvaal girdled lizard, '' Cordylus vittifer'' ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atten ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Cordylus''. Formerly assigned in ''Cordylus'' (''

sensu lato ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular co ...

''): *species in the genus ''

'' *species in the genus ''

'' *

Blue-spotted girdled lizard ''Ninurta coeruleopunctatus'' ( syn. ''Cordylus coeruleopunctatus''), the blue-spotted girdled lizard or simply blue-spotted lizard, is a monotypic genus that is endemic to southern, coastal South Africa South Africa, officially the Repub ...

, ''Ninurta coeruleopunctatus'' * Armadillo girdled lizard, ''Ouroborus cataphractus'' *species in the genus '' Pseudocordylus'' *species in the genus ''

References

External links

Tallbo
{{Taxonbar, from=Q536460 Lizard genera Taxa named by Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti

Classification

References

Further reading

External links