''Laudakia stellio '' is a species of agamid lizard.Baig KJ et al. (2012)
"A morphology-based taxonomic revision of ''Laudakia'' Gray, 1845 (Squamata: Agamidae)".
''Vertebrate Zoology'' 62 (2): 213–260. (''Stellagama'', new genus, p. 222). also known as the starred agama or the roughtail rock agama.

Common names

Common names for ''L. stellio'' include dikenli keler, hardim, hardun, kourkoutas ( Cypriot Greek), kourkoutavlos, painted dragon, roughtail rock agama, short-toed rock agama, sling-tailed agama, star lizard, starred agama, and stellion.

Geographic range

''Laudakia stellio'' can be found in Turkey, Greece, Israel, Cyprus, Lebanon, western Asia and northern Egypt; it has also been introduced to Malta.

Description

''Laudakia stellio'' may attain a total length (including tail) of or slightly longer.

Behaviour and habitat

Like many agamids, ''L. stellio'' can change its color to express its mood. It basks on stone walls, rocks, and trees. It is usually found in rocky habitats, and is quite shy, being very ready to dive into cracks to hide from potential predators.

Etymology

The

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

"stellion" comes from Latin ''stellio'', ''stēlio'' (''stelliōn-'', ''stēliōn-''), from ''stella'',

star A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...

. It may have referred to any spotted lizard.

Uses

For the indigenous people of Europe, and perhaps the Middle East, traditionally the excrement of the stellio was a popular medicine for the eyes, also used as a cosmetic, known as ''cordylea'', ''crocodilea'' or ''stercus lacerti'' (i.e. 'lizard shit'), the faeces being imported to European pharmacies from the Levant – a rarer and more potent form was acquired from monitor lizards in olden days (''stercus magni lacerti''). The dung was used to improve one's eyesight, as well as take away any itches and cure cataracts (webbe).

Subspecies

The following 2 subspecies, including the

nominotypical subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

, are recognized as being valid. *''Laudakia stellio daani'' *''Laudakia stellio stellio'' '' Nota bene'': A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Laudakia''.

References

* Arnold EN, Burton JA (1978). ''A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe''. (Illustrated by D. W. Ovenden). London: Collins. 272 pp. + Plates 1–40. (''Agama stellio'', pp. 110–111 + Plate 16 + Map 54 + map on p. 113). * Boulenger GA (1885). '' Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume I. ... Agamidæ''. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii +436 pp. + Plates I-XXXII. (''Agama stellio'', pp. 368–369). * Linnaeus (

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

). '' Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, diferentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata.'' Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp. (''Lacerta stellio'', new species, p. 202). (in Latin).

External links

European Field Herping Community
Laudakia Reptiles of Cyprus Reptiles of Europe Reptiles of Turkey Reptiles of the Middle East Reptiles of Iraq Reptiles of North Africa Reptiles described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{agamidae-stub