Madagascar iguanas
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| SM Moody , 1983 |
The Madagascar iguanas (Opluridae) are a family of iguanas (Iguania) endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros . With the further exception of the Fijian iguanas ( Brachylophus ), they are the only pleurodonts whose range is outside of America in the Old World .
Madagascar iguanas live in hot, open regions. There are two genera, Oplurus , tree-dwelling and rock-dwelling lizards that have keeled scales and often spiky tails, and the genus Chalarodon , which has small, smooth scales and lives in sandy areas on the ground. Oplurus grows up to 40 centimeters , Chalarodon only 20 centimeters. Madagascar iguanas lay eggs and are diurnal. Males are brighter in color and are territorial .
species
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Chalarodon
Peters , 1854
- Chalarodon madagascariensis ( Peters , 1854)
- Chalarodon steinkampi Miralles , Glaw , Ratsoavina & Vences , 2015
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Oplurus Cuvier , 1829
- Oplurus cuvieri ( Gray , 1831
- Oplurus cyclurus ( Merrem , 1820)
- Oplurus fierinensis Grandidier , 1869
- Oplurus grandidieri ( Mocquard , 1900)
- Oplurus quadrimaculatus Duméril & Bibron , 1851
- Oplurus saxicola Grandidier , 1869
literature
- Eric R. Pianka, Laurie J. Vitt: Lizards. Windows to the Evolution of Diversity (= Organisms and Environments. Volume 5). University of California Press, Berkeley CA et al. 2003, ISBN 0-520-23401-4 .
- Wilfried Westheide , Reinhard Rieger : Special Zoology. Volume 2: Vertebrae and Skull Animals. Spectrum - Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg et al. 2004, ISBN 3-8274-0307-3 .
Web links
Commons : Madagascar iguanas (Opluridae) - Collection of images, videos and audio files
