Smaug (genus)

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Smaug
Smaug vandami

Smaug vandami

Systematics
Superordinate : Scale lizards (Lepidosauria)
Order : Scale reptiles (Squamata)
without rank: Scincomorpha (Scincoidea)
Family : Belt tails (Cordylidae)
Subfamily : Cordylinae
Genre : Smaug
Scientific name
Smaug
Stanley et al., 2011

Smaug is a genus of the belt tails (Cordylidae), which wasseparatedfrom the genus Cordylus in2011 on the basis of molecular genetic studies. It is named after the dragon Smaug from JRR Tolkien's work The Hobbit . This honors Tolkien, who was born in the Orange Free State , in the core area of ​​the distribution area of ​​the type species Smaug giganteus . In addition, the name on the strong armor and the subterranean life of the species and the fictional dragon alludes whose name after Tolkien from old Germanic smeugen deduce what means "squeeze through a hole". All species live in the northeast of southern Africa.

features

Head of a giant belt tail with enlarged scales on the occiput ( Smaug giganteus )

They are large, strong belt tails with a head-torso length of 11 to 20 centimeters and an approximately cylindrical body cross-section. The toes of the moderately long legs are not reduced. The scales on the back and tail are enlarged, especially on the back of the head. The nasal shields do not touch, the frontonasal has a wide contact area with the rostral shield . Osteoderms are spread all over the body. The tongue is partially or completely pigmented.

Way of life

Most of the species in the genus inhabit rocky areas with horizontal crevices that they use as shelter. The giant girdle tail is ground-dwelling (terrestrial) in the grassland. All species are viviparous with litter sizes between one and six young.

Systematics

Smaug is the sister group of all other genera of the subfamily Cordylinae and comprises eight species according to The Reptile Database :

swell

  • Edward L. Stanley, Aaron M. Bauer, Todd R. Jackman, William R. Branch, P. Le Fras N. Mouton: Between a rock and a hard polytomy: Rapid radiation in the rupicolous girdled lizards (Squamata: Cordylidae) . In: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution . tape 58 , no. 1 , 2011, p. 53–70 (English, PDF, original English text ).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Smaug in The Reptile Database

Web links

Commons : Smaug  - collection of images, videos and audio files