Trapelus
| Trapelus | ||||||||||||
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Trapelus sanguinolentus near the Aidarkul |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Trapelus | ||||||||||||
| Cuvier , 1816 |
Trapelus is a genus of reptiles fromthe agamen family (Agamidae). The animals are sometimes referred to in German as desert or steppe agamas. They colonize semi-deserts, desert-like landscapes and steppes of southwest Europe, North Africa, Arabia, the Middle East as well as southwest and central Asia.
description
Trapelus species are medium-sized lizards with a rounded body that is only slightly flattened dorsoventrally. The head is relatively high and short and has no enlarged neck scales or crests on the throat or neck. The ear opening is small, the eardrum is hidden deep in it by several pointed scales. A throat pouch is formed. The tail does not have an annular scale arrangement and cannot be thrown off. The toes are short, the fourth toe is the longest. The coloring can be changed depending on the mood.
Way of life
Trapelus species live predominantly on the ground in rocky, sandy or clayey steppes or desert-like areas with bushy vegetation or dry forests. They are territorial and often inhabit abandoned rodent structures, and their own holes are seldom dug. The animals are diurnal and feed mainly on insects, plants are also occasionally eaten. Eggs are laid, with clutch sizes usually between three and ten.
species
The genus includes 13 to 14 currently recognized species:
- Trapelus agilis ( Olivier , 1807)
- Trapelus agnetae ( Werner , 1929)
- Trapelus boehmei Wagner , Melville , Wilms & Schmitz , 2011
- Trapelus flavimaculatus Rüppell , 1835
- Trapelus jayakari ( Anderson , 1896)
- Trapelus megalonyx Günther , 1864
- Trapelus mutabilis ( Merrem , 1820)
- Trapelus pallidus ( Reuss , 1834)
- Trapelus rubrigularis Blanford , 1875
- Trapelus ruderatus ( Olivier , 1804)
- Trapelus sanguinolentus ( Pallas , 1814)
- Trapelus savignii ( Duméril & Bibron , 1837)
- Trapelus schmitzi Wagner & Böhme , 2006
- Trapelus tournevillei ( Lataste , 1880)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Natalia B. Ananjeva, Nikolai L. Orlov, Roman G. Khalikov, Ilya S. Darevsky, Sergei A. Ryabov, Andrei V. Barabanov: The Reptiles of Northern Eurasia. Taxonomic Diversity, Distribution, Conservation Status (= Pensoft-Series. Faunistica. No. 47). Pensoft, Sofia 2006, ISBN 954-642-269-X , p. 50.
- ^ Hans Hermann Schleich, Werner Kästle, Klaus Kabisch: Amphibians and Reptiles of North Africa. Biology, Systematics, Field Guide. Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein 1996, ISBN 3-87429-377-7 .
- ^ Trapelus in The Reptile Database ; accessed on September 15, 2015.
Web links
- Trapelus in The Reptile Database
- Trapelus at Agamen.de