Keeltail iguanas

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Keeltail iguanas
Microlophus peruvianus

Microlophus peruvianus

Systematics
without rank: Sauropsida
Superordinate : Scale lizards (Lepidosauria)
Order : Scale reptiles (Squamata)
without rank: Toxicofera
without rank: Iguana (Iguania)
Family : Keeltail iguanas
Scientific name
Tropiduridae
Bell , 1843

The keeltail iguanas (Tropiduridae) are a family of the iguanas (Iguania) that live in Central and South America , including the Galapagos Islands . They are small lizards that reach head-to-trunk lengths of four to 15 centimeters. They occur in very different ecosystems, in rain and dry forests , in savannas , deserts and on the coast of the sea.

features

Apomorphies that distinguish the keeltail iguanas from other iguanas include: a. the reduced angular, a posterior extension at the splenial, both mandibular bones, an incomplete gular fold and an enlarged, central sternal fontanelle .

Way of life

The lizards live terrestrially on the ground, some climb rocks or in trees. Most species are diurnal insectivores, some members of the genus Tropidurus have specialized in ants , others also eat fruits and flowers. In some Tropidurus species, the females are brightly colored throughout the year. Other female Tropidurus show the color only during the breeding season. All Tropiduridae lay eggs.

Systematics

The keel-tailed iguanas were initially considered a subfamily of the iguanas (Iguanidae) until they were raised to the rank of a family by Frost and Etheridge in 1989. They are most closely related to the Phrynosomatidae , the Malagasy Opluridae, and possibly the Polychrotidae .

In 2001 Frost and Etheridge raised the subfamilies Leiocephalinae and Liolaeminae, which had previously belonged to the keeltail iguanas, to the rank of families, so that only the seven genera of the former subfamily Tropidurinae with around 110 species belong to the keeltail iguanas .

Male lava lizard ( Microlophus sp.) On Española
Female lava lizard on Santa Cruz Island , Galápagos Islands

literature

  • Darrel R. Frost, Richard Etheridge, Daniel Janies, Tom A. Titus: Total Evidence, Sequence Alignment, Evolution of Polychrotid Lizards, and a Reclassification of the Iguania (Squamata: Iguania) (= American Museum Novitates. No. 3343). American Museum of Natural History, New York NY 2001, online .

Web links

Commons : Tropiduridae  - Collection of images, videos and audio files