Armadillo Girdled Lizard
| Armadillo Girdled Lizard | |
|---|---|
| |
| Волны , Северный Кейп , Южная Африка | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Cordylidae |
| Genus: | Ouroborus Stanley, Bauer, Jackman, Branch & Mouton, 2011 |
| Species: | O. cataphractus
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| Binomial name | |
| Ouroborus cataphractus (F. Boie, 1828)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Армадилло ящерица ( ouroborus cataphractus ), [ 2 ] Также широко известен как ящерица Армадильо , ящерица с колючими хвостами Армадильо и ящерица с золотисто-армадильо , является видом ящерицы в семействе Cordylidae . Этот вид эндемичен для пустынных районов вдоль западного побережья Южной Африки . [ 3 ] В 2011 году он был перенесен на свой собственный род, основанный на молекулярной филогении , но ранее он был включен в род Cordylus . [ 2 ] [ 4 ] Он имеет самый большой известный геном всех скваматов. [ 5 ]
Описание
[ редактировать ]Ящерица с пистолетом Armadillo может быть светло -коричневой или темно -коричневой в окраске. Подставка желтая с черноватым рисунком, особенно под подбородком. Его размер может варьироваться от 7,5 до 9 см (от 3,0 до 3,5 дюймов) в ( отверстия длине вентиляционного SVL). Это может вырасти до максимального размера 8 в (20 см) STL. [ 3 ]
Распределение и среда обитания
[ редактировать ]O. cataphractus is endemic to the Succulent Karoo biome in the Northern and the Western Cape provinces of South Africa, where it occurs from the southern Richtersveld to the Piketberg Mountains and the southern Tankwa Karoo. It inhabits rock outcrops mountain slopes, preferably on sandstone substrate.[6]
Ecology
[edit]Diet
[edit]The armadillo girdled lizard feeds mainly on small invertebrates, such as insects and spiders, but sometimes also may take plant material.[3][7] In captivity, it is commonly fed crickets. In the wild, its most common prey items are termites, especially Microhodotermes viator[3] and Hodotermes mossambicus.[7] Individuals in larger social groups tend to eat more termites than those in smaller groups[8]
Behavior
[edit]The armadillo girdled lizard is diurnal. It hides in rock cracks and crevices. It lives in social groups of up to 30 to 60 individuals of all ages, but usually fewer.[3][7] Males are territorial, protecting a territory and mating with the females living there.[7]
The armadillo girdled lizard possesses an uncommon antipredator adaptation, in which it rolls into a ball and takes its tail in its mouth when frightened. In this shape, it is protected from predators by the thick, squarish scales along its back and the spines on its tail.[3] This behavior, which resembles that of the mythical ouroboros and of the mammalian armadillo, gives it its taxonomic and English common names.[3]
Reproduction
[edit]The female armadillo girdled lizard gives birth to one[3] or two[7] live young; the species is one of the few lizards that does not lay eggs. The female may even feed her young, which is also unusual for a lizard. Females give birth once a year at most; some take a year off between births.
One hundred and six individuals from 27 groups were marked and recaptured regularly from May until September 2002. The group that was greater in fidelity had a greater neighboring distance. While the group that was less in fidelity had a less neighboring distance. The neighboring distance correlates to the fidelity of the armadillo girdled lizard species.[9]
Males follow either a prenuptial or postnuptial reproductive cycle. The more common cycle is prenuptial with high sperm count being in the fall and winter seasons. In the postnuptial cycle, males produce the most sperm in the late summer season.[10]
Conservation
[edit]The species Ouroborus cataphractus is classified by the IUCN as near threatened. This is mostly due to a general cessation of collection for the pet trade, which was a significant drain on populations but is now illegal.[6][3][7] The armadillo girdled lizard is thought to be somewhat susceptible to fluctuations in its primary foodsource (termites), which in turn can be impacted by climatic events such as changes in rainfall patterns, as well as to habitat changes through invasive alien plant species and poor fire management.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ Tolley, K.A.; Alexander, G.J.; Pietersen, D.; Conradie, W.; Weeber, J. (2022). "Ouroborus cataphractus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T5333A197397829. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T5333A197397829.en.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Species Ouroborus cataphractus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i "Cordylus cataphractus ". Arkive Archived 2010-05-13 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Stanley, Edward L.; Bauer, Aaron M.; Jackman, Todd R.; Branch, William R.; Mouton, P. Le Fras N. (2011). "Between a rock and a hard polytomy: Rapid radiation in the rupicolous girdled lizards (Squamata: Cordylidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58 (1): 53–70. (Ouroborus cataphractus, new combination).
- ^ Ecological factors and parity mode correlate with genome size variation in squamate reptiles
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Tolley, K.A.; Alexander, G.J.; Pietersen, D.; Conradie, W.; Weeber, J. (2022). "Ouroborus cataphractus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T5333A197397829. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f "Cordylus cataphracus ". Animal Diversity Web
- ^ Van Wyk, Johannes; Mouton, P. le Fras; Shuttleworth, Cindy (2008-01-01). "Group size and termite consumption in the armadillo lizard, Cordylus cataphractus ". Amphibia-Reptilia. 29 (2): 171–176. doi:10.1163/156853808784125045. ISSN 1568-5381.
- ^ Flemming, A.F.; Costandius, E.; Mouton, P.L.N. (2006). "The effect of intergroup distance on group fidelity in the group-living Lizard, Cordylus cataphractus. African Journal of Herpetology 55 (1): 61-68. [10.1080/21564574.2006.96355]
- ^ Flemming, Alexander F.; Mouton, P. Le Fras N. (December 2002). "Reproduction in a Group-Living Lizard, Cordylus cataphractus (Cordylidae), from South Africa". Journal of Herpetology. 36 (4): 691–696. doi:10.1670/0022-1511(2002)036[0691:RIAGLL]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0022-1511.
Further reading
[edit]- Boie F (1828). "Über eine noch nichte beschriebene Art von Cordylus Gronov. Cordylus cataphractus Boie ". Nova Acta Academiae Caesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae (Halle) 14 (1): 139-142. (Cordylus cataphractus, new species). (in German).
- Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. Iguanidæ, Xenosauridæ, Zonuridæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 497 pp. + Plates I-XXIV. (Zonurus cataphractus, pp. 255–256).
- Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Cordylus cataphractus, pp. 186–187 + Plate 68).