''Meroles'' is a
genus of
lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...
s, commonly known as desert lizards, in the
family Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. It is a diverse family with at least 300 species in 39 genera. They represent the dominant group o ...
. The genus contains eight species, inhabiting southwestern
Africa, especially the
Namib Desert.
Description
Desert lizards have fine, granular dorsal scales. The hind toes are elongated and possess fringes of scales.
Species
The following eight species are recognized as being valid.
["''Meroles'' ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.]
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Meroles anchietae'' - shovel-snouted lizard, Anchieta's dune lizard
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Meroles ctenodactylus
''Meroles ctenodactylus'', also known as the giant desert lizard, Smith's sand lizard or Smith's desert lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, ...
'' - giant desert lizard, Smith's sand lizard, Smith's desert lizard
*''
Meroles cuneirostris
''Meroles cuneirostris'', the wedge-snouted sand lizard or wedge-snouted desert lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or someti ...
'' -wedge-snouted sand lizard, wedge-snouted desert lizard
*''
Meroles knoxii
''Meroles knoxii'', Knox's ocellated sand lizard or Knox's desert lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lac ...
'' - Knox's ocellated sand lizard, Knox's desert lizard
*''
Meroles micropholidotus
''Meroles micropholidotus'', the small-scaled desert lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which ...
'' - small-scaled desert lizard
*''
Meroles reticulatus
''Meroles reticulatus'', the reticulate sand lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are nati ...
'' - reticulate sand lizard
*''
Meroles squamulosus
''Meroles squamulosa'' is a species of African lizard originally placed in the genus ''Ichnotropis'', however phylogenetic evidence moves this species to the genus ''Meroles''. The species is commonly called the common rough-scaled lizard or sava ...
'' - common rough-scaled lizard, savanna lizard
*''
Meroles suborbitalis
The spotted sand lizard (''Meroles suborbitalis'') is a species of lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. ...
'' - spotted sand lizard
''
Nota bene'': A
binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Meroles''.
References
Further reading
*
Gray JE (1838). "Catalogue of the Slender-tongued Saurians, with Descriptions of many new Genera and Species". ''Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.'',
'First Series''1: 274–283, 388–394. (''Meroles'', new genus, p. 282).
External links
''Meroles''in the
Reptile Database.
Lizard genera
Lacertid lizards of Africa
Taxa named by John Edward Gray
{{Lacertidae-stub