''Uromastyx'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Agamidae Agamidae is a family containing 582 species in 64 genera of iguanian lizards indigenous to Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few locations in Southern Europe. Many species are commonly called dragons or dragon lizards. Overview Phylogenetically ...

. The genus is native to Africa and the Middle East (West Asia). Member

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

are commonly called spiny-tailed lizards, uromastyces, mastigures, or dabb lizards. Lizards in the genus ''Uromastyx'' are primarily

herbivorous A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat n ...

, but occasionally eat insects and other small animals, especially young lizards. They spend most of their waking hours basking in the sun, hiding in underground chambers at night time or when danger appears. They tend to establish themselves in hilly, rocky areas with good shelter and accessible vegetation.

Taxonomy

The

generic Generic or generics may refer to: In business * Generic term, a common name used for a range or class of similar things not protected by trademark * Generic brand, a brand for a product that does not have an associated brand or trademark, other ...

name ''Uromastyx'' is derived from the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

words ''ourá'' (οὐρά) meaning "tail" and ''

-mastix -mastix is a suffix derived from Ancient Greek, and used quite frequently in English literature of the 17th century, to denote a strong opponent or hater of whatever the suffix was attached to. It became common after Thomas Dekker's play '' Satir ...

'' (μάστιξ) meaning "whip" or "scourge", after the thick-spiked tail characteristic of all ''Uromastyx'' species.

Species

The following species are in the genus ''Uromastyx''.. www.reptile-database.org. Three additional species were formerly placed in this genus, but have been moved to their own genus, '' Saara''. Wilms TM, Böhme W, Wagner P, Lutzmann N, Schmitz A (2009). "On the Phylogeny and Taxonomy of the Genus ''Uromastyx'' Merrem, 1820 (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae: Uromastycinae) – Resurrection of the Genus ''Saara'' Gray, 1845". ''Bonner zoologische Beiträge'' 56 (1/2): 55–99. ''

Nota bene ( ; plural: ) is the Latin language, Latin phrase meaning ''note well''. In manuscripts, ''nota bene'' is abbreviated in upper-case as NB and N.B., and in lower-case as n.b. and nb; the editorial usages of ''nota bene'' and ''notate bene'' fi ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Uromastyx''.

Description

''Uromastyx'' species range in size from for ''Uromastyx macfadyeni, U. macfadyeni'' to or more for ''Uromastyx aegyptia, U. aegyptia''. Hatchlings or neonates are usually no more than in length. Like many reptiles, these lizards' colors change according to the temperature and season. During cool weather they appear dull and dark, but the colors become lighter in warm weather, especially when Sunning (behaviour), basking. The darker pigmentation allows their skin to absorb sunlight more effectively. Their spiked tail is muscular and heavy, and is able to be swung at an attacker with great velocity, usually accompanied by hissing and an open-mouthed display of (small) teeth. ''Uromastyx'' generally sleep in their burrows with their tails closest to the opening, in order to thwart intruders.

Distribution

''Uromastyx'' inhabit a range stretching through most of North Africa, North and Northeast Africa, the Middle East, ranging as far east as Iran. Species found further east are now placed in the genus ''Saara (genus), Saara''. ''Uromastyx'' occur at elevations from sea level to well over . They are regularly eaten, and sold in produce markets, by local peoples.

Diet

''Uromastyx'' lizards acquire most of the water they need from the vegetation they ingest. In the wild they generally eat any surrounding vegetation. When hatching, baby ''Uromastyx'' eat their Coprophagia, own mother's feces as their first meal before heading off to find a more sustainable food source. They do this to establish a proper gut flora, essential for digesting the plants that they eat. In the wild, adult ''Uromastyx dispar, U. dispar maliensis'' have been reported to eat insects at certain times of the year, when it is hot and their only food source available would be insects.

Reproduction

A female ''Uromastyx'' can lay anywhere from 5 to 40 eggs, depending on age and species. Eggs are laid approximately 30 days following copulation with an incubation time of 70–80 days. The neonates weigh and are about snout to vent length. They rapidly gain weight during the first few weeks following hatching. A field study in Algeria concluded that Moroccan spiny-tailed lizards add approximately of total growth each year until around the age of 8–9 years.Vernet, Roland; Lemire, Michel; Grenot, Claude J.; Francaz, Jean-Marc (1988). "Ecophysiological comparisons between two large Saharan Lizards, ''Uromastyx acanthinurus'' (Agamidae) and ''Varanus griseus'' (Varanidae)". ''Journal of Arid Environment''s 14:187–200. Wild female ''Uromastyx'' are smaller and less colorful than males. For example, ''U. dispar maliensis'' females are often light tan with black dorsal spots, while males are mostly bright yellow with mottled black markings. Females also tend to have shorter claws. In captivity female ''U. dispar maliensis'' tend to mimic males in color. ''U. dispar maliensis'' are, therefore, reputably difficult to breed in captivity.

Relationship with humans

Captivity

''Uromastyx'' are removed from the wild in an unregulated manner for the pet and medicinal trade in Morocco, despite their protected status in the country; conditions of the animals while being sold is often extremely poor and overcrowding is common. Historically, captive ''Uromastyx'' had a poor survival rate, due to a lack of understanding of their dietary and environmental needs. In recent years, knowledge has significantly increased, and appropriate diet and care has led to survival rates and longevity approaching and perhaps surpassing those in the wild. With good care, they are capable of living for over 25 years, and possibly as old as 60.

Consumption by humans

''U. dispar maliensis'', known as "ḍabb" () by Arabia, peninsular Arabs, is historically consumed as food by some of the Bedouin population of the Arabian peninsula, mainly those residing in the interior and eastern regions of Arabia. This lizard used to be considered an "Arabian delicacy". It is recorded that when an ''Uromastyx'' was brought to the Islamic prophet Muhammad by Bedouins, Muhammad did not eat the lizard, but Muslims were not prohibited by him from consuming it; thus Muhammad's companion Khalid bin Walid consumed the lizard. In Judaism, this lizard is traditionally identified as the biblical tzav, one of the eight "creeping" animals forbidden for consumption that impart ritual impurity. The Torah states: “The following shall be impure for you among the creeping animals that swarm upon the earth: The weasel, and the mouse, and the dab lizard (tzav) of every variety; and the gecko, and the land-crocodile, and the lizard, and the skink, and the chameleon” (Leviticus 11:29-30).

References

External links

Information on some Uromastyx species

A digital library source from the University of Texas at Austin

Detailed Uromastyx Care Sheet

Uromastyx.eu

Dr. Doug Dix Uromastyx Page

The UroWiki
{{Authority control Uromastyx, Reptiles of Africa Reptiles of the Middle East Lizard genera Taxa named by Blasius Merrem Reptiles as pets