Uromastyx geyri

Uromastyx geyri is a species of lizard belonging to the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to North Africa.

Uromastyx geyri
Uromastyx geyri, Saharan Uromastyx
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Uromastyx
Species:
U. geyri
Binomial name
Uromastyx geyri

Common names

Common names for U. geyri include Geyr's dabb lizard, Geyr's spiny-tailed lizard,[1] Sahara mastigure,[1][2] Saharan spiny-tailed lizard, Yellow Niger Uromastyx, and Saharan yellow uromastyx.

Habitat

U. geyri is found in rocky, semi-arid habitats.

Geographic range

U. geyri is found in parts of Algeria, Mali, and Niger.[1]

Etymology

The generic name, Uromastyx, is derived from the Ancient Greek words ourá (οὐρά) meaning "tail" and mastiga (μαστίγα) meaning "whip" or "scourge", after the thick-spiked tail characteristic of all Uromastyx species.

The specific name, geyri, is in honor of German zoologist Hans Geyr von Schweppenburg.[2]

Description

U. geyri is a relatively small, slender species for the genus, with an average total length (including tail) of around 34 cm (13 in). This lizard is usually beige or orange with lighter spots. It is one of the brightest-colored species of the genus Uromastyx. There are two phases of U. geyri, the "red" geyri and "yellow" geyri, color being their only difference. The red phase is often nearly solid reddish to neon pumpkin orange, and the yellow phase is in or near a neon-range. Females are a more pale color than the males, showing more tan variations of the coloring and much less belly coloring as well as less vivid patterns, most females having a simple "freckling" on the back. "Saharans" are medium-sized lizards, many averaging 11–14 in (28–36 cm) in total length, and weighing 250 grams (8.8 oz) or more as adults.

  • Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Centre, UK
  • Blumengärten Hirsch­stetten, Vienna, Austria

References
  1. "Uromastyx geyri ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Uromastyx geyri, p. 100).

Further reading
  • Müller L (1922). "Über eine neue Uromastix-Art aus der Zentral-Sahara [= About a new Uromastix species from the Central Sahara]". Naturwissenschaftlicher Beobachter, Frankfurt 63: 193-201. ("Uromastix [sic] geyri ", new species). (in German).
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.