Armadillo Lizard
Encyclopedia
The Armadillo Lizard is a lizard endemic to desert
areas of southern Africa
. It is also known as the Typical Girdled Lizard, Armadillo Girdled Lizard, Golden Armadillo Lizard, and Armadillo Spiny-tailed Lizard.
-to-vent
length.
The Armadillo Lizard is a relatively common lizard in the pet trade
. It can be found in pet store
s and it is quite easy to breed in captivity. Wild populations are threatened by collecting for sale in the pet trade.
; 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.
s such as insect
s and spider
s. In the wild its most common prey items are the termites Microhodotermes viator and Hodotermes mossambicus. It can live up to 25 years in captivity
, or slightly more in rarer cases.
The Armadillo Lizard possesses an uncommon antipredator adaptation, in which it takes its tail in its mouth and rolls into a ball when frightened. In this shape it is protected from predators
by the thick, squarish scales along its back and the spines on its tail. This behavior, which resembles that of the mammalian armadillo
, gives it its English
common name. This behavior may have inspired the mythical creature Ouroboros
.
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
areas of southern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. It is also known as the Typical Girdled Lizard, Armadillo Girdled Lizard, Golden Armadillo Lizard, and Armadillo Spiny-tailed Lizard.
Description
The Armadillo Lizard can be a light brown to dark brown in coloration depending on the subspecies. The underbelly is yellow with a blackish pattern, especially under the chin. Its size ranges from 16 to 21 cm (6½ to 8½ in) in length. It grows up to 10.5 centimeters snoutSnout
The snout, or muzzle, is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw.-Terminology:The term "muzzle", used as a noun, can be ambiguous...
-to-vent
Cloaca
In zoological anatomy, a cloaca is the posterior opening that serves as the only such opening for the intestinal, reproductive, and urinary tracts of certain animal species...
length.
The Armadillo Lizard is a relatively common lizard in the pet trade
Wildlife trade
The international wildlife trade is a serious conservation problem, addressed by the United Nations' Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES, which currently has 175 member countries called Parties. The 15th meeting of the Parties took place in Doha,...
. It can be found in pet store
Pet store
A pet store or pet shop is a retail business which sells different kinds of animals. Pet stores also sell pet food, supplies, and accessories....
s and it is quite easy to breed in captivity. Wild populations are threatened by collecting for sale in the pet trade.
Habitat and Distribution
The natural habitat of this lizard is scrub and rocky outcrops. It is diurnal. It hides in rock cracks and crevices. It lives in social groups of up to 30 to 60, but usually fewer. Males are territorial, protecting a territory and mating with the females living there. The female gives birth to one or two live youngVivipary
Vivipary has two different meanings. In animals, it means development of the embryo inside the body of the mother, eventually leading to live birth, as opposed to laying eggs...
; the species is one of the few lizards that does not lay eggs. The female may even feed her young
Parenting
Parenting is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood...
, which is also unusual for a lizard.
Diet
The Armadillo Lizard lives mainly on small invertebrateInvertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s such as insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s. In the wild its most common prey items are the termites Microhodotermes viator and Hodotermes mossambicus. It can live up to 25 years in captivity
Captivity (animal)
Animals that live under human care are in captivity. Captivity can be used as a generalizing term to describe the keeping of either domesticated animals or wild animals. This may include for example farms, private homes and zoos...
, or slightly more in rarer cases.
The Armadillo Lizard possesses an uncommon antipredator adaptation, in which it takes its tail in its mouth and rolls into a ball when frightened. In this shape it is protected from predators
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
by the thick, squarish scales along its back and the spines on its tail. This behavior, which resembles that of the mammalian armadillo
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
, gives it its English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
common name. This behavior may have inspired the mythical creature Ouroboros
Ouroboros
The Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. The name originates from within Greek language; οὐρά meaning "tail" and βόρος meaning "eating", thus "he who eats the tail"....
.