Karusasaurus
Genus of lizards From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Karusasaurus, commonly known as Karusa lizards, is a genus of lizards in the family Cordylidae.[1][2]
| Karusasaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Karusasaurus polyzonus in its natural habitat | |
 | |
| A more detailed close-up of K. polyzonus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Cordylidae |
| Genus: | Karusasaurus Stanley, Bauer, Jackman, Branch & Mouton, 2011 |
| Species | |
|
Two, see text | |
Its species were previously considered to be included in the genus Cordylus, but more recent studies have shown that they are distinct enough to have their own genus.[3]
Description and distribution
Karusasaurus contains two species, which are widely distributed across the southern part of Africa, specifically, in the semi-arid areas of South Africa and Namibia.[4][5] Like all girdled lizards, they are insectivores. They come in a great range of colors, including black, red, and turquoise.[6]
Species
- Karusasaurus jordani (Parker, 1936) – Jordan's girdled lizard, Namibian girdled lizard
- Karusasaurus polyzonus (A. Smith, 1838) – Karoo girdled lizard, southern Karusa lizard
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Karusasaurus.
References
Further reading
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