Acanthodactylus
Acanthodactylus is a genus of lizards within the Lacertidae family, commonly referred to as fringe-fingered or fringe-toed lizards (though the latter name is also used for the New World lizard genus Uma).
They are native to a wide area in Africa and southern Europe; across the Sahara Desert, and up to the Iberian peninsula. Though the lizards prefer dry and sparsely vegetated regions, it is not strictly tied to an arid terrain, so it is not uncommon to come across it in various environments.
The Acanthodactylus's coloration and the pattern of its spots is extremely variable, so it is unsurprising that zoologists have, at one time or another, classified every variety as a separate species.
Every saurian of this genus is very aggressive and gets continuously involved in skirmishes with other members of its species. The males strenuously defend the borders of their territories.
The Acanthodactylus are oviparous. The number of eggs in a clutch ranges from 3 to 7. The length of an adult of the species is, on average, between 18 to 20 centimeters.
[edit] Classification
Genus Acanthodactylus
- Acanthodactylus ahmaddisii (Endangered)
- Acanthodactylus arabicus
- Acanthodactylus aureus
- Acanthodactylus bedriagai -- Bedriaga's Fringe-fingered Lizard
- Acanthodactylus beershebensis - Be'er Sheva Fringe-fingered Lizard (Critically endangered)
- Acanthodactylus blanci -- Blanc's Fringe-toed Lizard
- Acanthodactylus blanfordii -- Blanford's Fringe-fingered Lizard
- Acanthodactylus boskianus -- Bosc's Fringe-toed lizard
- Acanthodactylus boueti
- Acanthodactylus busacki
- Acanthodactylus cantoris -- Indian Fringe-fingered Lizard
- Acanthodactylus dumerilii
- Acanthodactylus erythrurus -- Spiny-footed Lizard
- Acanthodactylus felicis
- Acanthodactylus gongrorhynchatus
- Acanthodactylus grandis
- Acanthodactylus guineensis
- Acanthodactylus haasi
- Acanthodactylus harranensis (Critically endangered)
- Acanthodactylus lineomaculatus -- Coastal Common Fringe-toed Lizard
- Acanthodactylus longipes
- Acanthodactylus maculatus -- Spotted Fringe-fingered Lizard
- Acanthodactylus masirae
- Acanthodactylus mechriguensis (Critically endangered)
- Acanthodactylus micropholis
- Acanthodactylus nilsoni
- Acanthodactylus opheodurus
- Acanthodactylus orientalis
- Acanthodactylus pardalis -- Leopard Fringe-fingered Lizard
- Acanthodactylus robustus
- Acanthodactylus savignyi -- Savigny's Fringe-fingered Lizard
- Acanthodactylus schmidti
- Acanthodactylus schreiberi -- Schreiber's Fringe-fingered Lizard
- Acanthodactylus scutellatus
- Acanthodactylus senegalensis
- Acanthodactylus spinicauda -- Doumergue's Fringe-fingered Lizard (Critically endangered)
- Acanthodactylus taghitensis
- Acanthodactylus tilburyi
- Acanthodactylus tristrami
- Acanthodactylus yemenicus
