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Hydrosaurus

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Sailfin lizards
Hydrosaurus amboinensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Hydrosaurinae
Genus: Hydrosaurus
Kaup, 1828[1]
Species

See text

Hydrosaurus, commonly known as the sailfin lizards, is a genus in the family Agamidae.[2] These relatively large lizards are named after the sail-like structure on their tails. They are native to the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, where they are generally found near water, such as rivers and mangrove.[3] Sailfin lizards are semiaquatic and able to run short distances across water using both their feet and tail for support, similar to the basilisks.[4] They are threatened by both habitat loss and overcollection for the wild animal trade.[3]

They are the only members of the subfamily Hydrosaurinae.

Species

There are currently five valid species according to the Reptile Database,[2][3][5]

References

  1. ^ Hydrosaurus, ITIS report
  2. ^ a b Hydrosaurus, The Reptile Database
  3. ^ a b c Cameron D. Siler, Andrés Lira-Noriega, Rafe M. Brown (2014). Conservation genetics of Australasian sailfin lizards: Flagship species threatened by coastal development and insufficient protected area coverage. Biological Conservation 169: 100–108. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2013.10.014
  4. ^ Jackman Bauer (2008). Global diversity of lizards in freshwater (Reptilia: Lacertilia). Hydrobiologia 595(1): 581–586.
  5. ^ Denzer, W.; P.D. Campbell; U. Manthey; A. Glässer-Trobisch; A. Koch (2020). "Dragons in Neglect: Taxonomic Revision of the Sulawesi Sailfin Lizards of the Genus Hydrosaurus Kaup, 1828 (Squamata, Agamidae)". Zootaxa. 4747 (2): 275–301. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4747.2.3.
  6. ^ Hydrosaurus pustulatus, IUCN