Karusasaurus
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  | |
| 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)
- Karusasaurus polyzonus (A. Smith, 1838)
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Karusasaurus.
Etymology
The specific name, jordani, is in honor of German-born British entomologist Heinrich Ernst Karl Jordan.[7]
References
- "Karusasaurus ". iSpot. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- "Taxonomic tree". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- Mouton, P.L.F.N. "Karusasaurus polyzonus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- "Karausasaurus ". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- "Karusasaurus Stanley, Bauer, Jackman, Branch & Mouton, 2011". GBIF. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- Stanley, Ed. "Karusasaurus ". American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- 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. (Cordylus jordani, p. 136).
Further reading
- Stanley, Edward L.; Bauer, Aaron M.; Jackman, Todd R.; Branch, William R., Mouton, P. Le Fras N. (2011). "Between a rock and a hard polytomy: Rapid radiation in the rupicolous girdled lizards (Squamata: Cordylidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58: 53–70. (Karusasaurus, new genus, p. 66).