Phrynocephalus
Phrynocephalus is a genus which includes 44 species of small and medium-sized agamid lizards, commonly called toadhead agamas or toad-headed agamas, that inhabit open arid and semiarid environments of Asia and Eastern Europe. The systematics of this genus are very complicated with many controversial points of view about the unclear phylogeny of this group. All representatives of this genus have adopted the so-called "sit and wait" hunting strategy and they actively use visual orientation when watching for food. In general, the ecological niche and role of Phrynocephalus species in lizard communities of arid environments of Asia are poorly studied, but seem to be similar to that of Phrynosoma, Cophosaurus, Holbrookia, Uta, and Sceloporus in the New World, as well as Moloch in Australia.
| Phrynocephalus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Phrynocephalus versicolor in Bayankhongor Province, Mongolia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Agamidae |
| Subfamily: | Agaminae |
| Genus: | Phrynocephalus Kaup, 1825 |
| Species | |
|
32 species, see text. | |
Species
The following 32 species are recognized as being valid.[1]
- Phrynocephalus ahvazicus Melnikov et al., 2014
- Phrynocephalus ananjevae Melnikov et al., 2013
- Phrynocephalus arabicus J. Anderson, 1894 – Arabian toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus axillaris Blanford, 1875
- Phrynocephalus clarkorum S.C. Anderson & Leviton, 1967 - Clarks' toad-headed agama
- Phrynocephalus erythrurus Zugmayer, 1909
- Phrynocephalus euptilopus Alcock & Finn, 1897 – Alcock's toad-headed agama
- Phrynocephalus forsythii J. Anderson, 1872 – Forsyth's toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus frontalis Strauch, 1876 – Shansi toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus golubewii Shenbrot & Semyonov, 1990
- Phrynocephalus guttatus (Gmelin, 1789) – spotted toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus helioscopus (Pallas, 1771) – sunwatcher toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus interscapularis Lichtenstein, 1856 – Lichtenstein's toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus lutensis Kamali & S.C. Anderson, 2015
- Phrynocephalus luteoguttatus Boulenger, 1887 – yellow-speckled toad-headed agama
- Phrynocephalus maculatus J. Anderson, 1872 – blacktail toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus mystaceus (Pallas, 1776) – secret toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus ornatus Boulenger, 1887 – ornate toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus persicus De Filippi, 1863
- Phrynocephalus przewalskii Strauch, 1876 – Przewalski's toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus putjatai Bedriaga, 1909
- Phrynocephalus raddei Boettger, 1888
- Phrynocephalus reticulatus Eichwald, 1831 – reticulated toad-headed agama
- Phrynocephalus roborowskii Bedriaga, 1906 – Roborowski's toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus rossikowi Nikolsky, 1898 – Uzbekistan toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus sakoi Melnikov et al., 2015
- Phrynocephalus scutellatus (Olivier, 1807) – gray toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus strauchi Nikolsky, 1899 – Strauch's toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus theobaldi Blyth, 1963 – Theobald's toad-headed agama, toad mounted lizard, snow lizard
- Phrynocephalus versicolor Strauch, 1876 – variegated toadhead agama
- Phrynocephalus vindumi Golubev, 1998
- Phrynocephalus vlangalii Strauch, 1876 – Ching Hai toadhead agama
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Phrynocephalus.
References
- Phrynocephalus. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
Further reading
"Caup [= Kaup JJ]" (1825). "Einige Bemerkungen zu Merrems Handbuch [= Some Remarks on Merrem's Handbook]". Isis von Oken 16: 589-593. (Phrynocephalus, new genus, p. 591). (in German).