Uromastyx princeps

Uromastyx princeps, commonly known as the princely mastigure, princely spiny-tailed lizard, or Somalian mastigure, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae.

Illustration from Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London (1880)

Uromastyx princeps
Uromastyx princeps
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Uromastyx
Species:
U. princeps
Binomial name
Uromastyx princeps
Synonyms[1]

Geographic range and habitat

The species is endemic to the Horn of Africa. It is not known with certainty from localities outside of Somalia.[1] Probably it could be also present in eastern Ethiopia (Eritrea).[2] It lives in rocky areas of the coastal rocky plateaus of volcanic origin, [3] hiding in the cracks of rocks and crevices between the stones, usually blocking the entrance with the tail .[4]

Description

Uromastix princeps can reach a body length (including the tail) of about 27 mm (1.1 in).[3] The body color may show various shades of olive-gray, greenish or blue, with small brown spots. In males, the back is brown-red or green with small dark spots, while the belly is yellowish and the tail is gray-green or brick-red. The females are gray-brown with a reddish tinge and small spots on top. Their belly is whitish. [3]

The tail is ellipsoidal and significantly shorter (35-53% of the body length) than in other members of the genus, [3] but it shows longer and sharper spikes arranged in 9-14 whorls. All scales on the upper side of the tail have spikes.[3] The tail can be used as a defense.[4]

Biology

U. princeps is an oviparous lizard. Mating occurs in May-June. Pregnancy lasts about one month. The females lay in July up to 14 eggs. This species feeds almost entirely on flowers, fruits and other plants, but also on insects.[4]

Bibliography
  • O'Shaughnessy AWE (1880). "Description of a new Species of Uromastix [sic]". Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1880: 445-446 + Plate XLIII. ("Uromastix [sic] princeps ", new species).
  • Boulenger, G.A. (1885) Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) I. Geckonidae, Eublepharidae, Uroplatidae, Pygopodidae, Agamidae., London: 450 pp
  • Cherchi, M. A. 1954. una nuova sottospecie di Uromastix princeps O’Schaug. Atti Soc. ital. Sci. nat. Milano 93: 538-544 + 1 plate
  • Loveridge,A. (1942) , Bull. Mus. comp. Zool., Cambridge, 91: 49, 50, 54, 55
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References
  1. The Reptile Database
  2. Catalogue of life
  3. Projekt Uromastyx
  4. Longmann's Animal Encyclopedia.


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