Shovel-snouted lizard
Species of lizard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The shovel-snouted lizard (Meroles anchietae), also known commonly as Anchieta's desert lizard, Anchieta's dune lizard and the Namib sand-diver, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to southern Africa.
| Shovel-snouted lizard | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Lacertidae |
| Genus: | Meroles |
| Species: | M. anchietae |
| Binomial name | |
| Meroles anchietae (Bocage, 1867) | |
| Synonyms[2][3] | |
Etymology
The specific name, anchietae, is in honor of Portuguese naturalist José Alberto de Oliveira Anchieta, who was an explorer of Africa.[4]
Geographic range
Habitat
Description
Adults of M. anchietae have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about 5 cm (2.0 in). [5]
Diet
M. anchietae preys upon insects, especially small beetles, as well as fresh plants.[6] Some individuals in the Namib Desert have been observed to eat seeds occasionally, while others consume seeds exclusively.[6] Such seeds are typically eaten in their green, unripe phase, and could thus be considered a form of herbivory rather than granivory.[6]
