Armadillo girdled lizard

Ouroborus cataphractus · The armadillo girdled lizard is a spiny-scaled reptile that lives on rocky desert slopes along South Africa's western coast.

Also called Armadillo lizard, Golden armadillo lizard, Armadillo spiny-tailed lizard.

Armadillo girdled lizard
Photo: Kevin Murray, CC BY 4.0
Armadillo girdled lizard
Photo: cndyntdhn, CC BY-SA 4.0
Armadillo girdled lizard
Photo: Paul Korecky, CC BY-SA 2.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyCordylidae
GenusOuroborus
SpeciesOuroborus cataphractus

Where it lives

Rocky succulent desert along South Africa's west coast.

Fun facts

  • When frightened, it curls into a ball and bites its own tail, echoing the mythical ouroboros.
  • It has the largest known genome of any squamate (the lizard and snake group).
  • It lives in social groups that can number up to 30 to 60 individuals of all ages.
  • Unlike most lizards, females give birth to one or two live young instead of laying eggs.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).