Meroles knoxii explained

Meroles knoxii, also known commonly as Knox's desert lizard and Knox's ocellated sand lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to southern Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, knoxii, is in honor of Scottish anatomist Robert Knox.^[1]

Description

Adults of M. knoxii usually have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of . The ear openings are visible. The toes are slightly fringed. Dorsally, the body is brownish, with a striped and spotted pattern. Ventrally, it is bluish gray to cream-colored, except during breeding season when males have a bright yellow chin, throat, and anal region.

Geographic range

M. knoxii occurs in Namibia and South Africa.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of M. knoxii is shrubland.

Behavior

M. knoxii is terrestrial, diurnal, and active, dashing across sandy soil from shrub to shrub.

Diet

M. knoxii preys upon beetles, flies, and other insects.^[2]

Reproduction

M. knoxii is oviparous.

Further reading

• Duméril AMC, Bibron G (1839). Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle complète des Reptiles. Tome cinquième [Volume 5]. Paris: Roret. viii + 854 pp. (Eremias knoxii, new combination, pp. 299–302). (in French).
• FitzSimons VF (1943). The Lizards of South Africa. Transvaal Museum Memoir No. 1. Pretoria: Transvaal Museum. xvi + 528 pp. (Scaptira knoxii, p. 362).
• Milne-Edwards H (1829). "Recherches zoologiques pour servir à l'histoire des Lézards, extraites d'une Monographie de ce genre ". Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Paris 16: 50–89. (Lacerta knoxii, new species, p. 85). (in French).
• Szczerbak, Nikolai N. (1989). "Catalogue of the African Sand Lizards (Reptilia: Sauria: Erimiainae: Lampreremias, Pseuderemias, Taenieremias, Mesalina, Meroles) ". Herpetozoa 1 (3/4): 119–132.

Notes and References

1. [species:Bo Beolens|Beolens B]
2. [William Roy Branch|Branch, Bill]