Tropiduridae Explained

The Tropiduridae are a family of iguanid lizards.^[1] The family is sometimes considered a subfamily, Tropidurinae. The subfamily is native to South America, including the islands of Trinidad and the Galápagos. Commonly known as Neotropical ground lizards, most are ground-dwelling animals, and the subfamily includes some lizards adapted to relatively cold climates, including those of the Andes mountains and Tierra del Fuego. Several species give birth to live young.^[2]

A 2021 study described a novel escutcheon-type generation gland ('α-gland') in tropidurines, found in at least 39 species. This gland is believed to be the main potential source of semiochemicals in this group indicating its importance in chemical signalling, an essential component of the communication system of lizards.^[3]

Genera

The family Tropiduridae contains the following eight genera.^[1]

• Eurolophosaurus
• Microlophus – lava lizards and Pacific iguanas (sometimes in Tropidurus)
• Plica
• Stenocercus – whorltail iguanas
• Strobilurus
• Tropidurus (including Platynotus, Tapinurus)
• Uracentron – thornytail iguanas (sometimes in Tropidurus)
• Uranoscodon

Further reading

• Bell T (1843). The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Under the Command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the years 1832 to 1836. Edited and Superintended by Charles Darwin ... Naturalist to the Expedition. Part V. Reptiles. London: Smith, Elder and Company. vi + 51 pp. + Plates 1-20. (Tropiduridae, new family, p. 1). (in English and Latin).

Notes and References

1. "Tropiduridae". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
2. Book: Cogger, H.G.. Harold Cogger. Zweifel, R.G.. Richard G. Zweifel. Bauer, Aaron M..

   fr:Aaron Matthew Bauer

   . 1998. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. Academic Press. San Diego. 145. 978-0-12-178560-4.
3. Carvalho, André L. G.. Jeckel, Adriana M.. Nisa, Carolina. Luna, María Celeste. Piantoni, Carla. A novel epidermal gland type in lizards (α-gland): structural organization, histochemistry, protein profile and phylogenetic origins. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 2021. 192. 4. 1137–1166. 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa140.