| Uromastyx geyri | |
|---|---|
| Saharan Uromastyx, Uromastyx geyri | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Agamidae |
| Subfamily: | Uromasticinae |
| Genus: | Uromastyx |
| Species: | U. geyri |
| Binomial name | |
| Uromastyx geyri Müller, 1922 |
|
Uromastyx geyri, commonly known as the Saharan Uromastyx, Saharan Spiny-tailed Lizard or Geyr's Dabb Lizard, is a species of lizard belonging to the family Agamidae. It is found in rocky, semi-arid habitats in North Africa, its range including parts of Algeria, Mali and Niger.
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The generic name (Uromastyx) is derived from the Ancient Greek words ourá (οὐρά) meaning "tail" and mastigo (Μαστίχα) meaning "whip" or "scourge", after the thick-spiked tail characteristic of all Uromastyx species.
This is a small, slender species for the genus, with an average length of around 34 cm. This lizard is usually beige or orange with lighter spots. They are one of the brightest colored species of Uromastyx, colors of this genus are the "Red" geyri and "Yellow" geyri, color being their only difference. The red phase often being nearly solid reddish to neon pumpkin orange with the yellow in or near a neon-range. Females are a more pale color than the males, showing more tan variations of the coloring and much less belly coloring as well as less vivid patterns, most females having a simple "freckling" on the back. Saharans are a medium sized species, many averaging 11"-14" in length, and weighing 250+ grams as adults.
These herbevores are native to the Saharan desert in Northern Africa. They bask in temperatures up to 130 °F (54 °C). This is considered to be an uncommon species but its extensive range means the population is probably large enough to sustain the current level of collection of specimens for the pet trade (the species is fairly popular as a pet, mainly in the United States, Europe and Japan).