Stellagama

Stellagama stellio
Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Agamidae
Genus:	Stellagama , Wagner, & , 2012
Species:	S. stellio
Binomial name
Stellagama stellio (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms[2]
Lacerta stellio Linnaeus, 1758 Agama stellio — Boulenger, 1885 Stellio stellio — , 1990 Placoderma stellio — et al., 1996 Laudakia stellio — & , 1999 Stellagama stellio — Baig et al., 2012

Stellagama is a monotypic genus of agamid lizard, containing the single species Stellagama stellio,^[3][1] also known as the starred agama or the roughtail rock agama.

Common names[]

Common names for S. stellio include dikenli keler, hardim, hardun, kourkoutas (Cypriot Greek), kourkoutavlos, painted dragon, roughtail rock agama, short-toed rock agama, sling-tailed agama, star lizard, starred agama, and stellion.^{[citation needed]}

Geographic range[]

Stellagama stellio can be found in Greece, Israel, Cyprus, Lebanon, western Asia and northern Egypt; it has also been introduced to Malta.^[1]

Description[]

Stellagama stellio may attain a total length (including tail) of 35 cm (14 in) or slightly longer.^[4]

Behaviour and habitat[]

Like many agamids, S. stellio can change its color to express its mood. It basks on stone walls, rocks, and trees. It is usually found in rocky habitats, and is quite shy, being very ready to dive into cracks to hide from potential predators.^{[citation needed]}

Etymology[]

The common name "stellion" comes from Latin stellio, stēlio (stelliōn-, stēliōn-), which referred to any spotted lizard, from stella, star.^{[citation needed]}

Subspecies[]

There are several subspecies, and S. stellio is likely a species complex.^[1] More research will be done, and this species may yet be split into several species.^[3]

The following seven subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized as being valid.^[2]

• Stellagama stellio brachydactyla (Haas, 1951)
• Stellagama stellio cypriaca (Daan, 1967)
• Stellagama stellio daani ( & , 1980)
• Stellagama stellio picea (Parker, 1935)
• Stellagama stellio salehi Y. Werner in et al., 2006
• Stellagama stellio stellio (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Stellagama stellio vulgaris (Sonnini & Latreille, 1802)

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Stellagama.

• 

  S. s. cypriaca
  Cyprus

• 

  S. s. brachydactyla
  Jordan

Stellion

References[]

Further reading[]

• Arnold EN, Burton JA (1978). A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe. (Illustrated by D. W. Ovenden). London: Collins. 272 pp. + Plates 1-40. (Agama stellio, pp. 110-111 + Plate 16 + Map 54 + map on p. 113).
• Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume I. ... Agamidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii +436 pp. + Plates I-XXXII. (Agama stellio, pp. 368-369).
• Linnaeus (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, diferentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp. (Lacerta stellio, new species, p. 202). (in Latin).

External links[]

• European Field Herping Community

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