Giant Girdled Lizard
Cordylus giganteus
Conservation Status
Near ThreatenedReptilia · Cordylidae
About
The sungazer, also known as the giant girdled lizard, giant dragon lizard, ouvolk, or giant zonure, is the largest species of the Cordylidae, a family of lizards from Sub-Saharan Africa. This threatened species is endemic to Highveld grasslands in the interior of South Africa. In 2011, it was assigned to the new genus Smaug, along with seven other species previously belonging to the genus Cordylus, based on a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the Cordylidae.
Fun Fact
Giant girdled lizards curl into a ball like an armadillo to protect their soft belly and use their spiny tail as a weapon while their back is armored with overlapping osteoderms.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Live in self-excavated burrows (typically 0.
Diet
Eat small vertebrates.
Lifespan
20 years (captivity)
Threats
- Habitat Change
- Hunting and Collection
- Climate Change