- Opluridae
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Opluridae 
Oplurus cuvieri Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Order: Squamata Suborder: Lacertilia Infraorder: Iguania Family: Opluridae Genera 2 genera (7 recognized species), see article.
The Opluridae, or Madagascan iguanas, are a family of moderately sized lizards native to Madagascar. There are seven species in two genera, with most of the species being in Oplurus. The family includes species that live amongst rocks, some that live in trees, and one that inhabits sand dunes. All of the species lay eggs, and have teeth that resemble those of the true iguanas.[1]
A study of mitochondrial DNA sequences has dated the split between Opluridae and Iguanidae (within which Opluridae is sometimes classified as the subfamily Oplurinae) at about 165 million years ago, during the Middle Jurassic.[2] The study supported the monophyly of the expanded Iguanidae, and put Oplurinae in the basal position. This dating is consistent with a vicariant origin of the Madagascan iguanians, since Madagascar is believed to have separated from Africa (during the breakup of Gondwana) around 140 million years ago.[2]
Species
Family Opluridae
- Genus Chalarodon
- Chalarodon madagascariensis
- Genus Oplurus
- Oplurus cuvieri
- Oplurus cyclurus
- Oplurus fierinensis
- Oplurus grandidieri
- Oplurus quadrimaculatus
- Oplurus saxicola
References
- ^ Bauer, Aaron M. (1998). Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G.. ed. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 145. ISBN 0-12-178560-2.
- ^ a b Okajima, Y.; Kumazawa, Y. (2009-07-15). "Mitogenomic perspectives into iguanid phylogeny and biogeography: Gondwanan vicariance for the origin of Madagascan oplurines". Gene (Elsevier) 441 (1-2): 28–35. doi:10.1016/j.gene.2008.06.011. PMID 18598742.
External links
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