Uromastyx
Uromastyx spp.
Beastly Facts · Updated
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Overview
Uromastyx, also called spiny-tailed lizards or dabb lizards, are robust, herbivorous lizards native to rocky desert and arid landscapes stretching from North Africa to the Middle East and South Asia. Their spiny, club-like tails are used as defensive weapons against predators. Highly adapted to extreme heat and drought, they obtain most of their water from plant matter and seeds. They are striking, underrated pets known for bold colors and a calm demeanor.
Quick Facts
Native Range
North Africa, Middle East, and South Asia
Natural Habitat
Rocky desert, arid scrubland, and dry savanna
Adult Size
10-30 inches (25-75 cm) depending on species
Wild Diet
Seeds, leaves, flowers, grasses, and occasional insects
Wild Lifespan
Not well documented in the wild; the widely quoted 15 to 20 years is a captive figure
Conservation Status
Varies by species; many Near Threatened (IUCN)
History
Blasius Merrem erected the genus in 1820. Every species in it now sits on CITES Appendix II, listed as a whole genus rather than piecemeal, which is the standard approach when lookalike animals make shipments hard to tell apart at a border. That paperwork has not translated into protection at the source. In Morocco the lizards are still taken from the wild in unregulated numbers for the pet and medicinal trades despite holding national protected status, and the animals offered for sale in markets there are frequently overcrowded and in poor condition.
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Uromastyx
Human
Adult Size
10-30 inches (25-75 cm) depending on species
5-6 feet (150-185 cm); ~135-200 lbs
Wild Lifespan
Not well documented in the wild; the widely quoted 15 to 20 years is a captive figure
~73 years (global average)
Wild Diet
Seeds, leaves, flowers, grasses, and occasional insects
Omnivorous - eats just about anything
Native Range
North Africa, Middle East, and South Asia
Global - originated in Africa roughly 300,000 years ago
Natural Habitat
Rocky desert, arid scrubland, and dry savanna
Everywhere from arctic tundra to tropical megacities
Conservation Status
Varies by species; many Near Threatened (IUCN)
Least Concern (8+ billion and counting)
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Did You Know?
Uromastyx (also called spiny-tailed lizards) are almost entirely herbivorous. They get nearly all their water from their food and rarely drink from a standing water dish, though one should still be there! They're one of the few reptiles that thrive on seeds.
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