The Opluridae, or Madagascan iguanas, are a family of moderately-sized lizards native to Madagascar and Grande Comore. There are eight species across two genera, with most of them being under Oplurus. The other genus, Chalarodon, is easily distinguishable from Oplurus as it contains species with a dorsal crest, particularly distinct in males, and has a smoother tail covered in similarly sized scales. Genus Oplurus has large segmented spiny scales, and no dorsal crest along the spine.

The Opluridae, along with the banded iguanas and their kin (family Iguanidae) of Fiji, are the only extant members of the Pleurodonta that are found outside of the Americas. The Opluridae family includes terrestrial species that live amongst rocks and canyons, along with some that are arboreal, and two that prefer sandier habitats. All of the species are oviparous, or egg-layers, and have teeth that resemble those of the true iguanas. This study supported the monophyly of the expanded Iguanidae, thus placing Oplurinae in the basal position—consistent with a vicariant origin of the Madagascan iguanians, as Madagascar is believed to have separated from Africa some 140 MYA during the breakup of Gondwana.

Species

{| class="wikitable collapsible"

!Image

!Genus

!Living species

|-

|175px||Chalarodon ||

  • Chalarodon madagascariensis <small>Peters, 1854</small>
  • Chalarodon steinkampi <small>Miralles, Glaw, Ratsoavina & Vences, 2015</small>

|-

|175px||Oplurus ||

  • Oplurus cuvieri – Collared iguana <small>(Gray, 1831)</small>
  • Oplurus cyclurus – Madagascar swift <small>(Merrem, 1820)</small>
  • Oplurus fierinensis – Anzamala Madagascar swift <small>Grandidier, 1869</small>
  • Oplurus grandidieri – Grandidier's Madagascar swift <small>(Mocquard, 1900)</small>
  • Oplurus quadrimaculatus – Duméril's Madagascar Swift <small>Duméril & Bibron, 1851</small>
  • Oplurus saxicola – Marked Madagascar swift <small>(Grandidier, 1869)</small>

|-

|}

References

<!--added above categories/infobox footers by script-assisted edit-->

  • Family Opluridae