Takydromus
Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:Italic title Template:Automatic taxobox
Takydromus is a genus of lizards, commonly called grass lizards or oriental racers. Species of the genus Takydromus are endemic to a large part of Asia. Members of this genus are noticeable because of their slender appearance and their agile movements. The word takydromus derives from Greek ταχυδρόμος (takhudromos), "fast-running",<ref>Takydromus Template:Webarchive, A Guide to the lizards of Borneo</ref><ref>ταχυδρόμος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus</ref> from ταχύς (takhus), "swift"<ref>ταχύς, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus</ref> + δρόμος (dromos), "course, race".<ref>δρόμος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus</ref>
DescriptionEdit
Members of the genus Takydromus are extremely slender in appearance. The tail is about 2 to 5 times as long as the snout-vent length. The basic colour is normally brown, often with lateral stripes and dark spots. The dorsal scales are keeled and large. These keels form continuous longitudinal rows. The toes contain lamellae. The collar may be reduced or completely absent.Template:Citation needed
Distribution and habitatEdit
The lizard genus Takydromus is found in Japan, in the Amur region of Russia, and throughout entire eastern Asia to Indonesia. These lizards are mainly terrestrial although some species can be found on trees. Some members of this genus are found both on rocks and in relatively damp forests. Other species inhabit open grasslands.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ReproductionEdit
Females of species of Takydromus lay 1–10 eggs per clutch and up to 6 clutches per year.Template:Citation needed
SpeciesEdit
The genus Takydromus belongs to the lizard subfamily Lacertinae, tribe Lacertini, and contains the following species:<ref>Template:EMBL genus www.reptile-database.org.</ref>
- Takydromus albomaculosus Template:Small
- Takydromus amurensis Template:Small – Amur grass lizard
- Takydromus dorsalis Template:Small – Sakishima grass lizard
- Takydromus formosanus Template:Small – Formosa grass lizard
- Takydromus hani Template:Small – southeast Asian green grass lizard
- Takydromus haughtonianus Template:Small – Goalpara grass lizard
- Takydromus hsuehshanensis Template:Small
- Takydromus intermedius Template:Small
- Takydromus khasiensis Template:Small – Java grass lizard, Khasi Hills long-tailed lizard
- Takydromus kuehnei Template:Small
- Takydromus luyeanus Template:Small
- Takydromus madaensis Template:Small – Ma Da grass lizard
- Takydromus sauteri Template:Small – Koshun grass lizard
- Takydromus septentrionalis Template:Small – China grass lizard
- Takydromus sexlineatus Template:Small – Asian grass lizard, six-striped long-tailed grass lizard, long-tailed grass lizard
- Takydromus sikkimensis Template:Small – Sikkim grass lizard
- Takydromus smaragdinus Template:Small – green grass lizard
- Takydromus stejnegeri Template:Small
- Takydromus sylvaticus Template:Small – Chung-an ground lizard
- Takydromus tachydromoides Template:Small – Japanese grass lizard
- Takydromus toyamai Template:Small – Miyako grass lizard
- Takydromus viridipunctatus Template:Small
- Takydromus wolteri Template:Small – mountain grass lizard
- Takydromus yunkaiensis Template:Small – Yunkai grass lizard
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Takydromus.
ReferencesEdit
Further readingEdit
- Daudin FM (1802). Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière des Reptiles; Ouvrage faisant suite à l'Histoire Naturelle générale et particulière, composée par Leclerc Buffon; et rédigée par C.S. Sonnini, membre de plusieurs sociétés savantes. Tome troisième [Volume 3]. Paris: F. Dufart. 452 pp. (Takydromus, new genus, pp. 251–252). (in French).
- Lin S-M, Chen CA, Lue K-Y (2002). Molecular Phylogeny and Biogeography of the Grass Lizard Genus Takydromus (Reptilia: Lacertidae) of East Asia. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 22 (2): 276–288. Erratum, 26 (2): 333.
- Smith MA (1935). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II.—Sauria. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 440 pp. + Plate I + 2 maps. (Genus Takydromus, p. 365).