Pseudotrapelus is one of the many monotypic agamid genera. It has a fairly wide range across North Africa, Arabia and the Middle East. Although its desert lifestyle might appear at first to make it an easy captive, its diet appears to be overwhelmingly of ants, which would suggest that for now these lizards should be left in the wild.
The genus is characterised by the following: external ear opening larger than eye: dorsals relatively small, uniform, pointed, keeled in some specimens and imbricate; very long limbs; 3rd toe larger than 4th; caudal scales not whorled.
Species Name | Common Name | Distribution | Size | Notes |
Pseudotrapelus | ||||
P. sinaitus | Sinai Agama | North Africa (SE Libya, Egypt E of Nile and Sinai), Israel, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan | ?? SVL | This is a rock-dwelling species found in very arid areas. Population density is low. Bipedal running has been observed at least once. Coloration: brown outside the mating season. Reproduction: in Israel at least, this takes place May-August. Males turn deep blue in the gular and pectoral regions, females yellow and sometimes marbled with blue. During this period both sexes are territorial and use a variety of signals (eye movements, nods and pushups). 5-9 large eggs are laid. |