Ash. H.
Desert Lizard
Egyptian Spiny Tailed Lizard
Dessert Species
Location: Qatar
The largest member of its genus, the Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard is easily recognised by the relatively short and heavily spined tail that gives the species its common name. The body is large and rather flat, with a large head and strong limbs, and like other members of the Agamidae, is capable of changing colour with body temperature, turning from black to white or yellow as the lizard warms up. The juvenile Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard is light grey-brown, with yellow bars and spots on the back, helping to distinguish it from the juvenile of the closely related Uromastyx leptieni (Leptien’s spiny-tailed lizard), which is an overall dark grey. The adults are more difficult to tell apart, but Leptien’s spiny-tailed lizard has coarser scales and enlarged flank scales.
Desert Lizard
Egyptian Spiny Tailed Lizard
Dessert Species
Location: Qatar
The largest member of its genus, the Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard is easily recognised by the relatively short and heavily spined tail that gives the species its common name. The body is large and rather flat, with a large head and strong limbs, and like other members of the Agamidae, is capable of changing colour with body temperature, turning from black to white or yellow as the lizard warms up. The juvenile Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard is light grey-brown, with yellow bars and spots on the back, helping to distinguish it from the juvenile of the closely related Uromastyx leptieni (Leptien’s spiny-tailed lizard), which is an overall dark grey. The adults are more difficult to tell apart, but Leptien’s spiny-tailed lizard has coarser scales and enlarged flank scales.