Pygopodidae
Burton pointed head - Flossenfuß ( Lialis burtonis )
The fins feet ( Pygopodidae ) form a family in the class of reptiles ( Reptilia ). They are endemic to Australia, Tasmania and with two species in New Guinea. They live in burrows on the surface or dig deeper burrows and are nocturnal.
Features
All 37 species of fin feet are similar in appearance with their elongated bodies and to verschuppten extensions or only a claw back formed hind legs snakes. The front legs are missing altogether. Depending on the nature of the tail is as long and four times as long as the head-body length. The head is barely separated from the body and conically pointed. Some fins feet only reach a size of seven centimeters, the largest species, the Guinea - Flossenfuß ( Lialis jicari ) is 75 inches long. Fins feet molt like all Squamata and strip the old skin from the whole.
Way of life
In their adaptation to habitat can the fins feet divided into two groups. The first living rather on the bottom surface. Members of this group have a long tail, visible from the outside ears and often a strongly tapered head. The second group lives burrowing in the ground. For them, the hind legs are reduced even more, the tail is shorter, the cone-shaped head and the ears are not visible.
Fins Feet feed on insects, spiders, small lizards and snakes. The genus of Neuquinea Fins feet ( Lialis ) specializes in skinks.
Some species of the genus smooth scales fins feet ( Delma ) have an amazing strategy to defend. In case of danger they face on her slim but powerful tail and jump with the help of their tail muscles several times in the air to confuse the enemy. In addition, is changed at each floor lift direction. Some Australian species see young poison snakes ( Elapidae ) deceptively similar ( mimicry ).
All species lay as the geckos two parchment -shelled eggs.
System
Fins feet are closely related to the geckos ( Gekkonidae ), with which they, mainly in the construction of the skull, have many common features. They are, like many gecko species to produce sounds able to clean like this one her eyes with her fleshy tongue and their lower eyelids are transparent regularly adherent to the upper. They are the sister group of the double finger geckos ( Diplodactylidae ), which are endemic to Australia and the southwest Pacific.
- Family: Pygopodidae Subfamily: Pygopodinae Genus: Paradelma Paradelma orientalis
- Snake Flossenfuß ( Pygopus lepidopodus )
- Western Flossenfuß ( Pygopus nigriceps )
- Pygopus steelescotti
- Spitzschnäuziger Flossenfuß ( Delma nasuta )
- Delma australis
- Delma borea
- Delma butleri
- Delma concinna
- Delma elegans
- Frasers Flossenfuß ( Delma fraseri )
- Delma grayii
- Delma impar
- Jewelry Loose Flossenfuß ( Delma inornata )
- Delma labialis
- Delma Mitella
- Delma Mølleri
- Delma pax
- Delma plebeia
- Delma tincta
- Delma torquata
- Tribus: Lialisini Genus: Guinea - fin feet ( Lialis ) Gray, 1835 Burton pointed head - Flossenfuß ( Lialis burtonis ) Gray, 1835
- Guinea - Flossenfuß ( Lialis jicari ) Boulenger, 1903
- Subtribes: Pletholaxini Genus: Pletholax Pletholax gracilis
- Genus: Aprasia Streifenflossenfuß ( Aprasia striolata )
- Aprasia aurita
- Aprasia fusca
- Aprasia haroldi
- Aprasia inaurita
- Aprasia parapulchella
- Aprasia picturata
- Aprasia pseudopulchella
- Aprasia pulchella
- Aprasia repens
- Aprasia rostrata
- Aprasia smithi
- Ophidiocephalus taeniatus