Spiny weapontail

{{Short description|Genus of lizards}} {{speciesbox | genus = Hoplocercus | parent_authority = Fitzinger, 1843 | species = spinosus | authority = Fitzinger, 1843<ref name=review>Torres-Carvajal O, Etheridge R, de Queiroz K (2011). "A systematic revision of Neotropical lizards in the clade Hoplocercinae (Squamata: Iguania)". ''Zootaxa'' '''2752''': 1–44</ref> }} The '''spiny weapontail''' ('''''Hoplocercus spinosus''''') is a species of lizard belonging to the monotypic genus '''''Hoplocercus'''''<ref name=review/> in the family Hoplocercidae. The species is found in the Cerrado and adjacent Cerrado–Amazon mosaics in Brazil and Bolivia.<ref name=review/>

==Taxonomy== ''H. spinosus'' is quite distantly related to the other members of Hoplocercidae, as it is believed to have diverged from these about 35 million years ago.<ref name=review/>

==Description== The spiny weapontail has a total length (including tail) of about {{convert|12-15|cm|in|abbr=on|round=0.5}}.<ref>Animalitaly: [http://www.animalitaly.it/content/view/1189/9/ ''Lucertola dalla coda spinosa del Brasile, Hoplocercus spinosus''.] (in Italian). Retrieved 16 March 2018.</ref> As suggested by its name, it has a short, highly spiny tail (it is superficially similar to ''Uromastyx'', ''Cachryx'' and the smaller species in ''Ctenosaura'').<ref name=review/>

==Behavior== When disturbed, ''H. spinosus'' retreats to its burrow with its tail orientated towards the entrance.<ref name=review/> It is nocturnal.<ref name=review/>

==Diet== ''H. spinosus'' preys upon arthropods.<ref name=review/>

==Reproduction== ''H. spinosus'' is oviparous.<ref>{{EMBL species|genus=Hoplocercus|species=spinosus}} www.reptile-database.org.</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *Ávila-Pires TCS (1995). "Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia: Squamata)". ''Zoologische Verhandelingen'' (Leiden) '''299''': 1-706. *Boulenger GA (1885). ''Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume II., ... Iguanidæ ....'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 497 pp. + Plates I–XXIV. (genus ''Hoplocercus'', p. 199; species ''H. spinosus'', pp. 199–200). *Dirksen L, De la Riva I (1999). "The lizards and amphisbaenians of Bolivia (Reptilia, Squamata): checklist, localities, and bibliography". ''Graellsia'' '''55''': 199-215. *Estes R, Pregill G (editors) (1988). ''Phylogenetic relationships of the Lizard Families: Essays Commemorating Charles L. Camp''. Redwood City, California: Stanford University Press. xvi + 632 pp. *Fitzinger L (1843). ''Systema Reptilium, fasciculus primus, Amblyglossae''. Vienna: Braumüller et Seidel. 106 pp. + indices. (''Hoplocercus'', new genus, p. 78; ''H. spinosus'', new species, p. 78). (in Latin). *Harvey MB (1995). "A preliminary list of the reptiles and amphibians of the El Refugio biological reserve". pp. 21–26. '''''In'':''' Forsyth A (editor) (1995). ''A report on aspects of biodiversity and conservation potential in El Refugio''. Washington, District of Columbia: Conservation International.

Category:Hoplocercidae Category:Fauna of the Cerrado Category:Lizards of Brazil Category:Reptiles of Bolivia Category:Taxa named by Leopold Fitzinger