Hydrosaurus

{{Short description|Genus of lizards}} {{About|a lizard genus|the mosasaur which was previously placed in a genus with the same name|Pontosaurus{{!}}''Pontosaurus''}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Ambon-segelechse-01.jpg | image_caption = ''Hydrosaurus amboinensis'' | parent_authority = Kaup, 1828 | taxon = Hydrosaurus | authority = Kaup, 1828<ref>[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=209049 ''Hydrosaurus''], ITIS report</ref> | type_species = ''Hydrosaurus amboinensis'' | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = *''Hydrosaurus amboinensis'' *''Hydrosaurus celebensis'' *''Hydrosaurus microlophus'' *''Hydrosaurus pustulatus'' *''Hydrosaurus weberi'' |synonyms = *''Lophura'' {{small|Gray, 1827}} *''Istiurus'' {{small|Cuvier, 1829}} }}

'''''Hydrosaurus''''', commonly known as the '''sailfin dragons''' or '''sailfin lizards''', is a genus in the family Agamidae.<ref name=ReptileDatabase>[http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/search.php?taxon=&genus=Hydrosaurus&exact%5B%5D=genus&species=&subspecies=&author=&year=&common_name=&location=&holotype=&reference=&submit=Search ''Hydrosaurus''], The Reptile Database</ref> These relatively large lizards are named after the sail-like structure on their tails. They are native to Indonesia (four species) and the Philippines (one species), where they are generally found near water, such as rivers and mangrove swamps.<ref name=Siler2014>Cameron D. Siler, Andrés Lira-Noriega, Rafe M. Brown (2014). Conservation genetics of Australasian sailfin lizards: Flagship species threatened by coastal development and insufficient protected area coverage. Biological Conservation 169: 100–108. {{doi|10.1016/j.biocon.2013.10.014}}</ref> Sailfin lizards are semiaquatic and able to run short distances across water using both their feet and tail for support, similar to the basilisks.<ref>Jackman Bauer (2008). Global diversity of lizards in freshwater (Reptilia: Lacertilia). Hydrobiologia 595(1): 581–586.</ref> They are threatened by both habitat loss and overcollection for the wild-animal trade.<ref name=Siler2014/>

In the 19th century, the genus was called ''Lophura'', but in 1903, Poche pointed out that the name was preoccupied by a genus of pheasants.<ref name="Denzer2020" /> Since Günther in 1873, the Sulawesi populations were considered to belong to ''H. amboinensis''; Denzer et al. in 2020 resurrected ''H. celebensis'' and ''H. microlophus'', increasing the number of species from three to five.<ref name="Denzer2020" />

They are the only members of the subfamily '''Hydrosaurinae'''.

==Species== Currently, five species are valid according to the Reptile Database,<ref name=ReptileDatabase/><ref name=Siler2014/><ref name=Denzer2020>{{cite journal| author1=Denzer, W. | author2=P.D. Campbell | author3=U. Manthey | author4=A. Glässer-Trobisch | author5=A. Koch | year=2020 | title=Dragons in Neglect: Taxonomic Revision of the Sulawesi Sailfin Lizards of the Genus Hydrosaurus Kaup, 1828 (Squamata, Agamidae) | journal=Zootaxa | volume=4747 | issue=2 | pages=275–301 | doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4747.2.3 | pmid=32230109 | s2cid=214748049 |url= https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339660114}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- ! Image !! Scientific name !! Common name !! Distribution |- |120px || ''Hydrosaurus amboinensis'' (Schlosser, 1768) || Moluccan sailfin lizard or Amboina sail-finned lizard, soa-soa water lizard || Western New Guinea, Ambon/Amboina Island and Ceram Island (Indonesia) |- |120px || ''Hydrosaurus celebensis'' (Peters, 1872) || Sulawesi black sailfin lizard|| Indonesia (Sulawesi) |- |120px || ''Hydrosaurus microlophus'' (Bleeker, 1860) || Indonesian giant sailfin dragon, Makassar sailfin lizard, or Sulawesi giant sailfin dragon | Indonesia (Sulawesi) |- |120px || ''Hydrosaurus pustulatus'' (Eschsholtz, 1829) || Philippine sailfin lizard, layagan, balubid, or ibid<ref name="pp">{{cite news |title=Third Quarter Topical Issue - Philippine Endemic Lizards |url=https://www.phlpost.gov.ph/whats-happening.php?id=1391 |access-date=16 January 2024 |work=PhlPost |date=20 July 2011 |archive-date=12 December 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131212134244/https://www.phlpost.gov.ph/whats-happening.php?id=1391 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/10335/0 ''Hydrosaurus pustulatus''], IUCN</ref>|| Philippine archipelago (except Palawan)<ref name="Siler">{{cite journal |last1=Siler |first1=Cameron D. |last2=Lira-Noriega |first2=Andrés |last3=Brown |first3=Rafe M. |title=Conservation genetics of Australasian sailfin lizards: Flagship species threatened by coastal development and insufficient protected area coverage |journal=Biological Conservation |date=January 2014 |volume=169 |pages=100–108 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2013.10.014|bibcode=2014BCons.169..100S }}</ref> |- |120px || ''Hydrosaurus weberi'' Barbour, 1911 || Weber's sailfin lizard||Ternate Island, North Maluku (Indonesia) Halmahera Island, North Maluku (Indonesia) |- |}

==References== {{Reflist|40em}}

*{{Wikispecies-inline}} *{{Commons category-inline}} * [http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/H/Hydrosaurus_amboinensis/ ''Hydrosaurus''], ZipCodeZoo.com

Category:Hydrosaurus Category:Lizard genera Category:Taxa named by Johann Jakob Kaup