Smaug (lizard)
Smaug is a genus of lizards in the family Cordylidae. The genus "Smaug" is a group of species of spiny southern African lizards, separated from the genus "Cordylus" in 2011 on the basis of a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the Cordylidae. The type species is the giant girdled lizard, "S. giganteus" (formerly "Cordylus giganteus"). Etymology. The genus "Smaug" was named for the character Smaug, in J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit": Smaug is the name of the dragon encountered by Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist of J.R.R. Tolkien's book "The Hobbit". According to Tolkien the name is  derived from the Old German verb "smeugen" – to squeeze through a hole. Like the type species, Smaug lived underground and was heavily armored. Appropriately Tolkien was born in the Free State province, South Africa, the core area of distribution of the type species. The name is masculine. "Zonurus", the former genus name, is from Greek zōnē 'girdle' + oura 'tail'. The specific name "breyeri" is in honor of Dutch botanist Herman Breyer. Description. "Smaug" are large lizards (extremely large among the Cordylidae), measuring up to in snout–vent length (SVL). The body is sub-cylindrical in cross-section and robust . Limbs are moderate in length and digits are unreduced. Dorsal and caudal scales are enlarged and spinose. Occipital spines are greatly enlarged. Nasal scales are not in contact with one another. The frontonasal scale is in broad contact with the rostral scale. The tongue is partly or fully pigmented. Osteoderms are distributed across the entire body. Reproduction. "Smaug" are viviparous and give birth to 1–6 young. Species. There are 9 species: "Nota bene": A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than "Smaug".