Definition

Noun: - Family Cordylidae: A small taxonomic family of spiny, ovoviviparous lizards native to Africa. Members of this family are characterized by their armored bodies with bony plates or spines, and they give birth to live young that develop in eggs inside the mother's body (ovoviviparity).

Usage

• This term is used in scientific and zoological contexts to classify and refer to this specific group of reptiles.
• It is typically used with a singular verb, as it refers to a single taxonomic family.

Examples

• (the girdled lizards) and (the flat lizards).*

Advanced Usage

• In formal taxonomic writing, the family name is often italicized. The names of genera and species within the family are always italicized.
  • The study focused on reproductive strategies within Cordylidae.

Variants and Related Words

• Cordylid (noun/adjective): A common name for any lizard belonging to the family Cordylidae. Also used as an adjective to describe features of this family.
  • The cordylid's scales are highly keeled.
• Cordylus (noun): The type genus of the family Cordylidae.
• Girdled lizard (noun): A common name for many lizards in the genus .

Synonyms

• Girdled lizards: A common name for many species within this family, particularly those in the genus .
• Cordylid lizards: An alternative descriptive term.

Notes on Meaning

• The definition is specific and biological. There are no idiomatic or figurative uses for this term.
• The key distinguishing features are: spiny (having spines), ovoviviparous (a mode of reproduction), and African (geographic origin).

Noun

1. small family of spiny ovoviviparous African lizards