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Glite Dictionary
Agamidae

Agamidae

1 9.9
A group of lizards from Africa, Asia, and Australia that includes agamas and flying dragons
  • noun
  • /ˌæɡəˈmɪdeɪ/
  • Specialized
: Agámidos
  • The flying dragon is a fascinating species belonging to the family Agamidae, known for its ability to glide through the air.

Examples

  • The Australian thorny devil (Moloch horridus), a lizard in the family Agamidae, specializes in eating ants, which it captures with its sticky tongue.

    Academic text (2006)

  • The family Agamidae includes lizards that thrive in diverse habitats, from deserts to tropical forests.

  • Lizards in the family Agamidae, such as the bearded dragon, are popular pets due to their unique appearance and docile nature.

Surface Forms

Agamidae singular
Agamids plural

Morphology

Agamidae = agama (semi-transparent) = agama + idae

The formation Agama + -idae follows standard zoological family-naming rules, which is regular in scientific contexts but not obvious to general B1 learners.

Etymology

Agamidae comes from the old group name Agama, a common African lizard, plus the ending -idae, which is used to mean 'family' in animal names. So Agamidae simply means the 'family of agamas', which is why it names a group of related lizards found in Africa and Asia.