- Common name: Girdled Armadillo Lizard
- Scientific Name: Ouroborus cataphractus
- Geographic Region: South Africa
- Habitat: Terrestrial, Arid
- Activity Period: Diurnal
- Diet: Insectivore, primarily termites
- IUCN Status: Least Concern
The Armadillo Lizard is a small lizard native to the deserts of South Africa. Morphologically, this lizard is similar to a Uromastyx or a Sungazer. The truly unique attribute of O. cataphractus is their defense mechanism– While Uromastyx use their spiny tail like a club, the Armadillo Lizard instead uses theirs as a shield. By biting onto their own tail, the lizard can curl themselves into a ball, protecting their vulnerable underside, exposing only their hard back scaling.
Naturally, O. cataphractus is a termite specialist, both feeding and birthing their live young in terrestrial mounds. As one of the few social reptiles, they often cohabitate with dozens more of their kind.