The Armadillo Lizard (Cordylus cataphractus) is a spiny-tailed lizard endemic to desert areas of southern Africa. It is also known as the Armadillo Girdled Lizard or the Armadillo Spiny-tailed Lizard.

They can be a light brown to dark brown in coloration and are sometimes referred to with the common name of golden armadillo lizard. The underbelly is yellow with a blackish pattern, especially under the chin.This lizard has a distinctive defensive posture, in which it grabs its tail and curls into a ring. Its size ranges from 16 to 21 cm (61/2 to 81/2 in) in length. In South Africa, trade in Armadillo Lizards is illegal. This lizard is very difficult to find for sale in the pet trade for this reason.

They occur in scrub and rocky outcrops and hide in large cracks and crevices when hibernating for the winter. They live in family groups and the female gives birth to 1-2 live young. The female may even feed her young, which is unusual for a lizard in that they rarely demonstrate parental care.

They are one of comparatively few live-bearing lizards; they do not lay eggs like most other lizard species. The Armadillo Lizard lives mainly on small invertebrates such as insects and spiders and can live up to 25 years in captivity, slightly more in rarer cases.

How To Take Care Of A: Armadillo Lizard