Lizard heads called the parietal eye, a basal ("primitive") feature also present in the tuatara. This "eye" has only a rudimentary retina and lens and cannot form images, but is sensitive to changes in light and dark and can detect movement. This helps them detect predators stalking it from above. Until 2006 it was thought that among lizards, only the Gila monster and the Mexican beaded lizard were venomous. However, several species of monitor lizards, including the Komodo dragon, produce powerful venom in their oral glands. Lace monitor venom, for instance, causes swift loss of consciousness and extensive bleeding through its
Limpopo girdled lizard Limpopo girdled lizard The Limpopo girdled lizard ("Cordylus jonesii"), also known commonly as Jones' armadillo lizard and Jones' girdled lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to Southern Africa. The specific name, "jonesii", is in honor of a "Mr. C. R. Jones" who collected the holotype. The type locality is the Murchison Range in Limpopo. "C. jonesii" is found along South Africa's border with Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The Limpopo girdled lizard is arboreal and inhabits dry forests, especially mopane woodland. It hides under loose bark and in hollow tree limbs. The dorsal