Giant Zonure
Cordylus giganteus
Where is it found?
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Desert and grassland
Diet and foraging method
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Ambush and sit and wait hunter
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Key adaptations
Giant Zonures, or sungazers as they are also known, are covered in large spines all over their body which acts as armour and protects them against predators.
Social organisation and mating system
Live together in burrows with individuals of the same sex
Polygamy
Did you know that...?
Giant Zonures are also called sungazers because they spend much of their day with their forearms extended and their heads raised towards the sun in order to warm up.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Cordylus giganteus" by Wilfried Berns / www.Tiermotive.de - de: Bild:Riesenguertelschweif-21.jpg. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cordylus_giganteus.jpg#/media/File:Cordylus_giganteus.jpg
"Riesengürtelschweif (Cordylus giganteus) (3)" by Cymothoa exigua - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rieseng%C3%BCrtelschweif_(Cordylus_giganteus)_(3).JPG#/media/File:Rieseng%C3%BCrtelschweif_(Cordylus_giganteus)_(3).JPG
"Riesengürtenschweif TerraZoo 1" by Tetris L - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rieseng%C3%BCrtenschweif_TerraZoo_1.JPG#/media/File:Rieseng%C3%BCrtenschweif_TerraZoo_1.JPG
"Cordylus giganteus" by Wilfried Berns / www.Tiermotive.de - de: Bild:Riesenguertelschweif-21.jpg. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cordylus_giganteus.jpg#/media/File:Cordylus_giganteus.jpg
"Riesengürtelschweif (Cordylus giganteus) (3)" by Cymothoa exigua - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rieseng%C3%BCrtelschweif_(Cordylus_giganteus)_(3).JPG#/media/File:Rieseng%C3%BCrtelschweif_(Cordylus_giganteus)_(3).JPG
"Riesengürtenschweif TerraZoo 1" by Tetris L - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rieseng%C3%BCrtenschweif_TerraZoo_1.JPG#/media/File:Rieseng%C3%BCrtenschweif_TerraZoo_1.JPG
