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| California rock lizards - Petrosaurus | |
|---|---|
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| Baja blue rock lizard | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Phrynosomatidae |
| Genus: | Petrosaurus Boulenger, 1885 [1] |
| Species | |
See text | |
The California rock lizards are a genus (Petrosaurus) of New World lizards in the family Phrynosomatidae. [2]
They are endemic to southern California, United States, and Baja California and Baja California Sur, Mexico. [3]
This lizard species lives almost exclusively on rock outcrops, boulder piles, and canyon walls, where it shelters under rocks. Their habitat consists of arid and semiarid foothills and canyons along the western margin of the Colorado Desert. [4]
The courtship begins shortly after emergence in early spring. The eggs are laid around June and July.
The few predators that could pursue this lizard are collared lizards and avian predators, such as hawks, ravens, and roadrunners.
The genus Petrosaurus contains four species.
| Image | Scientific Name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Petrosaurus mearnsi (Stejneger, 1894) | banded rock lizard | southern California, United States, and Baja California, Mexico |
| Petrosaurus repens (Van Denburgh, 1895) | Baja California and Baja California Sur, Mexico | ||
| Petrosaurus slevini (Van Denburgh, 1922) | banded rock lizard | Baja California, Mexico | |
 | Petrosaurus thalassinus (Cope, 1863) | Baja blue rock lizard [5] | Baja California Sur, Mexico |
Gambelia is a genus of lizards, commonly known as leopard lizards, within the family Crotaphytidae. Leopard lizards are indigenous to arid environments of southwestern North America.
Crotaphytus is a genus of lizards commonly known as collared lizards. They are a genus of small to medium-sized predators indigenous to the American southwest, Baja peninsula, and Mexico. They can be as small as 8" or as long as 14″ (20-36cm), and are characterized by distinct bands of black or brown around their neck, thus their common name.
Fringe-toed lizards are lizards of the genus Uma in the family Phrynosomatidae, native to deserts of North America. They are adapted for life in sandy deserts with fringe-like scales on their hind toes hence their common name.
Side-blotched lizards are lizards of the genus Uta. They are some of the most abundant and commonly observed lizards in the deserts of western North America, known for cycling between three colorized breeding patterns and is best described in the common side-blotched lizard. They commonly grow to 6 inches including the tail, with the males normally being the larger sex. Males often have bright throat colors.
Xantusia () is one of three genera of night lizards. Species of Xantusia are small to medium-sized, viviparous (live-bearing) lizards found in the U.S. Southwest and in northern Mexico. These lizards display morphological adaptations to specific microhabitats. They occupy rock crevices and decaying plants. Rock dwellers generally have brighter coloration, longer limbs and digits, and larger size than plant dwellers, which are generally duller, smaller, and have shorter limbs.
Species of the genus Xantusia are remarkably disjunct, with populations scattered throughout the deserts and mountains of the far western borderlands with only a handful of recorded cases of interspecific allopatry. The genus contains at least seven distinct cases of morphological convergence to the rock dwelling ecomorph in Arizona, California, Baja California, and Central Mexico.
The western skink is a species of small, smooth-scaled lizard with relatively small limbs. It measures about 100 to 210 mm in total length. It is one of seven species of lizards in Canada. They spend much of their day basking in the sun. Their diet ranges widely, including spiders and beetles. Western skinks will bite if grasped and will flee if they feel threatened. It is a common but secretive species whose range extends from southern British Columbia and throughout Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming and into western Montana and northern Arizona and Missouri. They can also live in some areas of Texas It is widespread in northern California but primarily restricted to the coast in central and southern California. Found in a variety of habitats, this lizard is most common in early successional stages or open areas of late successional stages. Heavy brush and densely forested areas are generally avoided. Western skinks are found from sea level to at least 2,130 m (7,000 ft). This diurnal reptile is active during the warm seasons.
Night lizards are a group of small scincomorph lizards, averaging from less than 4 cm (1.6 in) to over 12 cm (4.7 in) snout–vent length. Most species are viviparous (live-bearing), with the exception of those in the genus Cricosaura. The family has only three living genera, with approximately 34 living species. The genera are divided by geographic range: Xantusia in southwestern North America and Baja California, Cricosaura in Cuba, and Lepidophyma, the most populous night lizard genus, in Central America. Three fossil genera are also known: Catactegenys, Palepidophyma, Palaeoxantusia.
The granite night lizard is a species of xantusiid lizard endemic to North America.
Phyllodactylus xanti is a species of lizard in the family Phyllodactylidae. It is endemic to northwestern Mexico. It is also known as the leaf-toed gecko or Raza Island leaf-toed gecko when referring to the subspecies from the Isla Rasa; at present, there are altogether four recognized subspecies, while several more have been recognized previously.
Petrosaurus mearnsi, also called the banded rock lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to western North America.
The Mexican mole lizard, also commonly known as the five-toed worm lizard, or simply as Bipes, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Bipedidae. The species is endemic to the Baja California Peninsula. It is one of four species of amphisbaenians that have legs.
The western banded gecko is a species of lizard in the family Eublepharidae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent northwestern Mexico. Five subspecies are recognized.
The California whipsnake, also known as the striped racer, is a colubrid snake found in habitats of the coast, desert, and foothills of California.
The long-nosed leopard lizard is a species of relatively large North American lizard in the family Crotaphytidae. Gambelia wislizenii ranges in snout-to-vent length (SVL) from 8.3 to 14.6 cm. It has a large head, a long nose, and a long round tail that can be longer than its body. It is closely related to the blunt-nosed leopard lizard, which closely resembles the long-nosed leopard lizard in body proportions, but has a conspicuously blunt snout. The species G. wislizenii, once considered part of the genus Crotaphytus, is under moderate pressure because of habitat destruction but is categorized as "least concern".
Salvadora hexalepis, the western patch-nosed snake, is a species of non-venomous colubrid snake, which is endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Switak's banded gecko, also commonly known as the barefoot banded gecko, the barefoot gecko, and Switak's barefoot gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Eublepharidae. The species is indigenous to the extreme southwestern United States and adjacent northwestern Mexico.
The Baja blue rock lizard is a species of large, diurnal phrynosomatid lizard.
Isla Danzante, is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Loreto Municipality.
Isla Mejia is an island in the Gulf of California east of the Baja California Peninsula. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Mexicali Municipality.
Petrosaurus slevini, the banded rock lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. It is endemic to the island of Angel de la Guarda and the adjacent islet of Mejía, in the Gulf of California off the east coast of the Baja California Peninsula in northwestern Mexico.
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