Cope's arboreal alligator lizard

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Cope's arboreal alligator lizard
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Anguidae
Genus: Abronia
Species:
A. aurita
Binomial name
Abronia aurita
Cope, 1869

Cope's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia aurita) is a species of lizard found in two isolated locations in Guatemala, one in the Alta Verapaz Department and one in the Jalapa Department. These lizard are found only in high altitudes of 2,000 to 2,600 feet above sea level, on the west and south sides of the mountain ranges. This lizard is one of 28 species of alligator lizards, most being arboreal, meaning they live in trees. [3] These omnivores are considered endangered because of their small population size and they face extinction due to habitat degradation and from pressures of the pet trade. [4]

Contents

Distribution and habitat

Cope's arboreal alligator lizard, also known as Abronia aurita, is a species of alligator lizard found only in roughly 400 square kilometers of Guatemala. Specifically, the only suitable habitat for this species is between 2,000 and 2,600 feet above sea level on the west and south sides of Sierra de Xucaneb in the Department of Alta Verapaz. These species are considered arboreal, meaning they live in trees. They prefer to make their homes in the trunks of decaying, large trees, found in Oak or Pine forests. High tree density is considered optimal for these creatures as this ensures adequate habitat opportunities and resource abundance. Trees that are covered with growth such as mosses, ferns or bromeliads serve as their main habitat source as these additions contribute toward important factors in insulation and moisture control. [5]

Physical characteristics

Typical snout to vent length will fall within the range of 7.8 to 18.4 cm, with the length of the tail being roughly twice as long as the body. These creatures are covered with scales, the scales located on their stomach being slightly keeled while the other scales on their body remain flat. They have a general green color around their body but shades vary due to environmental variation and season. All alligator lizards have yellow eyes, with a long, slender, forked tongue. A. aurita can be distinguished from other similar alligator lizards by having a slightly more pale green color on their scales, accompanied by black molting around the edges. [6] One way you can tell the difference between the male and the female are by head shape, the male will sometimes have a slightly broader head than the female. In addition, adult males can be distinguished as having orange coloration on the posterior third portion of the scales on the dorsal side of their head. However, most of these distinctions are only noticed by a professional and it can be tricky for amateurs to tell the two sexes apart. [7]

Behavior

This lizard is usually slow moving, but it is typical for them to drop to the ground when disturbed, followed by them quickly escaping to a safe environment if they feel threatened. Although they can survive in temperatures that range as far as 40 to 90 ̊F, they will move considerably slower when their environment is below 50 ̊F. In these colder temperatures, these lizards will also den together in rotten tree trunks and under moss to conserve warmth and energy. They will be most active when temperatures lie in the range of 75 to 80 ̊F and will often be seen sunbathing and searching for food in the hours of late morning. [8] A. aurita have also reported to be calm in captivity, if properly cared for. They can also be prone to biting if handled aggressively or not fed at regular intervals. If their containment is kept outside of their optimal temperature zone, they will often hide in their artificial shelters, trying to conserve energy or hide from the light. [9]

Diet

A. aurita are primarily omnivores, but can live on either insects or plants for long periods of time. In times of optimal conditions, they will often prefer to forage for abundant insects such as crickets and grasshoppers as well as other invertebrates such as caterpillars, snails, spiders and mealworms. In addition, alligator lizards also rely on eating bromeliads, which serve as a vital source of energy when insect abundance depletes. Because of this, presence of bromeliads growing on and around their habitat is an important factor when determining their immediate habitat location. [10]

Reproduction and lifecycle

It typically takes Cope's arboreal alligator lizards until the second reproductive season for them to be large and sexually mature enough to reproduce. These lizards are viviparous (they do not lay eggs like many other reptiles), but will give birth to live pups. The mating ritual of this alligator lizard is similar to other lizards, which will begin with the male lizard biting the head of the female in a display of his strength and fitness for mating. They will remain in this position until the female succumbs to the male and allows him to mate with her. This embrace could last for several hours. Each female will only give birth to one litter per year, of between 7 and 14 babies per litter. The breeding season for this species can be as broad as July to November with the newborns being delivered between the months of March to July. The gestation period for this lizard is between 6 and 8 months, during which time the female will gain weight and develop what is known as “chalk sacs” on her jowls as a calcium supply. After birth, she does not provide any postnatal care to her young. Once born, these lizards do not need to rely on a limited diet, but can begin consuming the same material as their adult counterparts. [11]

Threats

The major threat to biodiversity for the Cope's arboreal alligator lizard is determined by the IUCN Red List to be the destruction of their habitat. Degradation and fragmentation of their suitable habitat has occurred as a side effect from construction, agricultural formation, and coal mining, as these activities require deforestation in these areas. These lizards are also frequently used in the pet trade, taking them from their native habitats and distributing them around the globe, which also depletes their native population sizes. Their native geographic range in Guatemala is not currently under protection for conservation or restoration efforts. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anguidae</span> Family of lizards

Anguidae refers to a large and diverse family of lizards native to the Northern Hemisphere. Common characteristics of this group include a reduced supratemporal arch, striations on the medial faces of tooth crowns, osteoderms, and a lateral fold in the skin of most taxa. The group includes the slowworms, glass lizards, and alligator lizards, among others. The family is divided into two subfamilies, and contains about 87 species in 8 genera.

<i>Abronia</i> (lizard) Genus of lizards, family of Anguidae

Abronia is a genus of lizards in the family Anguidae. The genus is native to northern Central America, occurring mainly in Guatemala and Mexico. However, there are species that occur as far south as El Salvador and Honduras, for example, A. montercristoi. Abronia species are almost exclusively arboreal. These lizards possess intriguing physical traits such as keeled body scales, patterns on each individual scale, and some, for example, A. lythrochila, even have spikes on the back of the head. Traits vary from species to species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern alligator lizard</span> Species of lizard

The southern alligator lizard is a common species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is native to the Pacific coast of North America. It ranges from Baja California to the state of Washington and lives in a variety of habitats including grasslands, chaparral, forests, and even urban areas. In dry climates, it is likely to be found in moist areas or near streams. There are five recognized subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern alligator lizard</span> Species of lizard

The northern alligator lizard is a species of medium-sized lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is endemic to the North American west coast.

An alligator lizard is any one of various species of lizards in the family Anguidae that have some shared characteristics. The term may specifically refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican alligator lizard</span> Species of lizard

The Mexican alligator lizard, also known as the green arboreal alligator lizard, is an endangered species of lizard endemic to the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca highlands of Mexico. It can be found in the states of Puebla, Veracruz, and Oaxaca. It was originally described under the genus Gerrhonotus as Gerrhonotus gramineus by Edward D. Cope in 1864.

<i>Abronia chiszari</i> Species of lizard

Abronia chiszari, Chiszar's arboreal alligator lizard, is an endangered species of arboreal alligator lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is native to east-central Mexico.

<i>Abronia lythrochila</i> Species of lizard

Abronia lythrochila is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae known by the common name red-lipped arboreal alligator lizard.

<i>Abronia matudai</i> Species of lizard

Abronia matudai, Matuda's arboreal alligator lizard, is a species of endangered arboreal alligator lizard in the family Anguidae. The species, which was originally described in 1946 by Norman Hartweg and Joseph Tihen, is endemic to Central America.

<i>Abronia mitchelli</i> Species of lizard

Abronia mitchelli, Mitchell's arboreal alligator lizard, is a species of arboreal alligator lizard in the family Anguidae. The species, which was originally described in 1982 by Jonathan A. Campbell, is endemic to southwestern Mexico.

<i>Abronia reidi</i> Species of lizard

Abronia reidi, Reid's arboreal alligator lizard, is a species of arboreal alligator lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is native to Mexico. It was described as a species new to science in 1961 by John E. Werler and Frederick A. Shannon.

<i>Abronia smithi</i> Species of lizard

Abronia smithi is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. Known by the common name Smith's arboreal alligator lizard, the species is endemic to the state of Chiapas in Mexico.

<i>Abronia taeniata</i> Species of lizard

Abronia taeniata, the banded arboreal alligator lizard or bromeliad arboreal alligator lizard, is a vulnerable species of arboreal alligator lizard described in 1828 by Arend Friedrich August Wiegmann.

Abronia campbelli, commonly known as Campbell's alligator lizard, is species of critically endangered arboreal alligator lizard in the family Anguidae. Abronia campbelli is endemic to eastern Guatemala.

The Anzuetoi arboreal alligator lizard, also known commonly as Anzueto's arboreal alligator lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is endemic to Volcán de Agua in Guatemala.

The brilliant arboreal alligator lizard is a species of lizard endemic to Guatemala.

Abronia vasconcelosii, sometimes known as Bocourt's arboreal alligator lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. It is endemic to Guatemala Plateau. It occurs in lower montane moist forest at elevations of 2,000–2,200 m (6,600–7,200 ft) above sea level.

References

  1. 1 2 Acevedo, M.; Ariano-Sánchez, D.; Johnson, J. (2013). "Abronia aurita". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T203013A2758576. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T203013A2758576.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. ↑ "Elgaria coerulea". The Reptile Database.
  4. ↑ Wrobel, Murray (2004). Elsevier's Dictionary of Reptiles. Elsevier.
  5. ↑ Wagner, Jason (2016). "Arboreal Alligator Lizard". Reptiles.
  6. ↑ Rutherford, Pamela; Gregory, Patrick (2003). "Habitat Use and Movement Patterns of Northern Alligator Lizards (Elgaria coerulea) and Western Skinks (Eumeces skiltonianus) in Southeastern British Columbia". Journal of Herpetology. 37 (1): 98–106. doi:10.1670/0022-1511(2003)037[0098:huampo]2.0.co;2.
  7. ↑ Campbell, JA; Brodie, ED (1999). "A new species of Abronia (Squamata : Anguidae) from the southeastern highlands of Guatemala". Herpetologica. 55 (2): 161–174.
  8. ↑ Kohler, G (2003). "Reptiles of Central America". Herpeton.
  9. ↑ Wagner, Jason (2016). "Arboreal Alligator Lizards". Reptiles.
  10. ↑ Fitch, HS (1935). "Natural History of the Alligator Lizards". Academy of Science of Saint Louis.
  11. ↑ Campbell, JA; Frost, DR (1993). "ANGUID LIZARDS OF THE GENUS ABRONIA - REVISIONARY NOTES, DESCRIPTIONS OF 4 NEW SPECIES, A PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS, AND KEY". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (216): 1–121.
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