Gerrhonotus liocephalus

Gerrhonotus liocephalus
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Anguimorpha
Family:	Anguidae
Genus:	Gerrhonotus
Species:	G. liocephalus
Binomial name
	Gerrhonotus liocephalus; Wiegmann, 1828
Synonyms
	Gerrhonotus tesselatus; Wiegmann, 1834; Pterogasterus tesselatus; (Wiegmann, 1834); Scincus ventralis; Peale & Green, 1830; Pterogasterus ventralis; (Peale & Green, 1830);

Last updated September 30, 2025

Gerrhonotus liocephalus, also known commonly as the Texas alligator lizard, Wiegmann's alligator lizard, and la culebra con pata in Spanish, is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is native to Texas, Mexico, and Guatemala.^[2] There are three recognized subspecies.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of Gerrhonotus liocephalus are forest and shrubland.^[1]

Behavior

Gerrhonotus liocephalus is terrestrial.^[1]

Diet

Gerrhonotus liocephalus preys predominately upon insects.^[1]

Reproduction

Gerrhonotus liocephalus is oviparous.^[1]^[2]

Subspecies

The following three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.^[2]

Gerrhonotus liocephalus austrinus Hartweg & Tihen, 1946
Gerrhonotus liocephalus liocephalus Wiegmann, 1828
Gerrhonotus liocephalus loweryi Tihen, 1948

Etymology

The subspecific name, loweryi, is in honor of American ornithologist George Hines Lowery, Jr. ^[3]^: 161

References

1 2 3 4 5 Vazquez Díaz, J.; Quintero Díaz, G.E. (2007). "Gerrhonotus liocephalus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2007 e.T63708A12707928. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
1 2 3 4 Species Gerrhonotus liocephalus at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
↑ Beolens, B.; Watkins, M.; Grayson, M. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. xiii + 296. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5.

Hartweg, N.; Tihen, J. (1946). "Lizards of the Genus Gerrhonotus from Chiapas, Mexico". Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan (497): 1–16. (Gerrhonotus liocephalus austrinus, new subspecies, pp. 6–7).
Peale, T.R.; Green, J. (1830). "Description of two new Species of the Linnean Genus Lacerta ". Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 6 (1): 231–234. (Scincus ventralis, new species, pp. 233–234). (in English and Latin).
Tihen, J.A. (1948). "A New Gerrhonotus from San Luis Potosi". Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. 51 (3): 302–304. (Gerrhonotus liocephalus loweryi, new subspecies).
Wiegmann, A.F. (1828). "Beyträge zur Amphibienkunde ". Isis von Oken. 21 (4): 364–383. (Gerrhonotus liocephalus, new species, p. 381). (in German and Latin).

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[iucn_status_20_November_2021-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Vazquez Díaz, J.; Quintero Díaz, G.E. (2007). "Gerrhonotus liocephalus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2007 e.T63708A12707928. Retrieved 20 November 2021.

[RDB-2] 1 2 3 4 Species Gerrhonotus liocephalus at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.

[3] Beolens, B.; Watkins, M.; Grayson, M. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. xiii + 296. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5.

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