Granite night lizard

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Granite night lizard
Xantusia henshawi.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Scinciformata
Infraorder: Scincomorpha
Family: Xantusiidae
Genus: Xantusia
Species:
X. henshawi
Binomial name
Xantusia henshawi
Stejneger, 1893
Synonyms [2]
  • Xantusia picta Cope, 1895

The granite night lizard (Xantusia henshawi), also known commonly as Henshaw's night lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Xantusiidae. The species is endemic to North America. [2]

Contents

Etymology

The specific name, henshawi, is in honor of American naturalist Henry Wetherbee Henshaw. [3]

Geographic range

X. henshawi is found in Mexico in the Mexican state of Baja California, and also in the United States in adjacent southern California. [2]

Description

X. henshawi is flat-bodied with a broad, flat head and a soft skin. It has rounded, dark dorsal spots on a pale yellow or cream background. Its scales are granular on its dorsum, but large and squarish on the ventral surface. This lizard has large eyes with vertical pupils, and it lacks eyelids. [4]

Habitat and behavior

The granite night lizard is often found on rocky slopes with large exfoliating boulders and abundant crevices, but is occasionally found in coastal sage scrub and chaparral without boulders. It is active in crevices during the day, but moves on the surface at night. [4]

Reproduction

X. henshawi is oviparous. [2]

See also

References

  1. Hollingsworth, B.; Hammerson, G.A. (2007). "Xantusia henshawi ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2007 e.T64366A12774257. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64366A12774257.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Species Xantusia henshawi at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. (Xantusia henshawi, p. 121).
  4. 1 2 Fisher, Robert N.; Case, Ted J. (1997). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal Southern California. San Diego: Department of Biology, University of California at San Diego. 46 pp. ISBN   978-0966005905. USGS Western Ecological Research Center website. http://www.werc.usgs.gov/fieldguide/index.htm Archived 2009-08-25 at the Wayback Machine .

Further reading