Phrynosomatidae

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Phrynosomatidae
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous to recent, 85–0  Ma
Emerald swift (Sceloporus malachiticus) Finca El Pilar.jpg
Emerald swift ( Sceloporus malachiticus )
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Clade: Pleurodonta
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Fitzinger, 1843 [1]
Genera

Callisaurus
Cophosaurus
Desertiguana
Holbrookia
Petrosaurus
Phrynosoma
Sceloporus
Uma
Urosaurus
Uta

Contents

The Phrynosomatidae are a diverse family of lizards, sometimes classified as a subfamily (Phrynosomatinae), found from Panama to the extreme south of Canada. Many members of the group are adapted to life in hot, sandy deserts, although the spiny lizards prefer rocky deserts or even relatively moist forest edges, and the short-horned lizard lives in prairie or sagebrush environments. The group includes both egg-laying and viviparous species, with the latter being more common in species living at high elevations. [2]

The earliest fossil remains of this group are known from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia and belong to the genus Desertiguana . [3] As phrynosomatids are only known from North America, these remains indicate that phrynosomatids likely had a wider distribution in prehistoric times.

Genera

The Phrynosomatidae are organised into nine genera.

The earless taxa (Cophosaurus and Holbrookia) are sister genera.

Family Phrynosomatidae

Related Research Articles

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

The Iguanidae is a family of lizards composed of the iguanas, chuckwallas, and their prehistoric relatives, including the widespread green iguana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater earless lizard</span> Species of lizard

The greater earless lizard is the only species in the monotypic genus Cophosaurus. It is closely related to the smaller, lesser earless lizards and other species in the genus Holbrookia, and in fact was placed in that genus and referred to Holbrookia texana from 1852 into the 1970s. Earless lizards lack external ear openings, an adaptation to burrowing in the sand, as are the recessed lower jaw and flared upper labial scales. Greater earless lizards are sexually dimorphic, males grow larger and are more colorful than females, exhibiting pink and green colors that are particularly bright in the breeding season. Two bold black bars mark the lateral region of males but are greatly reduced and vague, or occasionally entirely absent in females.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earless lizard</span> Group of lizards

Earless lizards are two genera of small lizards native to the semiarid and grassland habitats of the Southwestern United States and Mexico. The genus Cophosaurus and the genus Holbrookia are both characterized by having no external ear openings, presumably to prevent sand from entering their bodies as they dig.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiny lizard</span> Genus of lizards

Spiny lizards is a common name for the genus Sceloporus in the family Phrynosomatidae. The genus is endemic to North America, with various species ranging from New York, to Washington, and one occurring as far south as northern Panama. The greatest diversity is found in Mexico. This genus includes some of the most commonly seen lizards in the United States. Other common names for lizards in this genus include fence lizards, scaly lizards, bunchgrass lizards, and swifts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western fence lizard</span> Species of lizard

The western fence lizard is a species of lizard native to Arizona, New Mexico, and California, as well as Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Northern Mexico. The species is widely found in its native range and is considered common, often being seen in yards, or as the name implies, on fences. As the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly. Two western fence lizards have been reported with duplicated or forked tails, presumably following an autotomy.

<i>Holbrookia</i> Genus of lizards

Holbrookia is a genus of earless lizards, known commonly as the lesser earless lizards, in the family Phrynosomatidae. The genus contains six recognized species, which are found throughout the Southwestern and Central United States and northern Mexico. They are characterized by having no external ear openings, presumably to prevent soil from entering their bodies when they are digging.

<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.

<i>Aspidoscelis</i> Genus of lizards

Aspidoscelis is a genus of whiptail lizards in the family Teiidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coast horned lizard</span> Species of lizard

The coast horned lizard is a species of phrynosomatid lizard endemic to Baja California Sur in Mexico. As a defense the lizard can shoot high pressure streams of blood out of its eyes if threatened.

<i>Holbrookia maculata</i> Species of lizard

Holbrookia maculata, commonly known as the lesser earless lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to the southwestern and central United States and northern Mexico. There are eight recognized subspecies.

<i>Holbrookia propinqua</i> Species of lizard

Holbrookia propinqua, commonly known as the keeled earless lizard, is a species of phrynosomatid lizard.

<i>Sceloporus grammicus</i> Species of lizard

Sceloporus grammicus is a species of lizard from Mexico and the southern United States. It is sometimes referred to as the mesquite lizard or graphic spiny lizard.

Holbrookia approximans, the speckled earless lizard, is a species of earless lizard which is found in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It is sometimes referred to as the western earless lizard.

Holbrookia maculata perspicua, commonly known as the eastern earless lizard and the prairie earless lizard, is a subspecies of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. H. m. perspicua is a subspecies of the lesser earless lizard. The subspecies is native to the prairies of the central United States.

References

  1. Wikispecies.
  2. Bauer, Aaron M. (1998). Cogger, H.G.; Zweifel, R.G. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 142–144. ISBN   0-12-178560-2.
  3. "Fossilworks: Desertiguana". www.fossilworks.org. Archived from the original on 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  4. Reeder, Tod W.; Wiens, John J. (1996). "Evolution of the Lizard Family Phrynosomatidae as Inferred from Diverse Types of Data". Herpetological Monographs. 10: 43–84. doi:10.2307/1466980. ISSN   0733-1347. JSTOR   1466980.