Crotaphytidae
Encyclopedia
The family Crotaphytidae, or collared lizards, are desert-dwelling reptiles native to the southwest USA and northern Mexico
. They are very fast-moving animals, with long limbs and tails, and are carnivorous
, feeding mainly on insects.
There are 12 species in two genera.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. They are very fast-moving animals, with long limbs and tails, and are carnivorous
Carnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
, feeding mainly on insects.
There are 12 species in two genera.
Technical characters
- Femoral pores present.
- Interparietal scale small (distinctly smaller than ear opening).
- Never have an enlarged midorsal scale row or fringe.
- Never have a divided rostral scale.
- No bony spines or projecting ridges on their heads.
- No scales projecting over their ears, and no scales forming a prominent fringe on sides of toes as in PhrynosomatidaePhrynosomatidaePhrynosomatidae is a diverse family of lizards, 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...
.
Species
Family: Crotaphytidae- Genus GambeliaGambeliaGambelia is the genus name for the Leopard Lizards in the family Crotaphytidae. One difference between the genera Gambelia and Crotaphytus is that the former has fracture planes in their tails, allowing the tails to break off when grasped by predators.-Genus Gambelia:*Cope's Leopard Lizard,...
(Leopard lizards)- Cope's Leopard Lizard - Gambelia copeii
- Blunt-nosed Leopard LizardGambelia silaGambelia sila, also known as the Blunt-nosed leopard lizard is listed as a federal endangered species and is listed by the State of California as an endangered species and fully protected species...
- Gambelia sila - Long-nosed Leopard Lizard - Gambelia wislizenii
- Genus CrotaphytusCrotaphytusClassification of the genus Crotaphytus, a type of lizard.-Genus Crotaphytus:*Venerable Collared Lizard, Crotaphytus antiquus*Desert Collared Lizard, Crotaphytus bicinctores*Common Collared Lizard, Crotaphytus collaris...
(Collared lizards)- Venerable Collared LizardVenerable Collared LizardThe Venerable Collared Lizard is a species of lizard in the genus Crotaphytus, native to Northern Mexico....
- Crotaphytus antiquus - Desert Collared LizardCrotaphytus bicinctoresCrotaphytus bicinctores is a species of lizard known as the Desert Collared Lizard or the Mohave Black Collared Lizard. It is very similar to the Common Collared Lizard, Crotaphytus collaris, in shape and size, but it lacks the bright extravagant colors. Males can be brown to orange and some red or...
- Crotaphytus bicinctores - Common Collared Lizard - Crotaphytus collaris
- Grismer's Collared Lizard - Crotaphytus grismeri
- Sonoran Collared Lizard - Crotaphytus nebrius
- Reticulated Collared LizardCrotaphytus reticulatusThe Reticulate Collared Lizard is a moderately sized lizard native to semi-arid, rocky regions of the Tamaulipan mezquital. Its range includes the American state of Texas and the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. Of all the species in its family, Crotaphytidae species, C...
- Crotaphytus reticulatus - Baja Collared Lizard - Crotaphytus vestigium
- Venerable Collared Lizard