Gerrhonotus
Encyclopedia
Gerrhonotus is a genus
of anguid
lizard
s that are commonly referred to as alligator lizards, due to a vague resemblance to the alligator
. There are five currently recognized species
in the genus:
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of anguid
Anguidae
The Anguidae is a large and diverse family of lizards native to the northern hemisphere. The group includes the slowworms, glass lizards, and alligator lizards, among others. Anguidae is divided into three subfamilies and contains 94 species in eight genera. Their closest living relatives are the...
lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s that are commonly referred to as alligator lizards, due to a vague resemblance to the alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
. There are five currently recognized species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in the genus:
- Gerrhonotus farri Bryson and Graham, 2010
- TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Alligator Lizard, Gerrhonotus infernalisGerrhonotus infernalisThe Texas alligator lizard is a species of alligator lizard in the subfamily Gerrhonotinae.-Geographic range:It is found in the central region of the American state of Texas, and south into Mexico.- Description :...
BairdSpencer Fullerton BairdSpencer Fullerton Baird was an American ornithologist, ichthyologist and herpetologist. Starting in 1850 he was assistant-secretary and later secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C...
, 1859 - Smooth-headed Alligator Lizard, Gerrhonotus liocephalus WiegmannArend Friedrich August WiegmannArend Friedrich August Wiegmann was a German zoologist. He studied medicine and philology at the University of Leipzig, and afterwards was an assistant to Martin Lichtenstein in Berlin...
, 1828 - Lugo's Alligator Lizard, Gerrhonotus lugoi McCoy, 1970
- Pygmy Alligator Lizard, Gerrhonotus parvus Knight & Scudday, 1985