Common side-blotched lizard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Common Side-blotched Lizard
Conservation status
Secure
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Order: Squamata Suborder: Sauria Family: Iguanidae Subfamily: Phrynosomatidae Genus: Uta Species: U. stansburiana
Binomial name
Uta stansburiana Baird & Girard, 1852
Subspecies
U. s. stansburiana Northern Side-blotched Lizard U. s. nevadensis Nevada Side-blotched Lizard U. s. uniformis Plateau Side-blotched Lizard U. s. elegans Western Side-blotched Lizard U. s. stellata San Benito Side-blotched Lizard U. s. concinna Cedros Side-blotched Lizard U. s. martinensis San Martin Side-blotched Lizard (disputed) U. s. taylori Taylor's Side-blotched Lizard (disputed)
Synonyms
Uta concinna Uta elegans Uta graciosa Uta levis Uta martinensis Uta mearnsi Uta microscutata Uta stansburiana hesperis Uta stellata Uta thalassina Uta wrighti

The Common Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana) is a species of Side-blotched Lizard common on the Pacific coast of North America, from Washington to western Texas and NW Mexico. It has a peculiar evolutionary strategy following the pattern of the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, with 3 types of males existing which each applies a different technique to acquire mates (Sinervo & Lively, 1996; Sinervo, 2001; Alonzo & Sinervo, 2001; Sinervo & Clobert, 2001; Sinervo & Zamudio, 2001).

[edit] Systematics

The systematics and taxonomy of these widespread and variable lizards is much disputed (Grismer, 1994; Upton & Murphy, 1997). Countless forms and morphs have been described as subspecies or even distinct species (e.g. Schmidt, 1921).

• The forms which occur in most of Mexico (except Baja California) have been recognized as a very distinct species, the Eastern side-blotched lizard (Uta stejnegeri) (Collins, 1991).
• Populations from San Benito and Cedros Islands were separated as distinct species Uta stellata and U. concinna but are nowadays included in U. stansburiana.
• Those of Santa Catalina Island and the Salsipuedes Islands, U. squamata and U. antiqua are sometimes included in this species too, but this is certainly not correct in the latter case, and probably in the former also.
• Based on the same data that would give U. squamata species rank, the southern Baja California populations could arguably be split off (as Uta elegans) too.
• The proposed subspecies martinensis and taylori are probably not valid.
• The populations on Angel de la Guarda, Mejia and Raza Islands almost certainly constitute a separate species closer to Uta palmeri, and that of San Esteban Island may so too, being close to squamata.
• The status of the Las Encantadas group populations named as Uta encantadae, U. lowei and U. tumidarostra is not completely resolved; these distinct populations are of comparatively recent origin and are sometimes included in this species (Murphy & Aguirre-León, 2002), but their unique adaptations to living in intertidal habitat suggest that they should be considered distinct; whether as one or as three species remains unresolved.

[edit] References

• Alonzo, Suzanne H. & Sinervo, Barry (2001): Mate choice games, context-dependent good genes, and genetic cycles in the side-blotched lizard, Uta stansburiana. Behavioral Ecology Sociobiology 49(2-3): 176–186. DOI:10.1007/s002650000265 (HTML abstract)

• Collins, Joseph T. (1991): Viewpoint: a new taxonomic arrangement for some North American amphibians and reptiles. Herpetological Review 22(2): 42-43. PDF fulltext

• Grismer, L. L. (1994): Three new species of intertidal side-blotched lizards (Genus Uta) from the Gulf of California, Mexico. Herpetologica 50: 451–474.

• Murphy, Robert W. & Aguirre-León, Gustavo (2002): The Nonavian Reptiles: Origins and Evolution. In: Case, Ted & Cody, Martin (eds.): A New Island Biogeography of the Sea of Cortés: 181-220. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-513346-3 PDF fulltext Appendices 2-4

• Schmidt, Karl Patterson (1921): New species of North American lizards of the genera Holbrookia and Uta. American Museum Novitates 22: 1-6. PDF fulltext

• Sinervo, Barry (2001): Runaway social games, genetic cycles driven by alternative male and female strategies, and the origin of morphs. Genetica 112-113(1): 417-434. DOI:10.1023/A:1013360426789 (HTML abstract)

• Sinervo, Barry & Clobert, Jean (2003): Morphs, Dispersal Behavior, Genetic Similarity, and the Evolution of Cooperation. Science 300(5627): 1949-1951. DOI:10.1126/science.1083109 (HTML abstract) Supporting Online Material

• Sinervo, Barry & Lively, C. M. (1996): The Rock-Paper-Scissors Game and the evolution of alternative male strategies. Nature 380: 240-243. DOI:10.1038/380240a0 (HTML abstract)

• Sinervo, Barry & Zamudio, K. R. (2001): The Evolution of Alternative Reproductive Strategies: Fitness Differential, Heritability, and Genetic Correlation Between the Sexes. Journal of Heredity 92(2): 198-205. PDF fulltext

• Upton, Darlene E. & Murphy, Robert W. (1997): Phylogeny of the side-blotched lizards (Phrynosomatidae: Uta) based on mtDNA sequences: support for midpeninsular seaway in Baja California. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 8(1): 104-113. DOI:10.1006/mpev.1996.0392 PDF fulltext

[edit] External links

• UC Santa Cruz: Cooperation between unrelated male lizards adds a new wrinkle to evolutionary theory (Essay on Sinervo & Clobert 2001 paper)