| Sandstone night lizard | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Xantusiidae |
| Genus: | Xantusia |
| Species: | X. gracilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Xantusia gracilis |
|
The Sandstone night lizard, Xantusia gracilis, is a recently named (2005) species of night lizard. Prior to this elevated status it was considered a subspecies of the Granite night lizard Xantusia henshawi. The physical difference is that the Sandstone Night Lizard has lighter coloration.
The sandstone night lizard is extremely limited geographically; it is known only to the Truckhaven Rocks in the Colorado Desert, at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in eastern San Diego County, California.
The lizard is very secretive utilizing small burrows and sandstone or siltstone for cover.
This article is based on a description from the website of California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System http://www.dfg.ca.gov/whdab/html/reptiles.html