Phymaturus

Phymaturus
Adult male of Phymaturus verdugo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia (paraphyletic)
Subclass: Diapsida
(unranked): Sauria
Infraclass: Lepidosauromorpha
Superorder: Lepidosauria
Order: Squamata
(unranked): Toxicofera
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Liolaemidae (disputed)
Genus: Phymaturus
Diversity
20 species

Phymaturus is a genus of iguanian "lizards" of the family Liolaemidae, which is traditionally included in the Iguanidae as subfamily but more recently was proposed to warrant distinct family status. It is the mid-sized genus of its family, with 20 species altogether known as of 2008; new species are still being discovered however.[1]

They are found in the Andes region south to Patagonia and inhabit a variety of habitats. Their habits are mostly conserved from the ancestral iguanians, insofar as that Phymaturus are generally inhabitants of rocky ground that feed on plants and give birth to fully developed young.[1]

Systematics

The genus can be divided into two lineages, which probably represent clades:

flagellifer group

Superciliar scales not imbricate, more than four subocular scales, 3-4 rows of lorilabial scales, mental scale narrower than rostral scale and usually touching the sublabial scales. Tail spines well-developed, two annuli per segment.[1]

patagonicus group

Superciliar scales elongate and overlapping, one usually unfragmented subocular scale, tail smooth, Meckel's groove fused and closed.[1]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Scolaro et al. (2008)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Avila et al. (2011).

References