Sceloporus merriami
| Sceloporus merriami | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Phrynosomatidae |
| Genus: | Sceloporus |
| Species: | S. merriami |
| Binomial name | |
| Sceloporus merriami Stejneger, 1904 | |
Sceloporus merriami, commonly known as the canyon lizard, is a species of phrynosomatid lizard native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Etymology
The specific name, merriami, is in honor of American zoologist Clinton Hart Merriam.[1]
Geographic range
It is found in the United States in the state of Texas, and it is found in Mexico in the states of Coahuila, Durango, and Chihuahua.
Description
Adults may reach 58 mm (2.2 in) snout to vent length. Including the tail, they may reach 162 mm (6.4 in) in total length. The dorsal scales are small, and the lateral scales are granular.[2]
Dorsally, the canyon lizard is gray, tan, or reddish-brown, matching the rocks on which it lives. There are four rows of dark spots on the back, and a vertical black line in front of the front leg. Males have blue and black lines on the throat.[3]
Subspecies
The seven recognized subspecies of S. merriami, including the nominotypical subspecies, are:
- Sceloporus merriami annulatus H.M. Smith, 1937 - Big Bend canyon lizard
- Sceloporus merriami australis Williams, H.M. Smith & Chrapliwy, 1960 - southeastern canyon lizard
- Sceloporus merriami ballingeri Lemos-Espinal, H.M. Smith, Auth & Chiszar, 2001 - Ballinger's canyon lizard
- Sceloporus merriami longipunctatus Olson, 1973 - Presidio canyon lizard
- Sceloporus merriami merriami Stejneger, 1904 - Merriam's canyon lizard[4]
- Sceloporus merriami sanojae Lemos-Espinal & Chiszar, 2003 - Sanoja's canyon lizard
- Sceloporus merriami williamsi Lemos-Espinal, Chiszar & H.M. Smith, 2000 - Williams' canyon lizard[4]
References
- ↑ Beltz, Ellin. Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America - Explained.
- ↑ Smith, H.M., and E.D. Brodie, Jr. 1982. Reptiles of North America, A Guide to Field Identification. Golden Press. New York. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3.
(Sceloporus merriami , pp. 116-117.) - ↑ Conant, R.. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 429 pp.
ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Sceloporus merriami, pp. 106-107 + Plate 16 + Map 62.). - 1 2 Bell, Edwin L.; Smith, Hobart M.; Chiszar, David (2003), "An Annotated List of the Species-Group Names Applied to the Lizard Genus Sceloporus." (PDF), Acta Zoologica Mexicana, number 90: 103–174
Further reading
- Stejneger, L. 1904. A New Lizard from the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 17: 17-20. (Sceloporus merriami sp. nov.)
External links
- Species Sceloporus merriami at The Reptile Database