Urosaurus
| Urosaurus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Urosaurus ornatus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Phrynosomatidae |
| Genus: | Urosaurus Hallowell, 1854[1] |
| Diversity | |
| 8 species, see text. | |
Urosaurus is a genus of lizards, commonly known as tree lizards or brush lizards, belonging to the New World family Phrynosomatidae.[1] They are native to North America, specifically the arid and semiarid regions of the western United States and Mexico, spending most of their time on trees, shrubs, or boulders.[2]
Description
dorsal scales.[citation needed] Some species of Urosaurus (Urosaurus ornatus) appear to be polymorphic for throat color, but it does vary in different populations. In male lizards, these colors can range anywhere from orange, yellow, green, or turquoise, and in females the color can be either orange or yellow.[3] Throat color in males is also appears to be associated with certain mating behaviors including aggression, boldness, submission, and cautiousness.[4]
Reproduction
Urosaurus have been used as a model system in lizard
eggs per year.[5][6] Field studies have also shown a cost of reproduction in a natural New Mexico population of the species Urosaurus ornatus.[7]
Species
In the genus Urosaurus there are eight species which are recognized as being valid.[8]
| Image | Scientific Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
.jpg) |
Urosaurus auriculatus (Cope, 1871) | Socorro Island in Baja California |
| Urosaurus bicarinatus (A.M.C. Duméril, 1856) | Mexico. | |
| Urosaurus clarionensis (Townsend, 1890) | Baja California | |
| Urosaurus gadovi (Schmidt, 1921) | Mexico | |
_(5-5-08)_ticaboo_cyn,_garfield_co,_ut_-01_(14812845892).jpg) |
Urosaurus graciosus Hallowell, 1854 | southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico. |
| Urosaurus lahtelai Rau & Loomis, 1977 | Mexico. | |
 |
Urosaurus nigricauda (Cope, 1864) | southern California, Baja California, |
.jpg) |
Urosaurus ornatus (Baird & Girard, 1852) | southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. |
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other that Urosaurus.
References
- ^ a b "Urosaurus Hallowell, 1854". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- PMID 21871967.
- JSTOR 1445244.
- PMID 21871967.
- JSTOR 3669714.
- JSTOR 1564108.
- S2CID 3226827.
- ^ Urosaurus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 28 January 2015.
Further reading
- Hallowell E (1854). "Descriptions of new Reptiles from California". Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 91–97. (Urosaurus, new genus, p. 92).
| Authority control databases: National |
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