Xantusia (/zænˈtuːziə/) is one of three genera of night lizards (family Xantusiidae). Species of Xantusia are small to medium-sized, viviparous (live-bearing) lizards found in the U.S. Southwest and in northern Mexico.
These lizards display morphological adaptations to specific microhabitats.[2] They occupy rock crevices and decaying plants. Rock dwellers generally have brighter coloration, longer limbs and digits, and larger size than plant dwellers, which are generally duller, smaller, and have shorter limbs.
Species of the genus Xantusia are remarkably disjunct, with populations scattered throughout the deserts and mountains of the far western borderlands with only a handful of recorded cases of interspecific allopatry. The genus contains at least seven distinct cases of morphological convergence to the rock dwelling ecomorph in Arizona, California, Baja California, and Central Mexico.[3]
^Xantusia vigilis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
^Bezy, R. L. (1967). "Variation, distribution, and taxonomic status of the Arizona night lizard (Xantusia arizonae)". Copeia, 653–661.
^Noonan, B. P., Pramuk, J. B., Bezy, R. L., Sinclair, E. A., de Queiroz, K., & Sites Jr, J. W. (2013). "Phylogenetic relationships within the lizard clade Xantusiidae: Using trees and divergence times to address evolutionary questions at multiple levels". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 69(1), 109–122.
Xantusia (/zænˈtuːziə/) is one of three genera of night lizards (family Xantusiidae). Species of Xantusia are small to medium-sized, viviparous (live-bearing)...
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approximately 34 living species. The genera are divided by geographic range: Xantusia in southwestern North America and Baja California, Cricosaura in Cuba,...
lizard (Xantusia gracilis) is a species of night lizard. Prior to 2005, it was considered a subspecies of the granite night lizard, Xantusia henshawi...
species of endemic land vertebrates on the island: the island night lizard (Xantusia riversiana), deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus exterus), and island fox...
whiptail (Aspidoscelis inornata heptagrammus); and the Arizona night lizard (Xantusia arizonae). Turtles are less numerous than their other reptilian counterparts...
the night-lizards family, plus the subfamily Xantusiinae, and the genus Xantusia Plants: Clarkia xantiana – Xantus' clarkia, gunsight fairyfan Euphorbia...
The Durango night lizard (Xantusia extorris) is a diminutive lizard found in the Mexican state of Durango. It is usually found in niches of agave and yucca...
Common name Xantusia gracilis [e] Sandstone night lizard Xantusia henshawi Granite night lizard Xantusia riversiana [e] Island night lizard Xantusia sierrae...
occipitalis) Xantusiidae Baird, 1858 Night lizards Granite night lizard (Xantusia henshawi) Alethinophidia Family Common names Example species Example photo...
lizard (Xantusia vigilis) LC: Desert night lizard (Xantusia vigilis) Arizona night lizard (Xantusia arizonae) LC Sierra night lizard (Xantusia sierrae)...
whiptail (Aspidoscelis inornata heptagrammus); and the Arizona night lizard (Xantusia arizonae). Turtles are less numerous than their other reptilian counterparts...
Skink (Tiliqua occipitalis) Teiidae Tegus or whiptails Blue Tegu (Tupinambis teguixin) Xantusiidae Night lizards Granite Night Lizard (Xantusia henshawi)...
neglecta f. gracilis, a synonym for Utricularia australis, a plant species Xantusia gracilis, sandstone night lizard Yelovichnus gracilis, a species of enigmatic...
(Uromastyx aegyptia) Gray's monitor (Varanus olivaceus) Sandstone night lizard (Xantusia gracilis) Xenosaurus grandis There are 100 species and one subspecies of...
Henshaw is commemorated in the scientific name of a species of lizard, Xantusia henshawi. Nelson, Edward William (1932). "Henry Wetherbee Henshaw: Naturalist...
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