View source for Zebra-tailed lizard

{{Short description|Species of lizard}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2021}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = ''Callisaurus draconoides''
| image = ZebraTailed-Lizard-640px.jpg
| image_caption = A zebra-tailed lizard
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>[[Geoffrey A. Hammerson|Hammerson GA]], [[Darrel R. Frost|Frost DR]], [[Hector Gadsden-Esparza|Gadsden H]] (2007). "''Callisaurus draconoides'' ". The [[IUCN]] Red List of Threatened Species 2007: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64061A12732970.en. Downloaded on 18 August 2021.</ref>
| genus = Callisaurus
| parent_authority = [[Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville|Blainville]], 1835 
| species = draconoides
| authority = [[Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville|Blainville]], 1835 
| range_map = Callisaurus draconoides.png
}}

The '''zebra-tailed lizard''' ('''''Callisaurus draconoides''''') is a [[species]] of [[lizard]] in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Phrynosomatidae]]. The species is native to the [[Southwestern United States]] and adjacent northwestern [[Mexico]]. There are nine recognized [[subspecies]].

==Habitat==
Zebra-tailed lizards live in open [[desert]] with hard-packed soil, scattered vegetation, and scattered rocks, typically  flats, washes, and [[plain]]s.<ref name=iucn/>

==Description==
Zebra-tailed lizards range in size from {{convert|2.5|to|4|in|mm}} in [[Snout–vent length|snout-to-vent length]] (SVL). These [[lizards]] are grey to sandy brown, usually with a series of paired dark gray spots down the back, becoming black crossbands on the tail. The underside of the tail is white with black crossbars. Males have a pair of black blotches on their sides, extending to blue patches on their bellies. [[Females]] have no blue patches, and the black bars are either faint or completely absent.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} [[File:Callisaurus draconoides 001.JPG|thumb|''Callisaurus draconoides'': Dorsal (top) and ventral (bottom) views]]

==Behavior==
Zebra-tailed lizards are diurnal and alert. They rise early and are active in all but the hottest weather. During the hottest times of day, lizards may stand alternately on two legs, switching to the opposite two as needed in a kind of dance. When threatened, they run swiftly with their toes curled up and tails raised over their backs, exposing the stripes. When stopped, they wag their curled tails side-to-side to distract predators. They can even run on their hind legs for short distances. In areas of [[Creosote bush|creosote]] scrub, this lizard  reaches its highest population densities, around 4.8 to 6.0 individuals per acre (600 to 800 m<sup>2</sup> per lizard). This lizard burrows into fine sandy soil for retreat at night and usually seeks day shelter in the shade of bushes. It is also known to burrow under sand for safety when being chased by predators.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Reproduction==
In summer, zebra-tailed lizards typically lay two to eight [[Egg (biology)|egg]]s, which hatch from July to November, but more than one clutch can be laid during a season. Eggs are laid, presumably, in friable, sandy [[soil]]. Being a prey species for many animals, including [[Aves|birds]], other lizards, and [[mammal]]s, they have a fairly high reproductive rate.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Diet==
Lizards of the [[genus]] ''Callisaurus'' feed on a variety of [[Predation|prey]], from [[insect]]s, such as [[moth]]s, [[ant]]s and [[bee]]s, to [[spider]]s and other smaller [[lizard]]s. The diet occasionally includes vegetation, such as spring buds and [[flower]]s.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Geographic range==
Zebra-tailed lizards are common and widely distributed throughout the Southwestern United States, ranging from the [[Mojave Desert|Mojave]] and [[Colorado]] deserts north into the southern [[Great Basin]].{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Taxonomy==
The genus ''Callisaurus'' is [[Monotypic taxon|monotypic]], containing only one species, ''C. draconoides''. Nine [[subspecies]] are recognized, including the [[nominotypical subspecies]].<ref>{{EMBL species|genus=Callisaurus|species=draconoides}} www.reptile-database.org.</ref>

*''C. d. bogerti'' {{small|[[:es: Rafael Martín del Campo|Martín del Campo]], 1943}} – [[Charles Mitchill Bogert|Bogert's]] zebra-tailed lizard
*''C. d. brevipes'' {{small|[[Charles Mitchill Bogert|Bogert]] & [[Edward E. Dorson|Dorson]], 1942}} – short-footed zebra-tailed lizard
*''C. d. carmenensis'' {{small|[[Mary Cynthia Dickerson|Dickerson]], 1919}} – Carmen Island zebra-tailed lizard
*''C. d. crinitus'' {{small|[[Edward Drinker Cope|Cope]], 1896}} – Viscaino zebra-tailed lizard
*''C. d. draconoides'' {{small|[[Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville|Blainville]], 1835}} – common zebra-tailed lizard
*''C. d. inusitanus'' {{small|Dickerson, 1919}} – Sonoran zebra-tailed lizard
*''C. d. myurus'' {{small|[[Charles H. Richardson, Jr.|Richardson]], 1915}} – Nevada zebra-tailed lizard
*''C. d. rhodostictus'' {{small|Cope, 1896}} – Mojave zebra-tailed lizard
*''C. d. ventralis'' {{small|([[Edward Hallowell (herpetologist)|Hallowell]], 1852)}} – eastern zebra-tailed lizard

''[[Nota bene]]'': A [[Trinomen|trinomial authority]] in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Callisaurus''.

==Etymology==
The [[Subspecies|subspecific name]], ''bogerti'', is in honor of American herpetologist [[Charles Mitchill Bogert]].<ref>Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. (''Callisaurus draconoides bogerti'', p. 30).</ref>

==References==
{{Commons category|Callisaurus draconoides}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{ITIS |id=173906 |taxon=''Callisaurus draconoides ''|access-date=6 February 2006}}

==Further reading==
*[[John L. Behler|Behler, John L.]]; King, F. Wayne (1979). ''National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. (Chanticleer Press Edition). 743 pp. {{ISBN|0-394-50824-6}}. (''Callisaurus draconoides'', p.&nbsp;502 + Plate 362).
*[[Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville|Blainville HD]] (1835). "''Description de quelques espèces de reptiles de la Californie, précedée de l'analyse d'un système générale d'herpétologie et d'amphibiologie'' ". ''Nouvelles Annales du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle'' '''4''': 233–296. (''Callisaurus draconoides'', new species, pp.&nbsp;286–287 + Plate 24, figures 2, 2a). (in French).
*[[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger, George Albert]] (1885). ''Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume II., Iguanidæ ...'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 497 pp. + Plates I-XXIV. (''Callisaurus draconoides'', p.&nbsp;206).
*[[Mark O'Shea (herpetologist)|O'Shea, Mark]]; Halliday, Tim (2002). ''Reptiles and Amphibians: Smithsonian Handbooks''. New York: Dorling Kindersley Publishing. 256 pp. {{ISBN|0-7894-9393-4}}.
*[[Hobart Muir Smith|Smith, Hobart M.]]; Brodie, Edmund D., Jr. (1982). ''Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification''. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. {{ISBN|0-307-13666-3}} (paperback); {{ISBN|0-307-47009-1}} (hardcover). (''Callisaurus draconoides'', pp.&nbsp;130–131).
*[[Robert C. Stebbins|Stebbins, Robert C.]] (2003). ''A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, Third Edition''. The Peterson Field Guide Series ®. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. xiii + 533 pp. {{ISBN|0-395-98272-3}}. (''Callisaurus draconoides'', pp.&nbsp;279–280 + Plate 28 + Map 82).
*[[Herbert S. Zim|Zim, Herbert S.]]; Smith, Hobart M. (1956). ''Reptiles and Amphibians: A Guide to Familiar Species: A Golden Nature Guide''. New York: Simon and Schuster. 160 pp. (''Callisaurus draconoides'', pp.&nbsp;55, 155).

{{Taxonbar|from=Q169498}}

[[Category:Phrynosomatidae]]
[[Category:Reptiles of the United States]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Western United States]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Mojave Desert]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Colorado Desert]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Great Basin]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Sonoran Desert]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 1835]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville]]