Petrosaurus mearnsi
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox
Petrosaurus mearnsi, also called the banded rock lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae.[1] The species is native to western North America.
Etymology
The specific name, mearnsi, is in honor of American naturalist Edgar Alexander Mearns, who collected the first specimens.[2][3]
Geographic range
P. mearnsi is endemic to extreme southern California and Baja California, Mexico.[4] It also occurs on Isla El Muerto.[5]
Description
P. mearnsi is an extremely flat-bodied lizard. Its dorsum is olive, brown or gray, with white or bluish spots. It has a single black collar, a banded tail, and granular scales on its body, with keeled tail and limb scales. Individuals may be Script error: No such module "convert". long snout-to-vent. Males have more pronounced throat patterns and brighter blue coloring than females.[6]
Habitat
P. mearnsi is associated with boulder hillsides,[6] extending in Baja California to chaparral and pinyon-juniper woodlands.[5]
Diet
P. mearnsi is omnivorous, feeding not only on insects and spiders, but also on buds and flowers.[7]
Reproduction
Gravid females of P. mearnsi lay eggs from June through August. Clutch size varies from 2 to 6 eggs.[7]
References
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- ↑ Beltz, Ellin (2006). Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America – Explained. ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx.html.
- ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. Template:ISBN. (Petrosaurus mearnsi, p. 174).
- ↑ Smith HM, Brodie ED Jr (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. Template:ISBN (paperback). (Streptosaurus mearnsi, pp. 110–111).
- ↑ a b Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Stebbins RC (2003). A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, Third Edition. The Peterson Field Guide Series®. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin. xiii + 533 pp. Template:ISBN (paperback). (Petrosaurus mearnsi, pp. 298–299 + Plate 32 + Map 100).
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Sources
- This article is based on a description from "A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal Southern California", Robert N. Fisher and Ted J. Case, USGS, http://www.werc.usgs.gov/fieldguide/index.htm Template:Webarchive.
Further reading
- Schulze Niehoff P (2018). "Mearns’ Rock Lizard, Petrosaurus mearnsi (Stejneger, 1894) – its natural history, captive care and first breeding record". Sauria (Berlin) 40 (1): 58–74.
- Stejneger L (1894). "Description of Uta mearnsi, a new Lizard from California". Proceedings of the United States National Museum 17: 589–591. (Uta mearnsi, new species)