turtles lizards snakes
frogs
Reptiles of the United States  
  Home Email Site map
A Guide to the Reptiles &
Amphibians of the United States
Home snakes lizards Turtles turtles salamanders
Snakes of the U.S.
UDG-Banner (55K)
 



Speckled Earless Lizard Range Map






Western Earless Lizard Video




Speckled Earless Lizard Juvenile

Home »» Lizards »» Phrynosomatidae (North American Spiny Lizards) »» Western Earless Lizards »» Speckled Earless Lizard (Holbrookia maculata approximans)


Speckled Earless Lizard (Holbrookia maculata approximans)Species of Least Concern





Description: A small (up to 2.75 inches from snout to vent), gray, tan, or orange-brown lizard with variable markings. Coloration usually matches the soil on which the lizard lives. Body markings usually consist of four rows of brown blotches or chevrons extending from the neck to the tail and light speckles on the upper surfaces of the body and limbs. Some specimens lack markings. Two black bars mark each lower side of the body just behind the forelimb. Males often have a yellow tint on the lower sides, blue outlines around the side bars, copious light speckling, and less distinct dorsal blotches. Gravid females often have a pink or peach tint and an orange throat patch. As its common name implies, this lizard lacks external ear openings. The scales are small and granular.


Habitat: Found in communities ranging from Semidesert Grassland, through Interior Chaparral, and into woodlands. It is usually encountered on relatively level terrain in open, sunlit areas with sparse vegetation and sandy or gravelly soil.


Range: Central Texas, west through most of New Mexico and Arizona into Mexico.


Found in these States: AZ | NM | TX


Diet: It feeds on a variety of insects including grasshoppers, beetles, bees, wasps, ants, true bugs, butterflies, and moths. It also eats a variety of spiders and small lizards.


Reproduction: Mating takes place in spring and one or two clutches of eggs are laid in spring and summer. Clutch size ranges from 1 to 10 eggs.


Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of the relatively large and stable extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, number of subpopulations, and population size. No major threats have been identified.


Taxonomy:

»» Kingdom: Animalia - Animals
   »» Phylum: Chordata - Chordates
     »» Subphylum: Vertebrata - Vertebrates
       »» Class: Reptilia - Reptiles
         »» Order: Squamata - Lizards
           »» Family: Phrynosomatidae - North American Spiny Lizards
             »» Genus: Holbrookia
               »» Species: Holbrookia maculata - Western Earless Lizard
                 »» Subspecies: Holbrookia maculata approximans - Speckled Earless Lizard

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Holbrookia maculata", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. Content may have been omitted from the original, but no content has been changed or extended.

 

 

 

 


Recommended Books at Amazon.com


Handbook of Lizards: Lizards of the United States and of Canada     Lizards of the World: A Guide to Every Family     Texas Lizards: A Field Guide     National Geographic Readers: Lizards



DISCLAIMER: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites.

 

 
 

Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 
Copyright © 2008 - Herpedia™.com