Description: Greater earless lizards do not have external ear openings. The scales on the body are small and granular, with the dorsal scales slightly smaller than the ventral scales. Their legs, particularly the hind legs, are relatively long. The tail is slightly flattened and longer than head and body combined. The underside of the tail is white with 5 to 9 (usually 6 or 7) bold, contrasting black bands (excluding individuals with regenerated tails). The base color can be various shades of grays, browns, tans, or reddish brown and generally close to the prevailing colors of the local substrate. Cophosaurus texanus is a sexually dimorphic species, in addition to size differences, males and females differ in some aspects of colors and markings. Most noticeable in males are a pair of black bands located on the posterior third on the sides of the body, rising from two blue patches on the margins of the belly up sides and arching forward and ending before meeting on the back. The body anterior to the black bands is suffused with some shade of pink, orange, or red, and the body posterior to the black bands tented green, aqua-green, or lime-green. The colors are most prominent in the Southwestern greater earless lizard (C. t. scitulus) and are greatly enhanced and most noticeable in the breeding season in all subspecies. In parts of their range they are colloquially referred to as "the lizard with the pink shirt and green pants." In contrast, females either lack the black lateral bands entirely or they are very faint and indistinct. Females and young often exhibit a lateral white or near white stripe running between the forelimbs and hind limbs and on the back of the legs.

The subspecies were diagnosed in the original description with the following characters. Cophosaurus t. texana: typically, 80 to 86%, have 79 ventral scales or less from collar (last gular fold) to anus, 40 or more scales in head length, and 27 or less total femoral pores.

Habitat: The greater earless lizard native to the arid environment of the Chihuahua Desert, extending into western areas of the Tamaulipan mezquital, and the northeastern margins of the Meseta Central matorral, as well as the semi-arid Edwards Plateau and Central Great Plains in Texas, and the Arizona transition zone (between the Sonoran Desert and Arizona Mountains forests) in the west.

Within these ecoregions it typically occupies open scrubland and areas of sparse vegetation, with rocks and boulder. Limestone ledges and outcrops near streams with boulders and crevices, and dry gulches, arroyos, and canyons with alluvium deposits of silt, sand, gravel, and rocks are often preferred, but it is not strictly limited to these areas. Gentle to moderate slopes of limestone and gravel and hills of granite and igneous rock are also habitat for the lizard.

Range: The Texas greater earless lizard (C. t. texanus) occurs in the Edwards Plateau region of central Texas and northward to the state border and southeastern areas of the Texas panhandle. It ranges southward into the Tamaulipan mezquital ecoregion, along the Rio Grande into northeast Coahuila and north-central Nuevo León, Mexico.In south-central Tamaulipas it's occurrence becomes increasingly spotty and localized with records just across southern state line in eastern San Luis Potosí.

Found in these States: TX

Diet: The greater earless lizard is predominantly an insectivore and a generalist.

Reproduction: The longevity of the greater earless lizard is typicality 3 years, but records of individuals surviving five reproductive seasons in the wild have been documented. Both males and females reach adult size in a year, attaining maturity and mating before their second winter. Mating occurs from April to August, peeking in late April to early July. Gravid females often exhibit pink, orange, or yellow colors on their throats and sides. In one study gravid females were only found in May and June. Multiple clutches, up to four a year, are scattered over a wide area, with clutch size ranging from 2 to 9 eggs, average 3 to 5. Older females produce larger clutches than young females. One study reported finding single eggs buried in the sand on three occasions but never locating a clutch. The incubation period is about 50 days. The hatchlings emerge June to October with reports of sizes varying from 20 to 25 mm. to 26 to 31 mm. snout–vent length.

Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

Taxonomy: