California rock lizard

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California rock lizards - Petrosaurus
Blauer Felsenleguan.jpg
Baja blue rock lizard
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Genus: Petrosaurus
Boulenger, 1885[1]
Species

See text

The California rock lizards are a genus (Petrosaurus) of New World lizards in the family Phrynosomatidae.[2]

Geographic range[]

They are endemic to southern California and Baja California, Mexico.[3]

Habitat[]

This lizard species lives almost exclusively on rock outcrops, boulder piles, and canyon walls, where it shelters under rocks. Their habitat consists of arid and semiarid foothills and canyons along the western margin of the Colorado Desert.[4]

Reproduction[]

The courtship begins shortly after emergence in early spring. The eggs are laid around June and July.

Predators[]

The few predators that could pursue this lizard are collared lizards and avian predators, such as hawks, ravens, and roadrunners.

Species[]

The genus Petrosaurus contains three species.

  • Petrosaurus mearnsi (Stejneger, 1894) - banded rock lizard
  • (Van Denburgh, 1895)
  • Petrosaurus thalassinus (Cope, 1863) - Baja blue rock lizard[5]

References[]

  1. ^ Dahms Tierleben. www.dahmstierleben.de.
  2. ^ Smith, H.M. and E.D. Brodie, Jr. 1982. Reptiles of North America, A Guide to Field Identification. Golden Press. New York. pp. 110-111.
  3. ^ Stejneger, Leonhard and Thomas Barbour. 1917. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts. pp. 50-52.
  4. ^ http://www.socalcamping.com/fieldguide/reptile/bandedrocklizard.html
  5. ^ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
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