Corytophanidae
Corytophanidae | |
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Striped basilisk | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Iguania |
Family: | Corytophanidae Fitzinger, 1843[1][2] |
Genera | |
| |
Synonyms | |
Corythophanae Fitzinger, 1843[1] |
Corytophanidae is a family of iguanian lizards, also called casquehead lizards or helmeted lizards,[4] endemic to the New World. Nine species of casquehead lizards from three genera are recognized.
Geographic range[]
Corytophanids are found from Mexico, through Central America, and as far south as Ecuador.
Certain species are now extant in South Florida which are considered invasive.
Description[]
The casquehead lizards are moderately sized lizards, with laterally compressed bodies, and typically have well-developed head crests in the shape of a casque helmet. This crest is a sexually dimorphic characteristic in males of Basiliscus, but is present in both sexes of Corytophanes and Laemanctus.[5]
Behavior[]
In Corytophanes, the head crests are used in defensive displays, where the lateral aspect of the body is brought about to face a potential predator in an effort to look bigger.[5] Unlike many of their close relatives, they are unable to break off their tails when captured, probably because the tail is essential as a counterbalance during rapid movement.[citation needed]
Habitat[]
Casquehead lizards are forest-dwelling.
Reproduction[]
Despite the small number of species in the family Corytophanidae, it includes both egg-laying species and species that give birth to live young.[4]
Genera and species[]
Family Corytophanidae[6]
- Genus Basiliscus
- Basiliscus basiliscus (Linnaeus, 1758) — common basilisk
- Basiliscus galeritus A.M.C. Duméril & A.H.A. Duméril, 1851 — red-headed basilisk, western basilisk
- Basiliscus plumifrons Cope, 1875 — green basilisk, plumed basilisk
- Basiliscus vittatus Wiegmann, 1828 — brown basilisk, striped basilisk
- Genus Corytophanes
- Corytophanes cristatus (Merrem, 1820) — helmeted iguana
- Corytophanes hernandesii (Wiegmann, 1831) — Hernandez's helmeted basilisk
- Corytophanes percarinatus A.H.A. Duméril, 1856 — Guatemalan helmeted basilisk
- Genus Laemanctus
- Laemanctus julioi McCranie, 2018
- Laemanctus longipes Wiegmann, 1834 — eastern casquehead iguana
- Laemanctus serratus Cope, 1864 — serrated casquehead iguana
- Laemanctus waltersi Schmidt, 1933
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a different genus.
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Frost DR, Etheridge R (1989). "A Phylogenetic Analysis and Taxonomy of Iguanian Lizards (Reptilia: Squamata)". Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist., Misc. Pub. (81): 1-65. ("Corytophanidae Fitzinger, 1843", p. 34.)
- ^ http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Corytophanidae.html
- ^ "Corytophanidae". Dahms Tierleben. www.dahmstierleben.de/systematik/Reptilien/Squamata/Iguania/corytophanidae.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Bauer, Aaron M. (1998). Cogger, H.G.; Zweifel, R.G. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 134–136. ISBN 0-12-178560-2.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Pough et al. (2003).
- ^ Family Corytophanidae. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
Further reading[]
- Fitzinger L (1843). Systema Reptilium, Fasciculus Primus, Amblyglossae. Vienna: Braumüller & Seidel. 106 pp. + indices. (Family Corythophanae, p. 52). (in Latin).
- Pough FH, Andrews RM, Cadle JE, Crump ML, Savitsky AH, Wells KD (2003). Herpetology, Third Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. 736 pp. ISBN 978-0131008496. (Corytophanidae, p. 129).
- Corytophanidae
- Lizard families
- Taxa named by Leopold Fitzinger