Academic literature on the topic 'Fringe-toed lizards'

Fringe-toed lizards (Uma) are among the most specialized lizards in North America, adapted to insular windblown sand habitats in the hyper-arid southwestern deserts, with allopatric distributions, subtle morphological variation, and an unstable taxonomic history. We analyzed a morphological dataset of 40 characters for 65 specimens and a molecular dataset of 2,286 bases from three mitochondrial loci for 92 individuals and interpreted these data alongside published analyses of multi-locus genetic data with the goal of revising the taxonomy of the Uma notata (Baird 1858) species complex. We confirmed that fringe-toed lizards from the Mohawk Dunes in southwestern Arizona (U. sp.) constitute a cryptic species sister to the rest of the complex that can be diagnosed with DNA barcoding and geography, so we describe and name this species Uma thurmanae sp. nov. We also confirmed the evolutionary distinctiveness of U. inornata (Cope 1895), an endangered species endemic to Coachella Valley in southern California. We designate a lectotype for the taxon U. “rufopunctata”, but we put its name in quotation marks to reflect its uncertain taxonomic status with respect to its neighboring species U. cowlesi and U. notata.

Crochet, Pierre-André, Geniez, Philippe, Ineich, Ivan (2003): A multivariate analysis of the fringe-toed lizards of the Acanthodactylus scutellatus group (Squamata: Lacertidae): systematic and biogeographical implications. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 137 (1): 117-155, DOI: 10.1046/j.1096-3642.2003.00044.x, URL: https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article-lookup/doi/10.1046/j.1096-3642.2003.00044.x

The island of Cyprus hosts a rich diversity of reptiles, including several endemic species. Reptiles are morecommon in Mediterranean-type shrubland and other open habitats in Cyprus, although riparian formations offeradditional cover and food sources, especially during dry, hot summers. Riparian habitats are often very heterogeneous,an attribute that can be important for lizards since they can utilize a variety of microhabitats crucial for different aspectsof their ecology. Nevertheless, reptilian diversity in riparian systems remains understudied and Cyprus is no exception.The aim of this study was to compare lizard diversity and abundance patterns across seasons and elevations, as well astheir relationships with habitat heterogeneity and protected status of areas along riverbanks, as expressed by presencein or out of Natura 2000 sites. We examined the effects that these factors can have on lizard communities by studyingthree rivers that exhibit variations in environmental conditions. Additionally, we evaluated separately the abundancesof four common species (Snake-eyed Lizard, Ophisops elegans; Troodos Rock Lizard, Phoenicolacerta troodica; CyprusRock Agama, Laudakia cypriaca; and Schreiber’s Fringe-toed Lizard, Acanthodactylus schreiberi) while recording in riparian habitats seven of the 11 Cypriot species of lizards. Diversity and richness were not significantly associated withany of the explanatory variables examined (season, elevation, habitat heterogeneity, and protected status). Moreover,we found no relationship between the abundances of each of the four species and habitat heterogeneity, even thoughthey responded differently to elevation, season, and protected status. Our results suggest that lizard diversity in ripariansystems is high compared to the total number of lizard species found on Cyprus, reaching 60% of the overall richness.