Xantusia bezyi PAPENFUSS, MACEY & SCHULTE, 2001
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Xantusia bezyi
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| Higher Taxa | Xantusiidae (Xantusiinae), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Bezy's Night Lizard |
| Synonym | Xantusia bezyi PAPENFUSS, MACEY & SCHULTE 2001 Xantusia bezyi —LEAVITT et al. 2007 |
| Distribution | USA (Arizona) Type locality: 5.6 km S (by Highway 87) of Sunflower, elevation 948 m., Maricopa county, Arizona, USA (33°49.48’ N, 111° 28.55’ W). |
| Reproduction | ovoviviparous |
| Types | Holotype: MVZ 232604, adult male |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A moderately large (to about 58 mm snout-vent length) species of Xantusia that is similar in size and morphology to X. arizonae. It differs from the latter in allozymes, mitochondrial DNA, and color pattern. The dorsal blotches of adults (Fig. 2) are more similar to the pattern in X. henshawi (Fig. 3) than to the pattern in X. arizonae (Fig. 4). The individual large dark dorsal blotches contain 3-28 granular scales versus 4-12 in X. arizonae (Fig. 5) and there is a proportionally greater distance from the anterior margin of the eye to the tip of the snout (Fig 6). The new species differs from X. vigilis by its larger size, mottled coloration, more than 41 rows of dorsal granular scales and more than 26 lamellae under the fourth toe. It differs from X. bolsonae, X. riversiana, and X. henshawi in having 12 longitudinal rows of ventral scales rather than 14-16 rows. These characters are in addition to substantial differences in allozymes and mitochondrial DNA. (Papenfuss et al. 2001) Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data. However, these details, e.g. detailed descriptions (about less than half a page) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us if you need any of this material. |
| Comment | Color pattern very similar to X. henshawi. The population named X. bezyi by PAPENFUSS et al. had been described previously as a population of X. arizonae (BEZY & SITES 1987). Habitat/Ecomorph: rock-crevice |
| Etymology | Named in honour of Robert L. Bezy, in recognition of this lifelong studies on lizards of the family Xantusiidae. |
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