Phrynosoma_orbiculare
Mexican Plateau horned lizard
Species of lizard
The Mexican Plateau horned lizard[4] (Phrynosoma orbiculare) is a species of horned lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae.[2] The species, also known commonly as the Chihuahua Desert horned lizard,[5] is endemic to Mexico. There are five recognized subspecies. The specific epithet, orbiculare, comes from the Latin adjective orbis, meaning "circular".[4]
| Mexican Plateau horned lizard | |
|---|---|
| P. orbiculare in Veracruz, Mexico, showing blood squirted from eye as defensive behavior. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Phrynosomatidae |
| Genus: | Phrynosoma |
| Species: | P. orbiculare |
| Binomial name | |
| Phrynosoma orbiculare | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
P. orbiculare has a characteristic single row of lateral abdominal fringe scales. This "horned toad" also has two short occipital horns.[5]
P. orbiculare is found only in the high plateau country of central Mexico. Specifically, it is found in the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Durango, Morelos, Nuevo León, Puebla, and Veracruz.[5]
P. orbiculare occurs in a wide range of primary habitats (dry scrubland, pine-oak forest, oak forest, juniper forest) and secondary habitats (agricultural land, and agave and Opuntia fields).[1]
Five subspecies of P. orbiculare are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[2]
- Phrynosoma orbiculare bradti Horowitz, 1955
- Phrynosoma orbiculare cortezii (A.H.A. Duméril & Bocourt, 1870)
- Phrynosoma orbiculare dugesii (A.H.A. Duméril & Bocourt, 1870)
- Phrynosoma orbiculare orbiculare (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Phrynosoma orbiculare orientale Horowitz, 1955
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Phrynosoma.
P. orbicularis is viviparous.[2]
The subspecific name, cortezii, is in honor of Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés.[6]
The subspecific name, dugesii, is in honor of French-born Mexican naturalist Alfredo Dugès, who is considered the "father" of Mexican herpetology.[6]
- Mendoza-Quijano, F.; Vázquez Díaz, J.; Quintero Díaz, G.E. (2007). "Phrynosoma orbiculare". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007: e.T64079A12734405. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64079A12734405.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- Phrynosoma orbiculare at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 30 October 2015.
- "Phrynosoma orbiculare (Linnaeus, 1758)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- Sherbrooke, Wade C. (2003). Introduction to Horned Lizards of North America. University of California Press. p. 61. ISBN 9780520926752.
- Hodges, Wendy (2003). "Phrynosoma orbiculare, Chihuahua Desert Horned Lizard". Digimorph.org. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Phrynosoma orbiculare cortezii, p. 60; P. o. dugesii, p. 76).
- Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume II. Iguanidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 497 pp. + Plates I-XXIV. (Phrynosoma orbiculare, pp. 241–243).
- Horowitz SB (1955). "An arrangement of the subspecies of the horned toad, Phrynosoma orbiculare (Iguanidae)". American Midland Naturalist 54 (1): 204–218. (Phrynosoma orbiculare bradti, new subspecies; P. orbiculare orientale, new subspecies).
- Linnaeus C (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp. (Lacerta orbicularis, new species, p. 206). (in Latin).
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