''Aspidoscelis danheimae'', also known
commonly as the Isla San José whiptail, the San Jose Island blue-throated whiptail, and ''el huico de la Isla San José'' in Spanish, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Teiidae
Teiidae is a family of autarchoglossan lizards native to the Americas. Members of this family are generally known as whiptails or racerunners; however, tegus also belong to this family. Teiidae is sister to the Gymnopthalmidae, and both famili ...
. The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to
Isla San José in
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur (; 'South Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California Sur), is the least populated state and the 31st admitted state of the 32 federal ent ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
.
Etymology
The
specific name, ''danheimae'' (genitive, feminine), is in honor of American herpetologist
May Danheim Burt
May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days.
May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, Ma ...
, who was the wife of the describer.
[ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Aspidoscelis danheimae'', p. 64).]
Habitat
The preferred natural habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s of ''A. danheimae'' are shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...
, rocky areas, and sandy areas, including beach
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shel ...
.
Reproduction
''A. danheimae'' is oviparous
Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...
.[
]
References
Further reading
* Burt CE (1929). "The Genus of Teiid Lizards, ''Verticaria'' Cope
The cope (known in Latin as ''pluviale'' 'rain coat' or ''cappa'' 'cape') is a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colours, litu ...
, 1869, Considered as a Synonym of ''Cnemidophorus'' Wagler, 1830, with a Key to the Primitive Genera of the Teiidae". ''Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington'' 42: 153–156. (''Cnemidophorus hyperythrus danheimae'', new name, p. 154).
* Grismer LL (1999). "Phylogeny, taxonomy, and biogeography of ''Cnemidophorus hyperythrus'' and ''C. ceralbensis'' (Squamata: Teiidae) in Baja California, México". ''Herpetologica'' 55 (1): 28–42. (''Cnemidophorus danheimae'', elevated to species status).
* Reeder TW, Cole CJ, Dessauer HC (2202). "Phylogenetic Relationships of Whiptail Lizards of the Genus ''Cnemidophorus'' (Squamata: Teiidae): A Test of Monophyly, Reevaluation of Karyotypic Evolution, and Review of Hybrid Origins". ''American Museum Novitates'' (3365): 1–61. (''Aspidoscelis danheimae'', new combination, p. 22).
* Van Denburgh J (1895). "A Review of the Herpetology of Lower California. Part I—Reptiles". ''Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Second Series'' 5: 77–162 + Plates IV–XIV. (''Verticaria sericea'', new species, pp. 132–133 + Plate XII, figures a–e).
danheimae
Reptiles described in 1929
Taxa named by Charles Earle Burt
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