''Latastia cherchii'' 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 ...
Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. It is a diverse family with at least 300 species in 39 genera. They represent the dominant group o ...
. 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
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
.
Etymology
The
specific name Specific name may refer to:
* in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database
In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules:
* Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...
, ''cherchii'', is in honor of Italian herpetologist
Maria Adelaide Cherchi.
[ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Latastia cherchii'', p. 53).]
Geographic range
''L. cherchii'' is found in central Somalia.
[
]
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 ...
of ''L. cherchii'' is desert
A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...
.
Reproduction
''L. cherchii'' 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
* Arillo A, Balletto E, Spanò S (1967). "''Il genere ''Latastia'' Bedriaga in Somalia''". ''Bollettino dei Musei e degli Istituti Biologici dell'Università di Genova'' 35: 105–145. (''Latastia cherchii'', new species, p. 132). (in Italian).
* Lanza B (1983). "A List of the Somali Amphibians and Reptiles". ''Monitore Zoologico Italiano. Supplemento'' 18 (1): 193–247. (''Latastia cherchii'', p. 215). (in English, with an abstract in Italian).
*Lanza B (1990). "Amphibians and reptiles of the Somali Democratic Republic: check list and biogeography". ''Biogeographia'' 14: 407–465. (''Latastia cherchii'', p. 427).
Reptiles described in 1967
Latastia
Endemic fauna of Somalia
Reptiles of Somalia
Taxa named by Emilio Balletto
Taxa named by Silvio Spanò
Hobyo grasslands and shrublands
{{Lacertidae-stub