Leiocephalidae, also known as the curlytail lizards or curly-tailed lizards, is a
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 ...
of
iguanian lizards restricted to the
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
. One of the defining features of these lizards is that their tail often curls over. They were previously regarded as members of the subfamily Leiocephalinae within the family
Tropiduridae
The Tropiduridae are a family of iguanid lizards."Tropiduridae". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. The family is sometimes considered a subfamily, Tropidurinae. The subfamily is native to South America, including the islands of Tri ...
. There are presently 29 known
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 ...
, all in the
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
''Leiocephalus''.
Taxonomy
Phylogenetic evidence supports Leiocephalidae being the most
basal extant member of the clade
Pleurodonta
Pleurodonta (from Greek '' lateral teeth'', in reference to the position of the teeth on the jaw) is one of the two subdivisions of Iguania, the other being Acrodonta ('' teeth on the top f the jaw'). Pleurodonta includes all families previously ...
, with it diverging from the rest of the suborder as early as the
Late Cretaceous
The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', the ...
, about 91 million years ago. As with many other higher-order taxa endemic to the Caribbean, it likely colonized the
Antilles
The Antilles (; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy; es, Antillas; french: Antilles; nl, Antillen; ht, Antiy; pap, Antias; Jamaican Patois: ''Antiliiz'') is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mex ...
from South America during the
Cenozoic
The Cenozoic ( ; ) is Earth's current geological era, representing the last 66million years of Earth's history. It is characterised by the dominance of mammals, birds and flowering plants, a cooling and drying climate, and the current configura ...
; however, its deep divergence time from other lizards supports a much more complex and less straightforward history in the West Indies compared to other modern taxa.
Phylogenetic analysis on the genus supports some members of the now-extinct Lesser Antillean ''Leiocephalus'' radiation being the most basal of the recent ''Leiocephalus'', with the last-surviving members of this group, ''
L. herminieri'' and
''L. roquetus'' , sharing traits not present in other curlytail lizards from the Greater Antilles and other areas, such as the absence of enlarged snout scales. The second most basal of the recent curlytail lizards is another recently extinct species, ''
L. eremitus'' from
Navassa
Navassa Island (; ht, Lanavaz; french: l'île de la Navasse, sometimes ) is a small uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea. Located northeast of Jamaica, south of Cuba, and west of Jérémie on the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti, it is subject to ...
, followed by all other members of the genus from
the Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
and
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles ( es, Grandes Antillas or Antillas Mayores; french: Grandes Antilles; ht, Gwo Zantiy; jam, Grieta hAntiliiz) is a grouping of the larger islands in the Caribbean Sea, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and ...
. Another extinct species from the Lesser Antilles known only from
fossil
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
remains, ''
L. cuneus'' of
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda (, ) is a sovereign country in the West Indies. It lies at the juncture of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles, at 17°N latitude. The country consists of two maj ...
, is thought to be more closely related to more derived ''Leiocephalus'' from the Bahamas and Greater Antilles, such as ''
L. carinatus'', ''
L. greenwayi'' and ''
L. punctatus'', than to the other, more basal Lesser Antillean and Navassa species.
Distribution
Curlytail lizards are native to the
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
, with the
extant
Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to:
* Extant hereditary titles
* Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English
* Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...
(living) species in the
Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
,
Turks and Caicos
The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and nor ...
,
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...
,
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
,
Hispaniola
Hispaniola (, also ; es, La Española; Latin and french: Hispaniola; ht, Ispayola; tnq, Ayiti or Quisqueya) is an island in the Caribbean that is part of the Greater Antilles. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and th ...
(Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and nearby small islands.
Additionally, ''
Leiocephalus carinatus'' and ''
Leiocephalus schreibersii'' have been
introduced to Florida.
Former distribution
Curlytail lizards formerly had a much wider native range, being distributed south to
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
and east to
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
and several of the
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc betwe ...
.
They went extinct in most of this range during the
Quaternary extinction
The Quaternary period (from 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present) has seen the extinctions of numerous predominantly megafaunal species, which have resulted in a collapse in faunal density and diversity and the extinction of key ecol ...
(with some such as the Jamaican taxon ''
L. jamaicensis'' going extinct during the
Late Pleistocene
The Late Pleistocene is an unofficial Age (geology), age in the international geologic timescale in chronostratigraphy, also known as Upper Pleistocene from a Stratigraphy, stratigraphic perspective. It is intended to be the fourth division of ...
, well before the arrival of the first
Amerindians
The Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European settlers in the 15th century, and the ethnic groups who now identify themselves with those peoples.
Many Indigenous peoples of the Ame ...
to the area), but some members of the Lesser Antillean radiation survived to more recent times, perhaps remaining widespread until after
European colonization
The historical phenomenon of colonization is one that stretches around the globe and across time. Ancient and medieval colonialism was practiced by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Turks, and the Arabs.
Colonialism in the modern sense began ...
. The last surviving members of the Lesser Antillean radiation, ''
L. herminieri'' of
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
and ''
L. roquetus'' of
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
, went extinct during the early-mid 19th century.
General anatomy
The curly-tailed lizards vary in size depending on species, but typically are approximately in snout-to-
vent
Vent or vents may refer to:
Science and technology Biology
*Vent, the cloaca region of an animal
*Vent DNA polymerase, a thermostable DNA polymerase
Geology
*Hydrothermal vent, a fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated water ...
length. These lizards have no
femoral pore Femoral pores are a part of a holocrine secretory gland found on the inside of the thighs of certain lizards and amphisbaenians which releases pheromones to attract mates or mark territory. In certain species only the male has these pores and in ot ...
s, pterygoid teeth, or palatine teeth. Additionally, these lizards are observed to have overlapping scales.
Behavior
The curly-tailed lizards mostly forage on
arthropod
Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a Segmentation (biology), segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and Arth ...
s such as insects, but also commonly take flowers and fruits.
Large individuals will eat small vertebrates, including
anole
Dactyloidae are a family of lizards commonly known as anoles () and native to warmer parts of the Americas, ranging from southeastern United States to Paraguay. Instead of treating it as a family, some authorities prefer to treat it as a subfami ...
s.
[
As suggested by their name, most species of this family often lift their tail and curl it. This is done both when a potential predator is present and when not present, although in some curly-tailed lizard species it increases when a predator is present. It shows the fitness of the lizard to a would-be predator and—in the case of an attack—draws attention to the tail, which increases the lizard's chance of escaping.] Although it has been suggested that it also functions as a territorial display,[ studies have been unable to find support for this, as the tail curling does not vary when another member of the same species is present.][
]
Conservation status and extinctions
The conservation status of the species in this family varies greatly. Several species, for example ''Leiocephalus carinatus'', are common and widespread. Others are rare and highly threatened, especially those restricted to a single small island or a single location on a larger island, like the critically endangered ''Leiocephalus (barahonensis) altavelensis'' from Alto Velo Island
Alto Velo Island ( es, Isla Alto Velo; also called Alta Vela Island) is a small uninhabited island south of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. Its maximum height is about above sea level. It lies on an underwater mountain range which c ...
and critically endangered ''Leiocephalus onaneyi'' from Guantánamo Province
Guantánamo is the easternmost province of Cuba. Its capital is also called Guantánamo. Other towns include Baracoa. The province has the only land border of the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay.
Overview
Guantánamo's architecture and cultu ...
in Cuba.[ Primary threats to their survival are habitat loss (for example, expanding agriculture, charcoal production and grazing goats) and introduced predators (for example, ]small Indian mongoose
The small Indian mongoose (''Urva auropunctata'') is a mongoose species native to Iraq and northern South Asia; it has also been introduced to many regions of the world, such as several Caribbean and Pacific islands.
Taxonomy
''Mangusta auropun ...
).
Several species of ''Leiocephalus'' are already extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, including all of the Jamaican, Puerto Rican and Lesser Antillean members of the genus. Some of these are only known from fossil or subfossil
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in ...
remains and became extinct in the Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...
or pre-Columbian era
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the Migration to the New World, original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization of the Americas, European colonization, w ...
, but others such as two Lesser Antillean species and one from Navassa
Navassa Island (; ht, Lanavaz; french: l'île de la Navasse, sometimes ) is a small uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea. Located northeast of Jamaica, south of Cuba, and west of Jérémie on the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti, it is subject to ...
survived until comparatively recently, during the 19th century. ''Leiocephalus'' is the only known squamate
Squamata (, Latin ''squamatus'', 'scaly, having scales') is the largest order of reptiles, comprising lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians (worm lizards), which are collectively known as squamates or scaled reptiles. With over 10,900 species, ...
genus to be entirely wiped out from the Lesser Antilles following European colonization; other reptilian genera that have also seen significant extirpations in the Lesser Antilles, such as ''Boa
Kwon Bo-ah (; born November 5, 1986), known professionally as BoA, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer and actress. One of the most successful and influential Korean entertainers, she has been dubbed the " Queen of K- ...
'' or ''Diploglossus
''Diploglossus'' is a genus of New World diploglossid lizards, with 20 described species, commonly known as galliwasps.
Several former ''Diploglossus'' species were moved to the genus '' Siderolamprus'' in 2021.
Geographic range
Species of th ...
'', still retain relict populations on at least some islands, such as Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...
and Montserrat
Montserrat ( ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about long and wide, with r ...
. This mass disappearance of ''Leiocephalus'' from the Lesser Antilles may be due to their inhabiting dry forests
The tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest is a habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature and is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Though these forests occur in climates that are warm year-round, and may receive ...
in littoral
The littoral zone or nearshore is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore. In coastal ecology, the littoral zone includes the intertidal zone extending from the high water mark (which is rarely inundated), to coastal areas ...
areas that were heavily exploited and deforested
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...
by early colonists. Few confirmed ''Leiocephalus'' fossil remains from after the early Holocene
In the geologic time scale, the Greenlandian is the earliest age or lowest stage of the Holocene Epoch or Series, part of the Quaternary. Beginning in 11,650 BP (9701 BCE or 300 HE) and ending 8,276 BP (6237 BCE or 3764 HE), it is the earlies ...
are known from the Lesser Antilles, which has raised doubts about their being only recently extirpated from this area; however, ''Leiocephalus'' fossil bones are small and closely resemble those of other lizard species, which may explain the lack of detection of ''Leiocephalus'' fossil bones from these areas aside from by the most highly trained palaeo-herpetologists.
In modern times, three species, ''Leiocephalus endomychus'', ''Leiocephalus pratensis'' and ''Leiocephalus rhutidira'', have not been seen since the 1960s and 1970s and are recognized as critically endangered, possibly extinct, by the IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
. They are among the "most wanted" EDGE species
Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species are animal species which have a high 'EDGE score', a metric combining endangered conservation status with the genetic distinctiveness of the particular taxon. Distinctive species have ...
.
Newly discovered species
Lizards of this family are diurnal and mostly inhabit fairly open habitats in a generally well-studied part of the world. Consequently, the majority of the species and subspecies already were scientifically described several decades ago. In 2016, the first new curly-tailed lizard since the early 1980s was described. The species was found in the coastal dunes of Bahía de las Calderas in the southwestern Dominican Republic. This species differs from the rest within Leiocephalidae in that its bony parietal table is U-shaped versus V-shaped, the males have 3–4 enlarged post-postcloacal scales versus 2, and there are specific sexual dimorphism trails.
Species and subspecies
The following species and subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
, listed alphabetically by scientific name, are recognized as being valid by the Reptile Database
The Reptile Database is a scientific database that collects taxonomic information on all living reptile species (i.e. no fossil species such as dinosaurs). The database focuses on species (as opposed to higher ranks such as families) and has entrie ...
.
Extant and recently extinct species
*'' Leiocephalus barahonensis'' – orange-bellied curlytail
**''L. b. altavelensis'' – Alto Velo curly-tailed lizard, Alto Velo curlytail (likely better regarded as a separate species)
**''L. b. aureus''
**''L. b. barahonensis''
**''L. b. beatanus''
**''L. b. oxygaster''
*'' Leiocephalus carinatus'' – saw-scaled curlytail, northern curly-tailed lizard
** ''L. c. carinatus'' Gray
Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...
, 1827
** ''L. c. aquarius'' Schwartz & Ogren, 1956
** '' L. c. armouri'' Barbour & Shreve, 1935
** ''L. c. cayensis'' Schwartz, 1959
** ''L. c. coryi'' K.P. Schmidt, 1936
** ''L. c. granti'' Rabb
Rabb ( ar, رب, ''Rabb'', sometimes "''rabb'' (-i/-u/-a)"), is often used to refer to God in Arabic (''Allah'') as the "Lord" or "master". It is used by adherents of various religions, including Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs across the Mi ...
, 1957
** ''L. c. hodsdoni'' K.P. Schmidt, 1936
** ''L. c. labrossytus'' Schwartz, 1959, South Central Cuba, Playa Larga
** ''L. c. microcyon'' Schwartz, 1959
** ''L. c. mogotensis'' Schwartz, 1959
** ''L. c. virescens'' Stejneger, 1901
** ''L. c. zayasi'' Schwartz, 1959
*'' Leiocephalus cubensis'' – Cuban brown curlytail, Cuban curlytail lizard
**''L. c. cubensis''
**''L. c. gigas''
**''L. c. minor''
**''L. c. pambasileus''
**''L. c. paraphrus''
*'' Leiocephalus endomychus'' – Hinche
Hinche (; ht, Ench; es, Hincha) is a commune in the Centre department Haiti. It has a population of about 50,000. It is the capital of the Centre department. Hinche is the hometown of Charlemagne Péralte, the Haitian nationalist leader who r ...
curlytail, Central Haitian curlytail (possibly extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, last seen in 1976)
*†''Leiocephalus eremitus
The Navassa curly-tailed lizard or Navassa curlytail lizard (''Leiocephalus eremitus'') is an extinct lizard species from the family of curly-tailed lizard (Leiocephalidae). It is known only from the holotype, a female specimen from which it was ...
'' – Navassa
Navassa Island (; ht, Lanavaz; french: l'île de la Navasse, sometimes ) is a small uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea. Located northeast of Jamaica, south of Cuba, and west of Jérémie on the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti, it is subject to ...
curlytail lizard (extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, 19th century)
*'' Leiocephalus greenwayi'' – East Plana curlytail, Plana Cay
Plana may refer to:
* plural of Latin word Planum used in planetary geology
People
* Giovanni Antonio Amedeo Plana (1781–1864) was an Italian astronomer and mathematician
** Plana (crater), named after the astronomer, is a crater on the Moon
*I ...
curlytail lizard
*†''Leiocephalus herminieri
The Martinique curlytail lizard (''Leiocephalus herminieri'') is an extinct species of lizard in the family of curly-tailed lizard (Leiocephalidae).
Etymology
The specific name, ''herminieri'', commemorates French naturalist Félix Louis L'Her ...
'' – Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
curlytail lizard (extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, 19th century)
*'' Leiocephalus inaguae'' – Inagua
Inagua is the southernmost district of the Bahamas, comprising the islands of Great Inagua and Little Inagua. The headquarters for the district council are in Matthew Town.
History
The original settlers were the Lucayan people, who arrived some ...
curlytail lizard
*'' Leiocephalus loxogrammus'' – San Salvador
San Salvador (; ) is the capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its eponymous department. It is the country's political, cultural, educational and financial center. The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, which comprises the capital i ...
curlytail, Rum Cay
Rum Cay (formerly known as Mamana and Santa Maria de la Concepción) is an island and district of the Bahamas. It measures in area, it is located at Lat.: N23 42' 30" - Long.: W 74 50' 00". It has many rolling hills that rise to about 120 feet (3 ...
curlytail lizard
**''L. l. loxogrammus''
**''L. l. parnelli''
*'' Leiocephalus lunatus'' – Hispaniola
Hispaniola (, also ; es, La Española; Latin and french: Hispaniola; ht, Ispayola; tnq, Ayiti or Quisqueya) is an island in the Caribbean that is part of the Greater Antilles. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and th ...
n maskless curlytail, Santo Domingo
, total_type = Total
, population_density_km2 = auto
, timezone = AST (UTC −4)
, area_code_type = Area codes
, area_code = 809, 829, 849
, postal_code_type = Postal codes
, postal_code = 10100–10699 (Distrito Nacional)
, websi ...
curlytail lizard
**''L. l. arenicolor''
**''L. l. lewisi''
**''L. l. louisae''
**''L. l. lunatus''
**''L. l. melaenoscelis''
**''L. l. thomasi''
*''Leiocephalus macropus
''Leiocephalus macropus'', commonly known as the Cuban side-blotched curlytail or Monte Verde curlytail lizard , is a species of lizard in the family Leiocephalidae (curly-tailed lizard). It is native to Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Rep ...
'' – Cuban side-blotched curlytail, Monte Verde curlytail lizard
**''L. m. aegialus''
**''L. m. asbolomus''
**''L. m. felinoi''
**''L. m. hoplites''
**''L. m. hyacinthurus''
**''L. m. immaculatus''
**''L. m. koopmani''
**''L. m. lenticulatus''
**''L. m. macropus''
**''L. m. phylax''
**''L. m. torrei''
*'' Leiocephalus melanochlorus'' – Tiburon curlytail, Jérémie
Jérémie ( ht, Jeremi) is a commune and capital city of the Grand'Anse department in Haiti. It had a population of about 31,000 at the 2003 census. It is relatively isolated from the rest of the country. The Grande-Anse River flows near the ...
curlytailed lizard
**''L. m. hypsistus''
**''L. m. melanochlorus''
*'' Leiocephalus onaneyi'' – Guantanamo striped curlytail, Guantanamo striped curly-tailed lizard, Sierra curlytail lizard
*'' Leiocephalus personatus'' – Hispaniolan masked curlytail, Haitian curlytail lizard
*'' Leiocephalus pratensis'' – Haitian striped curlytail, Atalaye curlytail lizard (possibly extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, last seen in 1966)
**''L. p. chimarus''
**''L. p. pratensis''
*''Leiocephalus psammodromus
''Leiocephalus psammodromus'', commonly known as the Turks & Caicos curlytail or Bastion Cay curlytail lizard , is a species of lizard in the family Leiocephalidae ( curly-tailed lizard). It is native to Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean ...
'' – Turks and Caicos
The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and nor ...
curlytail, Bastion Cay curlytail lizard
**''L. p. aphretor''
**''L. p. apocrinus''
**''L. p. cacodoxus''
**''L. p. hyphantus''
**''L. p. mounax''
**''L. p. psammodromus''
*'' Leiocephalus punctatus'' – Crooked Acklins curlytail, spotted curlytail lizard
*'' Leiocephalus raviceps'' – pallid curlytail, mountain curlytail lizard
**''L. r. delavarai''
**''L. r. jaumei''
**''L. r. kilinikowski''
**''L. r. raviceps''
**''L. r. uzzelli''
*'' Leiocephalus rhutidira'' – Haitian black-throated curlytail, Lapierre curlytail lizard (possibly extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, last seen in 1978)
*†'' Leiocephalus roquetus'' Bochaton, Charles, and Lenoble, 2021 – La Désirade curlytail lizard, curlytail roquet (extinct, late 19th century)
*'' Leiocephalus schreibersii'' – red-sided curlytail, red-sided curly-tailed lizard
**''L. s. nesomorus''
**''L. s. schreibersii''
*'' Leiocephalus semilineatus'' – Hispaniolan pale-bellied curlytail, Thomazeau
Thomazeau ( ht, Tomazo) is a commune in the Croix-des-Bouquets Arrondissement, Ouest department of Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the ...
curlytail lizard, Pale-bellied Hispaniolan curlytail
*'' Leiocephalus sixtoi'' – Hispaniolan dune curlytail
*''Leiocephalus stictigaster
''Leiocephalus stictigaster'', commonly known as the Cuban striped curlytail or Cabo Corrientes curlytail lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Leiocephalidae ( curly-tailed lizard). It is native to Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the R ...
'' – Cuban striped curlytail, Cabo Corrientes curlytail lizard
**''L. s. astictus''
**''L. s. celeustes''
**''L. s. exotheotus''
**''L. s. gibarensis''
**''L. s. lipomator''
**''L. s. lucianus''
**''L. s. naranjoi''
**''L. s. ophiplacodes''
**''L. s. parasphex''
**''L. s. septentrionalis''
**''L. s. sierrae''
**''L. s. stictigaster''
*'' Leiocephalus varius'' – Cayman curlytail, Cayman curly-tailed lizard
*'' Leiocephalus vinculum'' – Gonave curlytail, Cochran's curlytail lizard
Fossil species
* †'' Leiocephalus cuneus'' – Leeward Islands
french: Îles-Sous-le-Vent
, image_name =
, image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis.
, image_alt =
, locator_map =
, location = Caribbean SeaNorth Atlantic Ocean
, coor ...
curlytail (extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, Late Quaternary
The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene together ...
of Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda (, ) is a sovereign country in the West Indies. It lies at the juncture of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles, at 17°N latitude. The country consists of two maj ...
and potentially Anguilla
Anguilla ( ) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The territo ...
, La Désirade
La Désirade is an island in the French West Indies, in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean. It forms part of Guadeloupe, an overseas region of France.
History
Archaeological evidence has been discovered that suggests that an Amerindian popu ...
, and Marie-Galante
Marie-Galante ( gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Mawigalant) is one of the islands that form Guadeloupe, an overseas department of France. Marie-Galante has a land area of . It had 11,528 inhabitants at the start of 2013, but by the start of 2018 ...
, but might have survived to recent times)
* †'' Leiocephalus etheridgei'' – Morovis
Morovis (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central region of the island, north of Orocovis, south of Manatí, Vega Baja and Vega Alta; east of Ciales, and west of Corozal. Morovis is spread over 13 barrios and Mor ...
curlytail (extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, Late Pleistocene
The Late Pleistocene is an unofficial Age (geology), age in the international geologic timescale in chronostratigraphy, also known as Upper Pleistocene from a Stratigraphy, stratigraphic perspective. It is intended to be the fourth division of ...
of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
)
* †'' Leiocephalus jamaicensis'' – Jamaican curlytail (extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, Late Pleistocene of Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
)
* †'' Leiocephalus partitus'' – Guánica curlytail (extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...
or Holocene
The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togethe ...
of Puerto Rico)
''Nota bene
(, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well".
It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature
and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atten ...
'': A binomial authority
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Leiocephalus''.
References
Further reading
* Gray JE (1827). "A Description of a new Genus and some new species of Saurian Reptiles; with a Revision of the Species of Chameleons". ''Philosoph. Mag. Ann. Chem. Math. Astron. Nat. Hist. Gen. Sci.'' 2 (9): 207–214. (''Leiocephalus'', new genus, p. 207).
* Schwartz A, Thomas R
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
(1975). ''A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles''. Carnegie Museum of Natural History
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History (abbreviated as CMNH) is a natural history museum in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Pittsburgh-based industrialist Andrew Carnegie in 1896.
Housing some 22 millio ...
Special Publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (''Leiocephalus'' species, ''L. barahonensis'' – ''L. viniculum'', pp. 126–140).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curly-Tailed Lizards
Lizard genera
Taxa named by John Edward Gray