''Sceloporus merriami annulatus'', commonly known as the Big Bend canyon lizard, is a

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 ...

of the canyon lizard, and is endemic to southwestern Texas and adjacent northeastern Mexico.

Etymology

The subspecific name, ''annulatus'', comes from the Latin noun ''annulus'', meaning "ring", and refers to the banded subcaudal surface. This banding is one of the key characteristics to differentiate this subspecies from the

nominotypical 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 ...

, '' Sceloporus merriami merriami''.

Geographic range

''S. m. annulatus'' is native to a fairly narrow range from the Big Bend region of the US state of Texas, to eastern

Coahuila Coahuila (), formally Coahuila de Zaragoza (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza), is one of the 32 states of Mexico. Coahuila borders the Mexican states of N ...

in Mexico. The holotype was collected by Edward Harrison Taylor and J.S. Wright in August 1931 in the Chisos Mountains of Brewster County, Texas.

Description

The Big Bend canyon lizard is a medium-sized lizard, growing from 4.5 to 6.25 inches (11.5–16 cm) in total length. Its coloration varies with its choice of habitat, varying from grey to reddish, with two rows of dark spots down each side of the back and a dark line on the shoulder region. It has a fairly large head for its body size, and a dewlap which is larger in males than females. Males also have distinct blue patches on either side of the belly. In this subspecies there are fewer than 53 dorsal scales from the interparietal scale to the base of the tail. Conant, R. 1975. ''A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition''. Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 429 pp. (paperback). (''Sceloporus merriami annulatus'', p. 107 + Plate 16 + Map 62.)

Behavior

All canyon lizards are diurnal and

insectivorous A robber fly eating a hoverfly An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects. The first vertebrate insectivores were ...

. Their primary choice of habitat is rocky, unvegetated canyon lands with numerous crevices to hide in, and ledges to bask on.

Reproduction

They are

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

External links

*
Herps of Texas: ''Sceloporus merriami''An Annotated List of the Species-Group Names Applied to the Lizard Genus ''Sceloporus''
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Sceloporus {{lizard-stub