''Urosaurus'' is a

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 ...

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 ...

s, commonly known as tree lizards or brush lizards, belonging to the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...

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 ...

Phrynosomatidae.

Description

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 ...

in the genus ''Urosaurus'' can be distinguished from members of the genus '' Sceloporus'' by the presence of a gular (under neck) fold and granular lateral scales. They can be distinguished from members of the genus ''

Uta Uta or UTA may refer to: Universities *University of Texas at Arlington, in the United States *University of Tarapacá, in Chile *University of Tampere, in Finland Sports * FC UTA Arad, a Romanian football club based in the town of Arad * A c ...

'' by the presence of enlarged (sometimes only slightly) dorsal

scales Scale or scales may refer to: Mathematics * Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points * Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original * Scale factor, a number w ...

. It is important to note that these lizards come from a different family than lizards like the

common side-blotched lizard The common side-blotched lizard (''Uta stansburiana'') is a species of side-blotched lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to dry regions of the western United States and northern Mexico. It is notable for having a unique fo ...

which comes from the family 'Uta'.

Reproduction

''Urosaurus'' have been used as a model system in lizard life-history studies, and populations produce two or more

clutches A clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages power transmission, especially from a drive shaft to a driven shaft. In the simplest application, clutches connect and disconnect two rotating shafts (drive shafts or line shafts). ...

of eggs per year. Field studies have also shown a cost of reproduction in a natural

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

population of the species ''

Urosaurus ornatus ''Urosaurus ornatus'', commonly known as the ornate tree lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The species, which was formerly called sim ...

''.

Species

In the genus ''Urosaurus'' there are 8 species which are recognized as being valid. *''

Urosaurus auriculatus ''Urosaurus auriculatus'' is a species of lizard. The common name for this species is the Socorro Island tree lizard. Its range includes Socorro Island in Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Soverei ...

'' *''

Urosaurus bicarinatus ''Urosaurus bicarinatus'' is a species of lizard. The common name for this species is the tropical tree lizard. Its range is in Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of ...

'' *''

Urosaurus clarionensis ''Urosaurus clarionensis'' is a species of lizard. The common name for this species is the Clarion Island tree lizard. Its range includes Clarion Island in Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovere ...

'' *''

Urosaurus gadovi ''Urosaurus gadovi'' is a species of lizard. The common name for this species is the Gadow's tree lizard. Its range is in Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North ...

'' *''

Urosaurus graciosus The western long-tailed brush lizard (''Urosaurus graciosus'') is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico. Habitat and geographic range ''U. gracios ...

'' *''

Urosaurus lahtelai ''Urosaurus lahtelai'' is a species of lizard. The common name for this species is the Baja California brush lizard. Its range is in Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern porti ...

'' *''

Urosaurus nigricauda ''Urosaurus nigricauda'' is a species of lizard. Common names for this species include the Baja California brush lizard, black-tailed brush lizard, and small-scaled tree lizard. Its range includes southern California, Baja California Baja Cal ...

'' *''

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 ...

, ''gadovi'', is in honor of German ornithologist

Hans Friedrich Gadow Hans Friedrich Gadow (8 March 1855 – 16 May 1928) was a German-born ornithologist who worked in Britain. His work on the classification of birds based on anatomical and morphological characters was influential and made use of by Alexander Wetmore ...

.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Urosaurus gadovi'', p. 96).

Description

Reproduction

Species

Etymology

References

Further reading