''Xantusia'' is one of three

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

night lizards Night lizards (family Xantusiidae) are a group of small scincomorph lizards, averaging from less than to over snout–vent length. Most species are viviparous (live-bearing), with the exception of those in the genus '' Cricosaura''. The fami ...

(

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 ...

'' Xantusiidae'').

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 ''Xantusia'' are small to medium-sized,

viviparous Among animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. This is opposed to oviparity which is a reproductive mode in which females lay developing eggs that complete their development and hatch externally from the m ...

(live-bearing)

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 found in the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

Southwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...

and in northern

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 ...

Taxonomy and etymology

The names and descriptions of the genus ''Xantusia'' and the type species ''X. vigilis'' were published in 1859 by

Spencer Fullerton Baird Spencer Fullerton Baird (; February 3, 1823 – August 19, 1887) was an American naturalist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, Herpetology, herpetologist, and museum curator. Baird was the first curator to be named at the Smithsonian Institution. He ...

, the generic name commemorating the naturalist

John Xantus John Xantus de Vesey a.k.a. de Csíktaplócza ( hu, Csíktaplóczai (Vese) Xántus János, 5 October 1825 – 13 December 1894) was a Hungary, Hungarian exile and zoologist. Xantus (the aristocratic title ''de Vesey'' was an affectation, of which ...

. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (Genus ''Xantusia'', p. 291).

Species

The following is a list of species in the genus. *'' Xantusia arizonae'' Klauber, 1931 –

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

night lizard *'' Xantusia bezyi'' Papenfuss,

Macey Macey may refer to: Places * Macey, Aube, a commune in the Aube ''département'', France * Macey, Manche, a former commune in the Manche ''département'', France * Mount Macey, Mac. Robertson Land, Antarctica * Macey Cone, Australian Territory ...

& J.A. Schulte, 2001 – Bezy's night lizard *'' Xantusia bolsonae''

Webb Webb most often refers to James Webb Space Telescope which is named after James E. Webb, second Administrator of NASA. It may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Webb Glacier (South Georgia) * Webb Glacier (Victoria Land) *Webb Névé, Victoria ...

, 1970 – bolsón night lizard *'' Xantusia extorris'' Webb, 1965 –

Durango Durango (), officially named Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Durango; Tepehuán: ''Korian''; Nahuatl: ''Tepēhuahcān''), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in ...

night lizard *'' Xantusia gilberti'' Van Denburgh, 1895 – Gilbert's night lizard *'' Xantusia gracilis'' Grismer & Galvan, 1986 – sandstone night lizard *''

Xantusia henshawi The granite night lizard (''Xantusia henshawi'') is a species of xantusiid lizard endemic to North America."''Xantusia henshawi'' ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. Etymology The specific name, ''henshawi'', is in honor of Amer ...

'' Stejneger, 1893 – granite night lizard *'' Xantusia jaycolei'' R. Bezy, K. Bezy &

Bolles Bolles is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Charles Bolles, alias Black Bart, American outlaw * Don Bolles, Arizona journalist murdered in 1976 after investigating the Mafia * Don Bolles (musician), drummer for the Germs * Garet ...

, 2008 *'' Xantusia riversiana''

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 ...

, 1883 – island night lizard *'' Xantusia sanchezi'' R. Bezy & Flores-Villela, 1999 – Sanchez's night lizard *''

Xantusia sherbrookei ''Xantusia sherbrookei'' is a species of lizard in the family Xantusiidae. It is a small lizard found in the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. References

Xantusia Endemic reptiles of Mexico Endemic fauna of the Baja California Peninsul ...

'' R. Bezy, K. Bezy & Bolles, 2008 *'' Xantusia sierrae'' R. Bezy, 1967 – sierra night lizard *''

Xantusia vigilis The desert night lizard (''Xantusia vigilis'') is a night lizard native to the Southern California Eastern Sierra and the San Gabriel Mountains into Baja California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and extreme western areas of Arizona. Desc ...

'' Baird, 1859 – desert night lizard *'' Xantusia wigginsi''

Savage Savage may refer to: Places Antarctica * Savage Glacier, Ellsworth Land * Savage Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Savage Ridge, Victoria Land United States * Savage, Maryland, an unincorporated community * Savage, Minnesota, a city * Savage, Mi ...

, 1952 – Wiggins's desert night lizard

Taxonomy and etymology

Species

References

Further reading