''Urosaurus'' is a

genus 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 nom ...

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 altho ...

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. ...

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Phrynosomatidae The Phrynosomatidae are a diverse family of lizards, sometimes classified as a subfamily (Phrynosomatinae), found from Panama to the extreme south of Canada. Many members of the group are adapted to life in hot, sandy deserts, although the spiny ...

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 appropriat ...

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

dorsal Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to: * Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism * Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage * Dorsal c ...

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 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 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, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

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 simpl ...

''.

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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 Ca ...

'' *''

Etymology

The specific name, ''gadovi'', is in honor of German ornithologist

Hans Friedrich Gadow Hans Friedrich Gadow (8 March 1855 – 16 May 1928) was a Germany, German-born ornithologist who worked in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Britain. His work on the classification of birds based on anatomical and morphological character ...

.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