''Cercosaura'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae is a family of lizards with at least 250 species, sometimes known commonly as spectacled lizards or microteiids. They are called "spectacled" because of their transparent lower eyelids, which allow them to still see with closed ...

. The genus is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to South America.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Cercosaura'' includes 18

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

according to studies that transfer species from the two

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

''Pantodactylus'' and '' Prionodactylus'' to this genus.

Species

The genus ''Cercosaura'' contains the following recognized species:. www.reptile-database.org. *'' Cercosaura anomala'' – anomalous cercosaura *'' Cercosaura anordosquama'' *''

Cercosaura argulus ''Cercosaura argulus'', the elegant eyed lizard or white-lipped prionodactylus is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, French Guiana, Peru, and Brazil Brazil, officially the Federati ...

'' – elegant eyed lizard, white-lipped prionodactylus *''

Cercosaura bassleri ''Cercosaura bassleri'', known commonly as the ocellated tegu, is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The species is endemic to Peru. Etymology The specific name, ''bassleri'', is in honor of Dr. Harvey Bassler of the American ...

'' – ocellated tegu *''

Cercosaura doanae ''Cercosaura doanae'' is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The species is endemic to Peru. Etymology The specific name, ''doanae'', is in honor of herpetologist Tiffany M. Doan Geographic range ''C. doanae'' is found in Mari ...

'' *''

Cercosaura eigenmanni ''Cercosaura eigenmanni'', known commonly as Eigenmann's prionodactylus, is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The species is endemic to South America. Discovery C. eigenmanni was discovered in 1917 by L.E. Griffin. Descript ...

'' – Eigenmann's prionodactylus *''

Cercosaura hypnoides ''Cercosaura hypnoides'' is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. It is endemic to Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, ins ...

'' *'' Cercosaura manicata'' – slender prionodactylus *'' Cercosaura nigroventris'' *''

Cercosaura ocellata ''Cercosaura ocellata'', the ocellated tegu, is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. It is found in Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Argentina, and Paraguay Paraguay, officially th ...

'' – ocellated tegu *'' Cercosaura olivacea'' – olive tegu *''

Cercosaura oshaughnessyi ''Cercosaura oshaughnessyi'', known Common name, commonly as the white-striped eyed lizard, is a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Gymnophthalmidae. The species is Endemism, endemic to northern South America. Etymology The Specif ...

'' – white-striped eyed lizard *'' Cercosaura pacha'' *'' Cercosaura parkeri'' –

Parker's The Smith's Snackfood Company is a British-Australian snack food brand owned by the American multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation PepsiCo. It is best known for its brand of potato chip, potato crisps. The company was founded by F ...

many-fingered teiid *'' Cercosaura phelpsorum'' *'' Cercosaura quadrilineata'' – lined many-fingered teiid *''

Cercosaura schreibersii ''Cercosaura schreibersii'', known commonly as Schreibers's many-fingered teiid or the long-tailed little lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The species is endemic to South America. Etymology The specific name, ''sc ...

'' – Schreibers' many-fingered teiid, long-tailed little lizard *'' Cercosaura steyeri'' ''

Nota bene ( ; plural: ) is the Latin language, Latin phrase meaning ''note well''. In manuscripts, ''nota bene'' is abbreviated in upper-case as NB and N.B., and in lower-case as n.b. and nb; the editorial usages of ''nota bene'' and ''notate bene'' fi ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Cercosaura''.

Taxonomy

Species

References

Further reading