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REPTILIA:
SQUAMATA: XANTUSIIDAE: Lepidophyma
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Lepidophyma flavimaculatum
Duméril, 1851
Knobby Cave Lizard /
Brown Night Lizard
Photos & text by Dr. Robert Sprackland.
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Night lizards are sometimes mistaken
for lacertids or teiids, but notice the lack of eyelids in this
specimen. Night lizards are nocturnal and, like snakes and geckos,
lack moveable eyelids.
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Range: Much of Central
America in montane habitats.
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Diagnosis: A small-scaled
lizard with (comparatively) enormous head shields, a distinct ear
opening, and no moveable eyelids. The dorsum is covered in small
rounded tubercles.
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Description:
A large member
of the night lizard family, growing to 12.5 cm/5.25 inches. The body
and limbs are streamlined, the digits thin and equipped with small
claws. There are no toe pads. Dorsal scales are tiny, but the back
is interspersed with symmetrically arranged small tubercles. The
head scales are large, smooth, and glossy. Caudal scales form
distinct rings. The back is dark brown with small yellowish spots
("flavimaculatum" comes from Latin for
"yellow-spotted"). The tail is ringed with light and dark
bands. The belly is brown, nut lighter than the dorsum, and is
patternless. Belly scales are in rows, and are rectangular and much
larger than dorsal scales.
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Reproduction: A viviparous
species producing 3-4 live young. Some populations are known to be
parthenogenic (all female and self-reproducing).
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Taxonomy & Relationships: Night
lizards are now considered to be members of the Scincomorpha.
Historically, though, they have been associated with different
groups. Most current research supports the scincomorph relationship.
Lepidophyma is Greek and means
"warty scales," while flavimaculatum is Latin for
"yellow spotted."
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| Comments:
Central American night lizards are one of the least known groups of
lizards. Though a few studies looking at taxonomy and relationships
have been conducted, and these lizards are commonly imported to the
U.S. pet market, there is precious little other information in
the literature. |
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Holotype:
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Literature:
Smith, Hobart. 1973. A tentative
rearrangement of the lizards of the genus Lepidophyma. Journal of
Herpetology 7(2): 109-123.
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