Sceloporus merriami, commonly known as the canyon lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to the south-western United States and northern Mexico.[1][2]
| Canyon lizard | |
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| A male Big Bend canyon lizard (S. m. annulatus) near Big Bend NP, Texas | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Phrynosomatidae |
| Genus: | Sceloporus |
| Species: | S. merriami
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| Binomial name | |
| Sceloporus merriami Stejneger, 1904
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Etymology edit
The specific name, merriami, is in honor of American zoologist Clinton Hart Merriam.[2][3][4]
Geographic range edit
S. merriami is found in the United States in the state of Texas, and it is found in Mexico in the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango,[1] and Nuevo León.[2]
Description edit
Adults of S. merriami may reach 58 mm (2.2 in) snout-to-vent length (SVL). Including the tail, they may reach 162 mm (6.4 in) in total length. The dorsal scales are small, and the lateral scales are granular.[5]
Dorsally, the canyon lizard is gray, tan, or reddish-brown, matching the rocks on which it lives. There are four rows of dark spots on the back, and a vertical black line in front of the front leg. Males have blue and black lines on the throat.[6]
Subspecies edit
The seven recognized subspecies of S. merriami, including the nominotypical subspecies, are:[2]
- Sceloporus merriami annulatus H.M. Smith, 1937 – Big Bend canyon lizard
- Sceloporus merriami australis K.L. Williams, H.M. Smith & Chrapliwy, 1960 – southeastern canyon lizard
- Sceloporus merriami ballingeri Lemos-Espinal, H.M. Smith, Auth & Chiszar, 2001 – Ballinger's canyon lizard[4]
- Sceloporus merriami longipunctatus Olson, 1973 – Presidio canyon lizard
- Sceloporus merriami merriami Stejneger, 1904 – Merriam's canyon lizard[4][7]
- Sceloporus merriami sanojae Lemos-Espinal & Chiszar, 2003 – Sanoja's canyon lizard[4]
- Sceloporus merriami williamsi Lemos-Espinal, Chiszar & H.M. Smith, 2000 – Williams' canyon lizard[4][7]
References edit
- ^ a b c Hammerson, G.A.; Vazquez Díaz, J.; Gadsden. H.; Quintero Díaz, G.E.; Ponce-Campos, P.; Lavin, P. (2007). "Sceloporus merriami". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007: e.T64126A12747298. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64126A12747298.en. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d Sceloporus merriami at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 4 September 2021.
- ^ Beltz, Ellin (2006). Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America – Explained.[1]
- ^ a b c d e Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Sceloporus merriami, p. 176; S. m. ballingeri, p. 15; S. m. sanojae, p. 232; S. m. williamsi, p. 286).
- ^ Smith HM, Brodie ED Jr (1982). Reptiles of North America, A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3.
(Sceloporus merriami, pp. 116–117). - ^ Conant R (1975). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. + Plates 1–48. ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Sceloporus merriami, pp. 106–107 + Plate 16 + Map 62).
- ^ a b Bell, Edwin L.; Smith, Hobart M.; Chiszar, David (2003), "An Annotated List of the Species-Group Names Applied to the Lizard Genus Sceloporus." (PDF), Acta Zoológica Mexicana, [new series], 90: 103–174.
Further reading edit
- Behler JL, King FW (1979). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. ISBN 0-394-50824-6. (Sceloporus merriami, pp. 524–525 + Plate 368).
- Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp. 47 plates, 207 figures. ISBN 978-0-544-12997-9. (Sceloporus merriami, pp. 296–297, Figure 141 + Plate 27).
- Stejneger L (1904). "A New Lizard from the Rio Grande Valley, Texas". Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 17: 17–20. (Sceloporus merriami, new species).
- Stejneger L, Barbour T (1917). A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 125 pp. (Sceloporus merriami, p. 55).