Yellow-spotted tropical night lizard
| Yellow-spotted night lizard | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Xantusiidae |
| Genus: | Lepidophyma |
| Species: | L. flavimaculatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Lepidophyma flavimaculatum A. Duméril, 1851 | |
The yellow-spotted tropical night lizard[2] or yellow-spotted night lizard (Lepidophyma flavimaculatum) is a species of night lizard.[1][3] It is distributed from central Mexico through the Central America south to Panama. It includes four subspecies:[3]
- Lepidophyma flavimaculatum flavimaculatum
- Lepidophyma flavimaculatum ophiophthalmum
- Lepidophyma flavimaculatum tehuanae
- Lepidophyma flavimaculatum tenebrarum
Reproduction
It reproduces parthenogenetically,[1] although some populations also contain males.[3] and gives birth to fully developed young.[1]
Habitat and ecology
It is a secretive, terrestrial and nocturnal lizard of tropical wet and moist forests. Mostly found on the ground, it is occasionally found on tree trunks or beneath bark on standing trees. It feeds on small invertebrates.[1]
In popular culture
The yellow-spotted night lizard is featured as a poisonous lizard, whose bite is "The worst thing that can happen to you," in the children's fiction book Holes.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sunyer, J., Chaves, G., Porras, L.W., Lamar, W. & Solórzano, A. (2013). "Lepidophyma flavimaculatum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN) 2013: e.T197495A2490538. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T197495A2490538.en.
- ↑ "SPECIES Lepidophyma flavimaculatum". UniProt. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- 1 2 3 Lepidophyma flavimaculatum at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Sachar, Louis (1998). Holes. United States: Random House, Inc. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-440-41480-3.