Sceloporus aurantius

Sceloporus aurantius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Phrynosomatidae
Genus:	Sceloporus
Species:	S. aurantius
Binomial name
	Sceloporus aurantius; Jared Grummer & Robert Bryson, 2014

Sceloporus aurantius is a species of phrynosomatid lizard native to Mexico. It was discovered by University of Washington biologists in May 2014 upon isolating gene pools from those of Sceloporus brownorum.[1]

Description

This bunchgrass lizard was mistakenly categorized as a subspecies of Sceloporus brownorum, but features different morphological characteristics, most notably, the lack of blue belly patches in males. The uniqueness of this species lies in its orange sides on their bellies, which plays a major role in selective reproduction. Sceloporus aurantius is similar to Sceloporus chaneyi which does not have these blue patches, but differs from this species in size, number of dorsal scales and number of scales around the midsection.[2]

Distribution

It is most commonly found near isolated areas along the southern sky islands of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico.

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References

JARED A. GRUMMER & ROBERT W. BRYSON, JR. A new species of bunchgrass lizard (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) from the southern sky islands of the Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2014/f/z03790p450f.pdf
“A New Species of Lizard Discovered in Recent Research.” http://dailyuw.com/archive/2014/05/21/science/new-species-lizard-discovered-recent-research#.U4lE2vldVUU. The Daily. N. p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2014.

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[1] JARED A. GRUMMER & ROBERT W. BRYSON, JR. A new species of bunchgrass lizard (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) from the southern sky islands of the Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2014/f/z03790p450f.pdf

[2] “A New Species of Lizard Discovered in Recent Research.” http://dailyuw.com/archive/2014/05/21/science/new-species-lizard-discovered-recent-research#.U4lE2vldVUU. The Daily. N. p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2014.