Subphylum Vertebrata Suborder Sauria Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Infraorder Scincomorpha Higher classification Xantusia | |
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Similar Xantusia, Night lizard, Granite night lizard, Desert night lizard, Reptile | ||
The island night lizard (Xantusia riversiana) is a species of night lizard native to three of the Channel Islands of California: San Nicolas Island, Santa Barbara Island, and San Clemente Island. A small number of island night lizards also live on Sutil Island, near Santa Barbara Island.
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Etymology
The specific name, riversiana, is in honor of James John Rivers (1824–1913), a London-born physician and naturalist, who was Curator of Natural History at the University of California.
Subspecies
The San Clemente Island population is a recognized subspecies, the San Clemente night lizard (Xantusia riversiana reticulata).
Conservation status
The Island night lizard was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the United States since 1977; the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the species as vulnerable. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the administrating agency for the ESA, removed the San Clemente subspecies from the ESA. Better control of munitions-sparked wildfires may have been a reason. In March 2014, The US Fish and Wildlife Service removed the species from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife. This removal was attributed to the removal of non-native animals such as cats and goats from the islands and partnering between the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Navy.
Habitat
The island night lizard's preferred habitat is coastal scrub made up of dense boxthorn and cacti thickets.
Reproduction
Like other night lizards, the island night lizard bears live young rather than laying eggs. The island night lizard is much larger than another species in the genus Xantusia, the desert night lizard (Xantusia vigilis) of southern California.
Description
Island night lizards are typically between 2.6 and 4.3 in (6.6 and 10.9 cm) in length, not including the tail. They typically live between 11 and 13 years, but some individuals are estimated to have lived 30 years or more. Their color varies from pale ash gray and beige to brown and black. They may have uniform, mottled, and striped patterns.