Suborder Iguania Genus Leiocephalus Phylum Chordata Rank Species | Subphylum Vertebrata Family Leiocephalidae Scientific name Leiocephalus carinatus Higher classification Curly-tailed lizards Order Scaled reptiles | |
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Similar Curly‑tailed lizards, Leiocephalus personatus, Brown anole, Scaled reptiles, Leiocephalus cubensis | ||
Florida curly tail lizard leiocephalus carinatus fl 2015
Leiocephalus carinatus, commonly known as the northern curly-tailed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Leiocephalidae (curly-tailed lizards).
Contents
- Florida curly tail lizard leiocephalus carinatus fl 2015
- Northern curly tailed lizard leiocephalus carinatus in south florida
- Geographic range
- Description
- Behavior
- Subspecies
- References
Northern curly tailed lizard leiocephalus carinatus in south florida
Geographic range
It is native to the Bahama Islands, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, and Honduras, but also was released intentionally in Palm Beach, Florida, in the 1940s in an attempt to control sugar cane pests.
Description
Adults may attain a snout to vent length (SVL) of 10.5 cm (4.1 in), or a total length, including the tail, of 26 cm (10 in). The dorsal scales are keeled and pointed. L. carinatus resembles lizards of the genus Sceloporus, but with the tail usually curled upward, especially when the lizard is in a horizontal position on rocks or on the ground.
Behavior
An active, robust lizard, it is mostly terrestrial and will retreat into a burrow or cavity when frightened. It prefers sunny areas with loose rubble and rock. In the Cayman Islands a large captured specimen was observed to consistently burrow completely under the sand in a holding tank, even though a rock retreat was provided. The lizard also "played dead" when handled and remained completely motionless for a short while after being put down.
Subspecies
13 subspecies are recognized, including the nominate race: