Phylum Chordata Rank Genus | Suborder Iguania Scientific name Phymaturus Order Scaled reptiles | |
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Similar Liolaemidae, Reptile, Liolaemus, Phymaturus palluma, Iguania | ||
Phymaturus verdugo feeding babies
Phymaturus is a genus of iguanian lizards of the family Liolaemidae, a family which was traditionally included in the Iguanidae as a subfamily, but more recently was proposed to warrant distinct family status. Phymaturus is the mid-sized genus of its family, with 20 species altogether known as of 2008; new species are still being discovered however.
Contents
Species of the genus Phymaturus are found in the Andes region south to Patagonia and inhabit a variety of habitats. Their habits are mostly conserved from the ancestral iguanians, in that Phymaturus are generally inhabitants of rocky ground, feed on plants, and give birth to fully developed young.
Phymaturus verdugo feeding babies ii
Systematics
The genus can be divided into two lineages, which probably represent clades:
palluma group
patagonicus group
Superciliar scales elongate and overlapping, one usually unfragmented subocular scale, tail smooth, Meckel's groove fused and closed.
