Petrosaurus mearnsi

Petrosaurus mearnsi, also called the banded rock lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae.^[2] The species is native to western North America.

Petrosaurus mearnsi
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Phrynosomatidae
Genus:	Petrosaurus
Species:	P. mearnsi
Binomial name
Petrosaurus mearnsi (Stejneger, 1894)
Synonyms[2]
Uta mearnsi Stejneger, 1894 Streptosaurus mearnsi — Mittleman, 1942 Petrosaurus mearnsi — Stebbins, 1985

Etymology

The specific name, mearnsi, is in honor of American naturalist Edgar Alexander Mearns, who collected the first specimens.^[3][4]

Geographic range

P. mearnsi is endemic to extreme southern California and Baja California, Mexico.^[5] It also occurs on Isla El Muerto.^[1]

Description

P. mearnsi is an extremely flat-bodied lizard. Its dorsum is olive, brown or gray, with white or bluish spots. It has a single black collar, a banded tail, and granular scales on its body, with keeled tail and limb scales. Individuals may be 6.2 to 8.7 cm (2.4 to 3.4 in) long snout-to-vent. Males have more pronounced throat patterns and brighter blue coloring than females.^[6]

Habitat

P. mearnsi is associated with boulder hillsides,^[6] extending in Baja California to chaparral and pinyon-juniper woodlands.^[1]

Diet

P. mearnsi is omnivorous, feeding not only on insects and spiders, but also on buds and flowers.^[7]

Reproduction

Gravid females of P. mearnsi lay eggs from June through August. Clutch size varies from 2 to 6 eggs.^[7]

References

1. Hollingsworth, B.; Hammerson, G.A. (2007). "Petrosaurus mearnsi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007: e.T64067A12741153. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64067A12741153.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
2. Petrosaurus mearnsi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 7 June 2016.
3. Beltz, Ellin (2006). Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America – Explained. ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx.html.
4. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Petrosaurus mearnsi, p. 174).
5. Smith HM, Brodie ED Jr (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3 (paperback). (Streptosaurus mearnsi, pp. 110–111).
6. Fisher, Robert; Case, Ted J. "Petrosaurus mearnsi — Banded Rock Lizard". A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal Southern California. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
7. Stebbins RC (2003). A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, Third Edition. The Peterson Field Guide Series®. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin. xiii + 533 pp. ISBN 0-395-98272-3 (paperback). (Petrosaurus mearnsi, pp. 298–299 + Plate 32 + Map 100).

Sources

• This article is based on a description from "A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal Southern California", Robert N. Fisher and Ted J. Case, USGS, http://www.werc.usgs.gov/fieldguide/index.htm Archived 2009-08-25 at the Wayback Machine.

Further reading

• Schulze Niehoff P (2018). "Mearns’ Rock Lizard, Petrosaurus mearnsi (Stejneger, 1894) – its natural history, captive care and first breeding record". Sauria (Berlin) 40 (1): 58–74.
• Stejneger L (1894). "Description of Uta mearnsi, a new Lizard from California". Proceedings of the United States National Museum 17: 589–591. (Uta mearnsi, new species)