Abronia (lizard)
{{Short description|Genus of lizards, family of Anguidae}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Arboreal Alligator Lizard Abronia graminea 2900px.jpg
| image_caption = Abronia graminea
| taxon = Abronia (lizard)
| authority = Gray, 1838"Abronia". ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
| synonyms= *Mesaspis
}}
Abronia is a genus of lizards, known colloquially as alligator lizards, in the family Anguidae that is native to Mexico and Central America. The majority of the species are restricted to southern Mexico and Guatemala, but members of the genus occur as far south as Panama. They inhabit forests and woodlands, mostly in highlands, and some species are often associated with bromeliads. They are typically arboreal, but there are also terrestrial Abronia species.{{cite journal| last=García-Vázquez | first=U.M. | last2=Clause | first2=A.G. | last3=Gutiérrez-Rodríguez | first3=J. | last4=Cazares-Hernández | first4=E. | last5=Ángel de la Torre-Loranca | first5=M. | year=2022 | title=A New Species of Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from the Sierra de Zongolica of Veracruz, Mexico | journal=Ichthyology & Herpetology | volume=110 | issue=1 | pages=33–49 | doi=10.1643/h2021051 | doi-access=free }} Many species are considered threatened due to habitat loss, killing by locals who mistakenly believe they are venomous, or collection for the captive reptile trade (they are listed on CITES, which restricts international trade). They feed on small animal prey, such as insects, and the females give birth to live young (rather than lay eggs).{{cite journal| last=Cruz-Elizalde | first=R. | last2=Villamar-Duque | first2=T.E. | last3=Ramírez-Bautista | first3=A. | year=2021 | title=Sexual dimorphism in size and shape in the viviparous lizard Abronia taeniata (Squamata: Anguidae) in central Mexico | journal=Acta Zoologica | volume=102 | issue=2 | pages=220–226 | doi=10.1111/azo.12329}}
These medium-sized to fairly large lizards (maximum length generally up to about {{cvt|35|cm|disp=sqbr}}) possess intriguing physical traits such as long prehensile tails that can be regrown if lost, keeled body scales, and a helmet-like structure on the top of the head, which in some species, for example A. lythrochila, has spikes towards the rear.{{cite web| title=Identification guide for dragons (Arboreal alligator lizards, Abronia spp.) regulated by CITES | url=https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/prog/id_material/2018-CONABIO-Abronia-EN.pdf | year=2018 | publisher=CITES | access-date=8 June 2023 }}{{cite web| title=Status of conservation, use, management of and trade in the species of the genus Abronia | url=https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/com/ac/28/Inf/E-AC28-Inf-28.pdf | publisher=CITES | access-date=8 June 2023 }} Their colors also vary significantly depending on species, including green, bluish-green, brown, yellowish, whitish, gray and black, and some have contrasting mottled or banded patterns.
Species
File:Abronia montecristoi 55841718.jpg
These species are recognized as being valid:[http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/search.php?genus=Abronia&exact%5B%5D=genus&submit=Search Abronia]. The Reptile Database. Consulted: 2012-04-06.
- Abronia antauges {{small|(Cope, 1866)}} – Mount Orizaba alligator lizard
- Abronia anzuetoi {{small|Campbell & Frost, 1993}} – Anzueto's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia aurita {{small|(Cope, 1869)}} – Cope's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia bogerti {{small|Tihen, 1954}} – Bogert's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia campbelli {{small|Brodie & Savage, 1993}} – Campbell's alligator lizard
- Abronia chiszari {{small|H.M. Smith & R.B. Smith, 1981}} – Chiszar's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia cuchumatanus {{small|Solano-Zavaleta, Nieto-Montes de Oca & Campbell, 2016}} – Cuchumatanes alligator lizard
- Abronia cuetzpali {{small|Campbell, Solano-Zavaleta, Flores-Villela, Caviedes-Solís & Frost, 2016}}
- Abronia cunemica {{small|(Clause et al., 2024)}} – Coapilla arboreal alligator lizard.[https://news.yahoo.com/elusive-alligator-creature-found-treetops-173259785.html Elusive ‘alligator’-like creature found in treetops...] Yahoo News. By Aspen Pflughoeft. January 5, 2024. Accessed January 7, 2024.
- Abronia deppii {{small|(Wiegmann, 1828)}} – Deppe's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia fimbriata {{small|(Cope, 1884)}}
- Abronia frosti {{small|Campbell, Sasa, Acevedo & Mendelson, 1998}} – Frost's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia fuscolabialis {{small|(Tihen, 1944)}} – Mount Zempoaltepec arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia gadovii {{small|(Boulenger, 1913)}} – Gadow's alligator lizard
- Abronia gaiophantasma {{small|Campbell & Frost, 1993}} – brilliant arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia graminea {{small|(Cope, 1864)}} – Mexican alligator lizard
- Abronia juarezi {{small|(Karges & J.W. Wright, 1987)}} – Sierra Juarez alligator lizard
- Abronia leurolepis {{small|Campbell & Frost, 1993}} – smoothback arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia lythrochila {{small|H.M. Smith & Álvarez del Toro, 1963}} – red-lipped arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia martindelcampoi {{small|Flores-Villela & Sánchez-Herrera, 2003}} – Martín del Campo's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia matudai {{small|(Hartweg & Tihen, 1946)}} – Matuda's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia meledona {{small|Campbell & Brodie, 1999}}
- Abronia mitchelli {{small|Campbell, 1982}} – Mitchell's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia mixteca {{small|Bogert & Porter, 1967}} – Mixtecan arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia montecristoi {{small|Hidalgo, 1983}} – Monte Cristo arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia monticola {{small|(Cope, 1878)}} – montane alligator lizard
- Abronia moreletii {{small|(Bocourt, 1871)}} – Morelet's alligator lizard
- Abronia morenica {{small|Clause, Luna-Reyes & Nieto-Montes de Oca, 2020}}{{Cite journal|last=Clause|first=Adam G.|author-link=species:Adam G. Clause|last2=Luna-Reyes|first2=Roberto|author2-link=species:Roberto Lina-Reyes|last3=Nieto-Montes de Oca|first3=Adrián|author3-link=species:Adrian Nieto-Montes de Oca|date=2020|title=A New Species of Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from a Protected Area in Chiapas, Mexico|url=https://bioone.org/journals/herpetologica/volume-76/issue-3/Herpetologica-D-19-00047/A-New-Species-of-Abronia-Squamata--Anguidae-from-a/10.1655/Herpetologica-D-19-00047.full|journal=Herpetologica|volume=76|issue=3|pages=330|doi=10.1655/Herpetologica-D-19-00047|s2cid=221564537|issn=0018-0831}} (Abronia morenica, new species). – Sierra Morena arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia oaxacae {{small|(Günther, 1885)}} – Oaxacan arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia ochoterenai {{small|(Martín del Campo, 1939)}} – Ochoterena's arboreal alligator lizard, Northern Chiapas arboreal alligator lizard,
- Abronia ornelasi {{small|Campbell, 1984}} – Ornelas's arboreal alligator lizard, Cerro Baul alligator lizard
- Abronia ramirezi {{small|Campbell, 1994}} – Ramirez's alligator lizard
- Abronia reidi {{small|Werler & Shannon, 1961}} – Reid's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia salvadorensis {{small|Hidalgo, 1983}} – Salvador arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia smithi {{small|Campbell & Frost, 1993}} – Smith's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia taeniata {{small|(Wiegmann, 1828)}} – banded arboreal alligator lizard, bromeliad arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia vasconcelosii {{small|(Bocourt, 1871)}} – Bocourt's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia viridiflava {{small|(Bocourt, 1873)}} – dwarf alligator lizard
- Abronia zongolica {{small|García-Vázquez, Clause, Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, Cazares-Hernández & de la Torre-Loranca, 2022}}García-Vázquez, Uri Omar; Clause, Adam G.; Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, Jorge; Cazares-Hernández, Erasmo; de la Torre-Loranca, Miguel Ángel (2022). [https://bioone.org/journals/ichthyology-and-herpetology/volume-110/issue-1/h2021051/A-New-Species-of-iAbronia-i-Squamata--Anguidae-from/10.1643/h2021051.full "A New Species of Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from the Sierra de Zongolica of Veracruz, Mexico"]. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 110 (1): 33-49. (Abronia zongolica, new species).
References
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikispecies|Abronia (Anguidae)|Abronia}}
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Category:Lizards of Central America