Urosaurus

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Urosaurus ornatus.jpg

| taxon = Urosaurus

| authority = Hallowell, 1854

| diversity = 8 species, see text.

}}

Urosaurus is a genus of lizards, commonly known as tree lizards or brush lizards, belonging to the New World family Phrynosomatidae.{{ITIS|id=173951|taxon=Urosaurus Hallowell, 1854}} They are native to North America, specifically the arid and semiarid regions of the western United States and Mexico, spending most of their time on trees, shrubs, or boulders.{{Cite journal |last1=Feldman |first1=Chris R. |last2=Flores-Villela |first2=Oscar |last3=Papenfuss |first3=Theodore J. |date=2011-12-01 |title=Phylogeny, biogeography, and display evolution in the tree and brush lizard genus Urosaurus (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790311003526 |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=61 |issue=3 |pages=714–725 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2011.08.008 |pmid=21871967 |issn=1055-7903|url-access=subscription }}

Description

Species in the genus Urosaurus can be distinguished from members of the genus Sceloporus by the presence of a gular (under neck) fold and granular lateral scales. They can be distinguished from members of the genus Uta by the presence of enlarged (sometimes only slightly) dorsal scales.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}} Some species of Urosaurus (Urosaurus ornatus) appear to be polymorphic for throat color, but it does vary in different populations. In male lizards, these colors can range anywhere from orange, yellow, green, or turquoise, and in females the color can be either orange or yellow.{{Cite journal |last=Hover |first=Edward L. |date=1985 |title=Differences in Aggressive Behavior between Two Throat Color Morphs in a Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1445244 |journal=Copeia |volume=1985 |issue=4 |pages=933–940 |doi=10.2307/1445244 |jstor=1445244 |issn=0045-8511|url-access=subscription }} Throat color in males is also appears to be associated with certain mating behaviors including aggression, boldness, submission, and cautiousness.{{Cite journal |last1=Feldman |first1=Chris R. |last2=Flores-Villela |first2=Oscar |last3=Papenfuss |first3=Theodore J. |date=2011-12-01 |title=Phylogeny, biogeography, and display evolution in the tree and brush lizard genus Urosaurus (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790311003526 |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=61 |issue=3 |pages=714–725 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2011.08.008 |pmid=21871967 |issn=1055-7903|url-access=subscription }}

Reproduction

Urosaurus have been used as a model system in lizard life-history studies, and populations produce two or more clutches of eggs per year.{{Cite journal|doi=10.2307/3669714|jstor=3669714|title=Reproduction in a southwest New Mexican population of Urosaurus ornatus|journal=The Southwestern Naturalist|volume=21|issue=3|pages=281–299|year=1976|author=Michel L}}{{cite journal|author=Ballinger RE|year=1984|title=Survivorship of the lizard, Urosaurus ornatus linearis, in New Mexico|journal=Journal of Herpetology|volume=18|issue=4|pages=480–481|doi=10.2307/1564108|jstor=1564108}} Field studies have also shown a cost of reproduction in a natural New Mexico population of the species Urosaurus ornatus.{{Cite journal|doi=10.1007/BF00316951|title=Manipulation of egg production reveals costs of reproduction in the tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)|journal=Oecologia|volume=100|issue=3|pages=243–249|year=1994|author=Landwer AJ|pmid=28307007|bibcode=1994Oecol.100..243L|s2cid=3226827}}

Species

In the genus Urosaurus there are eight species which are recognized as being valid.{{NRDB genus|genus=Urosaurus|accessdate=28 January 2015}}

Image	Scientific Name	Distribution
class="wikitable"
120px	Urosaurus auriculatus {{small\|(Cope, 1871)}}	Socorro Island in Baja California
	Urosaurus bicarinatus {{small\|(A.M.C. Duméril, 1856)}}	Mexico.
	Urosaurus clarionensis {{small\|(Townsend, 1890)}}	Baja California
	Urosaurus gadovi {{small\|(Schmidt, 1921)}}	Mexico
120px	Urosaurus graciosus {{small\|Hallowell, 1854}}	southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico.
	Urosaurus lahtelai {{small\|Rau & Loomis, 1977}}	Mexico.
120px	Urosaurus nigricauda {{small\|(Cope, 1864)}}	southern California, Baja California,
120px	Urosaurus ornatus {{small\|(Baird & Girard, 1852)}}	southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other that Urosaurus.

Urosaurus

Description

Reproduction

Species

References

Further reading