Phrynosomatidae

Cophosaurus texanus

The Phrynosomatidae are a family of iguana -like ( Iguania ) which occur in North and Central America from southern Canada to Panama. Distribution area of more than 120 species are the western, continental United States and Mexico.

Features

The lizards are small, most species have a head-body length of less than ten centimeters. The animals live on the ground and often have a flattened body. They differ by a total of 30 autapomorphies, mostly to do with the bones of the skull, from other iguana -like.

Way of life

They live in deserts and other arid areas, preferably on rocky terrain. Their diet consists of insects, other invertebrates and small lizards. The horned lizard ( Phrynosoma ) are exclusive desert dwellers, Sceloporus, the most species-rich genus has both ground-dwelling and on shrubs and rock climbing relatives. The species of the genus Uma move like the North African scincus through loose sand. All Phrynosomatidae up on some species of the genera Sceloporus and Phrynosoma, which are viviparous, reproduce by eggs.

System

The Phrynosomatidae were initially as a family of iguanas ( Iguanidae ) until they were in 1989 by Frost and Etheridge elevated to the rank of a family.

• Phrynosomatidae clade 1 Zebra tail iguana ( callisaurus )
• Cophosaurus
• Taub iguanas ( Holbrookia )
• Horned lizard ( Phrynosoma )

• Rock iguanas ( Petrosaurus )
• Sator
• Spiny lizards ( Sceloporus )
• Frans toes iguanas ( Uma )
• Tree Iguana ( Urosaurus )
• Lateral spot iguanas ( Uta )