Categories

Lepidophyma occulor

JALPAN TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma occulor – Smith 1942

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Lepidophyma occulor occurs primarily in the Jalpan Valley of northern Queretaro, Mexico. It has also been found in two caves (near Ahuacatlan and Tamazunchale) on the tropical Atlantic slope of adjacent San Luis Potosi and may occur in extreme eastern Guanajuato and Hidalgo.

HABITAT:
In the Jalpan Valley this species [...]

Lepidophyma gaigeae

GAIGE’S TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma gaigeae – Mosauer 1936

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species is found at moderate – high elevations of the Sierra Madre Oriental in Queretaro and Hidalgo, Mexico. It may also occur in adjacent areas of Guanajuato and San Luis Potosi along the foothills of the Sierra Gorda.

HABITAT:
L. gaigeae is most commonly found within limestone crevices in [...]

Lepidophyma micropholis

Adult, 600′, Tamaulipas, Mexico

Adult, 600′, Tamaulipas, Mexico

CAVE DWELLING TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma micropholis – Walker 1955

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species is known to occur at several localities in the Sierra del Abra of southern Tamaulipas and adjacent San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

HABITAT:
L. micropholis is found within limestone caves and rock outcrops within Tropical Deciduous Forest.

NATURAL HISTORY:
Within the caves, the [...]

Lepidophyma flavimaculatum

YELLOW-SPOTTED NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma flavimaculatum – Dumeril, in Dumeril & Dumeril 1851

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
In Mexico, this species occurs on Atlantic slopes from the Tuxtlas region of Veracruz south through eastern Oaxaca, southern Tabasco and Chiapas to Guatemala; it also occurs in coastal Quintana Roo.

HABITAT:
This versatile species occurs at low and moderate elevations in tropical moist forest, tropical dry [...]

Lepidophyma lineri

MIAHUATLAN TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma lineri – Smith 1973

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species has only been recorded from the type locality as well as Cafetal Alemania in the Sierra de Miahuatlan of Oaxaca, Mexico. It probably occurs throughout the Sierra de Miahuatlan, and may also occur elsewhere in the Sierra Madre del Sur.

HABITAT:
Little has been described regarding the habitat [...]

Lepidophyma tarascae

TARASCAN TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma tarascae – Bezy, Webb and Alvarez 1982

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species is known from the Ixtlahuacan region of Colima, as well as the rocky coast and Sierra de Coalcoman (Canyon of the Rio Chilitos) of Michoacan, Mexico.

HABITAT:
Lepidophyma tarascae is found in caves, ravines and rocky outcrops in Tropical Semi-Deciduous Forest and Evergreen Oak Woodland. [...]

Lepidophyma pajapanense

PAJAPAN TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma pajapanense – Werler 1957

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species occurs in the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas of Veracruz (between Volcan San Martin Tuxtla and Volcan San Martin Pajapan), and in the vicinity of the Rio Coatzacoalcos near Jesus Carranza, Veracruz. Elevational distribution from 0-1500 m. The record of a specimen from Huayacacotla, Veracruz (Aguilar Cortes [...]

Lepidophyma lipetzi

LIPETZ’ TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma lipetzi – Smith & Alvarez del Toro 1977

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species is known only from the type locality in northwestern Chiapas, Mexico.

HABITAT:
The only two specimens known were collected from the walls of caves; these caves lie within Tropical Forest.

NATURAL HISTORY:
This species occurs in sympatry with L. flavimaculatum at the type locality. It’s [...]

Lepidophyma tuxtlae

TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma tuxtlae – Werler & Shannon 1957

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Lepidophyma tuxtlae is known from the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas of Veracruz, Sierra de Juarez of Oaxaca, Rio Coatzacoalcos and Sierra Atravesada of eastern Veracruz and Oaxaca, and Selva de Ocote region of Chiapas, Mexico. Elevational distribution to 1,500 meters.

HABITAT:
Vogt (1997) reports this species as inhabiting trees [...]

Lepidophyma lowei

LOWE’S TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma lowei – Bezy & Camarillo 1997

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Lepidophyma lowei is known from pine-oak woodland in the Sierra de Juarez of eastern Oaxaca, Mexico. Elevational distribution is around 2,200 m.

HABITAT:
This species is known from rock crevices within pine-oak woodland.

NATURAL HISTORY:
The natural history of this species is probably very similar to that of [...]

Lepidophyma radula

YAUTEPEC TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma radula – Smith 1942

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species is known only from a single specimen found near San Carlos Yautepec at the eastern edge of the Sierra Madre del Sur, Oaxaca, Mexico.

HABITAT:
The type locality is reportedly Tropical Deciduous Forest.

NATURAL HISTORY:
Almost nothing is known of this species’ natural history.

TAXONOMY:
This species is closely related [...]

Lepidophyma dontomasi

MACDOUGALL’S TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma dontomasi – Smith 1942

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
The species is known only from the type locality on Cerro Lachiguiri, Oaxaca, Mexico at an elevation of 7,100′.

HABITAT:
This species has been found beneath fallen logs in pine forest (Smith, 1942) as well as in rock crevices and under rocks and dead Agave and Nolina in oak savanna [...]

Lepidophyma chicoasense

SUMIDERO TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma chicoasense – Alvarez & Valentin 1988

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species is known only from the type locality within the Sumidero Canyon of Chiapas, Mexico. Much of the former habitat of this species now lies beneath the waters of an extensive impoundment; it probably occurs elsewhere. Elevational distribution is around 600 m.

HABITAT:
Recorded only from rocky [...]

Lepidophyma smithii

Sub-Adult, 500′, Oaxaca, Mexico

SMITH’S TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma smithii – Bocourt 1876

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
In Mexico, Lepidophyma smithii is found on the Pacific slopes of the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero (as far north as Puerto Marquez) and Oaxaca, Cerro Quiengola and the Sierra Atravesada of Oaxaca/Chiapas and the Sierra Madre de Chiapas of Chiapas; extralimitally, it occurs [...]

Lepidophyma sylvaticum

Adult, 4,500′, Tamaulipas, Mexico

Adult, 4,500′, Tamaulipas, Mexico

MADREAN TROPICAL NIGHT LIZARD
Lepidophyma sylvaticum – Taylor 1939

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This “species” is found in the main body of the Sierra Madre Oriental from Nuevo Leon to Puebla and Veracruz; it also occurs in the Cumbres de Monterey of Nuevo Leon, Sierra de Tamaulipas, and Sierra Alvarez of San Luis Potosi.

HABITAT:
The [...]