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Night lizard

 
Night Lizard

 
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Night lizard
 
 
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Night lizards (family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 name Xantusiidae) are a group of very small, viviparous
Vivipary

A viviparous animal is an animal employing vivipary: the embryo develops inside the body of the mother, as opposed to outside in an Egg ....
 (live-bearing) lizards, averaging from less than 4 cm to over 12 cm long. The family has only three genera
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
, with approximately 23 living species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
. The genera are divided by geographic range: Xantusia
Xantusia

Xantusia is one of three genus of night lizards . Species of Xantusia are small to medium sized, viviparous lizards found in the United States southwest and in northern Mexico....
 in southwestern North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
 and Baja California
Baja California

Baja California is the northernmost States of Mexico of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North Territory of Baja California....
, Cricosaura in Cuba
Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is a country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba , the island of Isla de la Juventud, and several adjacent small islands....
, and Lepidophyma
Lepidophyma

Tropical night lizards compose one of three genera of night lizards , which are a group of viviparous lizards. There are 19 tropical night lizard species, making it the most populous night lizard genus....
, the most populous night lizard genus, in Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
.

Biology
Night lizards were originally thought to be nocturnal because of their secretive lifestyle, but they are in fact strictly diurnal
Diurnal animal

Scientific term refered to as an animal behavior, diurnality indicates an animal that is active during the daytime and rests during the night. Animals that are not diurnal might be Nocturnality or crepuscular .  Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects and birds....
.






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Encyclopedia


Night lizards (family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 name Xantusiidae) are a group of very small, viviparous
Vivipary

A viviparous animal is an animal employing vivipary: the embryo develops inside the body of the mother, as opposed to outside in an Egg ....
 (live-bearing) lizards, averaging from less than 4 cm to over 12 cm long. The family has only three genera
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
, with approximately 23 living species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
. The genera are divided by geographic range: Xantusia
Xantusia

Xantusia is one of three genus of night lizards . Species of Xantusia are small to medium sized, viviparous lizards found in the United States southwest and in northern Mexico....
 in southwestern North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
 and Baja California
Baja California

Baja California is the northernmost States of Mexico of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North Territory of Baja California....
, Cricosaura in Cuba
Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is a country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba , the island of Isla de la Juventud, and several adjacent small islands....
, and Lepidophyma
Lepidophyma

Tropical night lizards compose one of three genera of night lizards , which are a group of viviparous lizards. There are 19 tropical night lizard species, making it the most populous night lizard genus....
, the most populous night lizard genus, in Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
.

Biology


Night lizards were originally thought to be nocturnal because of their secretive lifestyle, but they are in fact strictly diurnal
Diurnal animal

Scientific term refered to as an animal behavior, diurnality indicates an animal that is active during the daytime and rests during the night. Animals that are not diurnal might be Nocturnality or crepuscular .  Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects and birds....
. Night lizards have evolved
Evolution

In biology, evolution is change in the heritability trait of a population of organisms from one generation to the next. These changes are caused by a combination of three main processes: variation, reproduction, and selection....
 to live in very narrow environmental niches—"microhabitat specialization"—such as rock crevices or damp logs, and may spend their entire life under the same cover.

Physically, night lizards are characterized by relatively flat bodies and heads. Their heads are covered by large, smooth plates, while their bodies have rougher, granular skin. Their eyes, like those of snakes, are covered by immoveable, transparent membranes that function as eyelids. They feed on insects
Insectivore

An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures.Although individually small, insects exist in enormous numbers and make up a very large part of the animal biomass in almost all non-marine environments....
 and sometimes plants
Herbivore

Herbivory is a form of predation in which an organism, known as an herbivore, heterotrophs principally autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria....
.

Contrary to the reproductive strategies of most small lizards, night lizards tend to have very low reproductive rates, with several species giving birth to only one or two offspring, after a gestation period of about three months. They generally take several years to reach sexual maturity
Sexual maturity

Sexual maturity is the age or stage when an organism can sexual reproduction. It is sometimes considered synonymous with adulthood, though the two are distinct....
. However, the very limited lifestyle of night lizards has contributed to a high life expectancy.

Genera


FAMILY XANTUSIIDAE
  • Subfamily Cricosaurinae
    • Genus Cricosaura - Cuban night lizard
  • Subfamily Xantusiinae
    • Genus Lepidophyma
      Lepidophyma

      Tropical night lizards compose one of three genera of night lizards , which are a group of viviparous lizards. There are 19 tropical night lizard species, making it the most populous night lizard genus....
       - Tropical night lizards
    • Genus Xantusia
      Xantusia

      Xantusia is one of three genus of night lizards . Species of Xantusia are small to medium sized, viviparous lizards found in the United States southwest and in northern Mexico....
       - Typical night lizards