A Review of the American Lizards of the Genus Xenosaurus Peters

Abstract

Analysis of the total observed range of variation in color and morphological characters in the lizards of the genus Xenosaurus from the available museum material permits the recognition of three species, X. grandis, X. newmanorum, and X. platyceps new species, which can be separated consistently from each other by a number of morphological and color characteristics. Both X. newmanorum and X. platyceps have restricted distributions in San Luis Potosi and Tamaulipas respectively, while X. grandis ranges from Veracruz south to the Pacific slopes of Oaxaca and east to Alta Verapaz. Over the wide distribution of X. grahdis, five subspecies based on differences in color pattern are recognized, X. g. grandis, X. g. sanmartinensis, X. g. rackhami, X. g. arboreus, and X. g. agrenon new subspecies. The observed color variations and their possible derivation from a basic cross banded pattern are discussed.