''Cercosaura phelpsorum'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...
of
lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia al ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Gymnophthalmidae
Gymnophthalmidae is a family of lizards with at least 250 species, sometimes known commonly as spectacled lizards or microteiids. They are called "spectacled" because of their transparent lower eyelids, which allow them to still see with closed ...
.
The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...
to
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...
.
Etymology
The
specific name, ''phelpsorum'' (genitive plural), is in honor of American ornithologist
William H. Phelps Sr. and his family.
[Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Cercosaura phelpsorum'', p. 205).]
Geographic range
''C. phelpsorum'' is found in the Venezuelan states of
Amazonas
Amazonas may refer to:
Places
* Amazon River, known as ''Amazonas'' in Spanish and Portuguese
*Amazonas (Brazilian state), Brazil
* Amazonas Department, Colombia
* Department of Amazonas, Peru
* Amazonas (Venezuelan state), Venezuela
Other uses
* ...
and
Bolívar.
[
]
Habitat
The preferred habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s of ''C. phelpsorum'' are rocky areas and grassland, at altitudes of .
Reproduction
''C. phelpsorum'' is oviparous
Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), a ...
.[
]
References
Further reading
* Doan TM (2003). "A new phylogenetic classification for the gymnophthalmid genera ''Cercosaura'', ''Pantodactylus'' and ''Prionodactylus'' (Reptilia: Squamata)". ''Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society'' 137 (1): 101–115. (''Cercosaura phelpsorum'', new combination).
* Lancini AR (1968). "''El genero ''Euspondylus'' (Sauria: Teiidae) en Venezuela'' ". ''Publicaciones Ocasionales del Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Caracas'' 12: 1–8. (''Euspondylus phelpsi'', new species). (in Spanish).
* Myers CW, Donnelly MA (1996). "A New Herpetofauna from Cerro Yaví, Venezuela: First Results of the Robert G. Goelet American Museum – Terramar Expedition to the Northwestern Tepuis". ''American Museum Novitates'' (3172): 1-56. (''Euspondylus phelpsorum'', emendation, p. 23; ''E. goeleti'', new species, pp. 23–30, Figures 16–20).
Cercosaura
Reptiles of Venezuela
Endemic fauna of Venezuela
Reptiles described in 1968
Taxa named by Abdem Ramón Lancini Villalaz
Fauna of the Tepuis
{{Gymnophthalmidae-stub