Fringe-toed lizards are lizards of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

''Uma'' in the family

Phrynosomatidae The Phrynosomatidae are a diverse family of lizards, sometimes classified as a subfamily (Phrynosomatinae), found from Panama to the extreme south of Canada. Many members of the group are adapted to life in hot, sandy deserts, although the spin ...

, native to deserts of North America. They are adapted for life in sandy deserts with fringe-like scales on their hind toes hence their common name.

Descriptions

Lizards of the genus ''Uma'' have a brown and tan coloration that helps them to blend in with the sand. The dorsal surface has a velvety texture with intricate markings. In addition, they also have prominent elongated scales which form a fringe on the sides of their hind toes. These fringes aid with traction and speed, and help the lizard avoid sinking into loose, sandy dunes. Fringe-toed lizards also possess upper jaws which overlap the lower ones, preventing the intrusion of sand particles, and nostrils that can be closed at will. Flaps also close against the ear openings when moving through sand, and the upper and lower eyelids have interlocking scales that prevent sand from getting into the eyes.

Geographic range

Fringe-toed lizards range throughout southeast

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

and southwest

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...

, and extend into northwest

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into 72 municipalities; the ...

and northeast

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

Habitat

Lizards of the genus ''Uma'' are found in low desert areas having fine, loose sand.

Diet

Fringe-toed lizards primarily eat

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...

s, including ants,

beetle Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

s, grasshoppers, and

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larva, larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterfly, butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawfly ...

Flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

buds, stems, leaves and seeds of plants are also eaten.

Behavior

Lizards of the genus ''Uma'' bury themselves underground in the winter. They sleep in their burrows, and use their burrows for protection from predators and extreme temperatures.

Species

* Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, '' Uma inornata''

Cope The cope (known in Latin as ''pluviale'' 'rain coat' or ''cappa'' 'cape') is a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colours, litu ...

, 1895 * Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard, '' Uma notata''

Baird Baird may refer to: Places United States * Baird, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Baird, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Baird, Texas, a city * Baird, Washington, a community * Baird Mountains, Alaska * Baird Inlet, Alaska ...

, 1858 *

Mohawk Dunes fringe-toed lizard The Mohawk Dunes fringe-toed lizard (''Uma thurmanae'') is a species of phrynosomatid lizard endemic to the U.S. state of Arizona. Its name is a reference to American actress Uma Thurman, as both a pun on the genus name ''Uma'' as well as a ...

, '' Uma thurmanae'' Derycke, Gottscho, Mulcahy, & De Queiroz, 2020 * Mojave fringe-toed lizard, '' Uma scoparia'' Cope, 1894 * Yuman Desert fringe-toed lizard, '' Uma cowlesi'' Heifetz, 1941 * Chihuahuan fringe-toed lizard, '' Uma paraphygas'' K.L. Williams, Chrapliwy & H.M. Smith, 1959 * Fringe-toed sand lizard, '' Uma exsul'' Schmidt & Bogert, 1947"''Uma'' ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. ''" Uma rufopunctata''", the previous name for the Yuman Desert fringe-toed lizard, was found in 2016 to represent a

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...

between ''U. notata'' and ''U. cowlesi''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2427811 Uma Lizard genera Reptiles of Mexico Reptiles of the United States Fauna of the Colorado Desert Fauna of the Mojave Desert Fauna of the Sonoran Desert Endangered fauna of California Lizards of North America Taxa named by Spencer Fullerton Baird