Baja California Brush Lizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Baja California Brush Lizard |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Urosaurus
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| Species: |
nigricaudus
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| Synonyms | |
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The Baja California brush lizard is a small lizard. Its scientific name is Urosaurus nigricaudus. People also call it the black-tailed brush lizard or small-scaled tree lizard.
This lizard lives in a few places. You can find it in southern California. It also lives in Baja California and some nearby islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Contents
About This Lizard
The Baja California brush lizard is a type of lizard. It belongs to a group of lizards called brush lizards. These lizards are known for living in trees and bushes.
What It Looks Like
This lizard is usually small. It has scales, like all lizards. The name "black-tailed" suggests its tail might be darker. The name "small-scaled" means its scales are tiny.
Where It Lives
These lizards like places with lots of plants. They live in areas with bushes and trees. This helps them hide from predators. It also gives them places to find food.
How Scientists Study Lizards
Scientists often give animals special names. These names help everyone know which animal they are talking about. The scientific name for this lizard is Urosaurus nigricaudus.
Changing Names
Sometimes, scientists learn new things. This can change how they classify animals. For example, before 1999, another lizard was called Urosaurus microscutatus. Scientists thought it was a different species.
But then, they studied it more closely. They found out that Urosaurus microscutatus was actually the same as Urosaurus nigricaudus. So, they decided it was not a separate species. Now, Urosaurus microscutatus is just another name for the Baja California brush lizard.
