Morelet's alligator lizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Morelet's alligator lizard |
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Abronia (lizard)
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moreletii
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The Morelet's alligator lizard (scientific name: Abronia moreletii) is a fascinating type of lizard. It belongs to a group of lizards called Anguidae, which are known for their long bodies and often small legs. This particular lizard is special because it is endemic to Central America, meaning it is only found in that part of the world.
Contents
What's in a Name? The Story Behind Moreletii
The scientific name moreletii was given to this lizard to honor a French naturalist named Pierre Marie Arthur Morelet. Naturalists are scientists who study nature, including plants and animals. It's a way to remember important people in science!
Where Does This Lizard Live? Its Geographic Range
The Morelet's alligator lizard makes its home in several countries in Central America. You can find it in southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. It's a true Central American native!
What Kind of Home Does It Like? Its Habitat
This lizard prefers to live in specific types of natural areas. Its favorite places are Central American pine-oak forests and cloud forests. These are forests that are often covered in clouds or mist. The lizards like to live at high elevations, usually between 1,450 and 2,530 meters (about 4,757 to 8,300 feet) above sea level. Imagine living way up in the mountains among the clouds!
Different Kinds of Morelet's Alligator Lizards: Subspecies
Just like there can be different breeds of dogs, there can be different types of animals within a single species. These are called subspecies. Scientists recognize four different subspecies of the Morelet's alligator lizard:
- Abronia moreletii moreletii (first described by Bocourt in 1872)
- Abronia moreletii rafaeli (described by Hartweg & Tihen in 1946)
- Abronia moreletii salvadorensis (described by Hartweg & Tihen in 1946)
- Abronia moreletii temporalis (described by Hartweg & Tihen in 1946)
When you see a scientific name like Abronia moreletii rafaeli with three parts, the third part tells you it's a subspecies. If the names of the scientists who first described it are in parentheses, it means they originally thought it belonged to a different group (or genus) of lizards, but it was later moved to the Abronia group.
The subspecies name rafaeli honors a Mexican scientist who studied reptiles and amphibians, Rafael Martín del Campo. He was a herpetologist, which is a scientist who studies these amazing creatures.
See also
In Spanish: Abronia moreletii para niños
