Arizona night lizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arizona night lizard |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Xantusia
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| Species: |
arizonae
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| Synonyms | |
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Xantusia vigilis subsp. arizonae Klauber, 1931 |
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The Arizona night lizard (Xantusia arizonae) is a small lizard found in Arizona. It has smooth, gray-brown skin with dark spots. These spots sometimes make lines down its back. This lizard has a slightly flat head. Its belly and tail scales are bigger than the scales on its back. It grows to be about 6 to 10 centimeters long.
Even though it's called a "night lizard," it mostly comes out during the day. You can find it in rocky cracks or under plants. It eats insects and spiders. Baby lizards are born live, usually one or two at a time, around late summer. This lizard tends to stay hidden and avoids people. Because of this, scientists don't know a lot about it. Its home is in west-central Arizona.
About the Arizona Night Lizard
This lizard can grow up to 10 centimeters long. Its head is covered with large, smooth plates. The scales on its body are small, but the scales on its belly are rectangular. Many small dark spots cover its back. These spots often form rows. The lizard has large, round eyes with pupils that look like a snake's eye.
This species is very secretive. It spends most of its life hidden away. It eats, reproduces, and lives in private. Lizards living in lower, warmer areas become active in spring and stay active through summer. Lizards in higher, cooler places might not become active until late spring. Because they are so secretive, it's hard to know their daily routines. Some animals that hunt the Arizona night lizard include bigger lizards, many types of snakes, and birds.
Where They Live and What They Eat
The Arizona night lizard lives under peeling rocks in granite areas. These lizards are mostly found in rocky cracks. However, they have also been seen in nests made by pack rats. They can also be found in old, decaying Yucca baccata plants. Their habitat stretches from the Arizona Upland Sonoran Desert to the Interior Chaparral region.
Their diet mainly includes ants, termites, flies, beetles, and spiders. They eat other insects too. Animals that prey on the Arizona night lizard include larger lizards, birds, and snakes.
