Yuman Desert fringe-toed lizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yuman Desert fringe-toed lizard |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification |
The Yuman Desert fringe-toed lizard (Uma cowlesi) is a special type of lizard. It has unique "fringes" on its toes that help it move on sand! This lizard lives only in the deserts of northwestern Mexico. Sometimes, you can find a mix of this lizard and another type, called the Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard, in parts of southwestern Arizona in the United States.
How Scientists Named This Lizard
The name of this lizard has a bit of a tricky history. For a while, people called it Uma rufopunctata. They thought it lived from Yuma, Arizona, down to the Gran Desierto de Altar in Mexico. It was also thought to live southeast to Puerto Peñasco and Tepoca Bay.
In 1941, a scientist named Heifetz described a new kind of lizard. He called it Uma notata cowlesi. This was a subspecies of the Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard (Uma notata). Heifetz also said that Uma rufopunctata was actually the same as Uma notata. But later, people still used the name Uma rufopunctata for this lizard.
Finally, in 2016, a group of scientists led by Gottscho found something new. They discovered that what people called Uma rufopunctata was actually a mix. It was a hybrid between Uma notata and Uma cowlesi. Because of this, scientists now only recognize Uma notata and Uma cowlesi as separate species.
Where the Lizard Lives
This lizard lives only in the Yuma Desert. You can find it along a small part of the coast in the Mexican state of Sonora.
The hybrid lizards, which are a mix of Uma cowlesi and Uma notata, live further north. They can be found in Sonora and also in southern Arizona. Some older records might incorrectly say this lizard lives only in Arizona. But it is mainly found in Mexico.
Why It's Called Cowlesi
The second part of the lizard's scientific name, cowlesi, is a special tribute. It honors an American scientist named Raymond Bridgman Cowles. He studied reptiles and amphibians.
