Aspidoscelis

Aspidoscelis is a genus of whiptail lizards in the family Teiidae.

Aspidoscelis
California whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris munda)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Teiidae
Genus: Aspidoscelis
Fitzinger, 1843
Species

Over 40, see text.[1]

Taxonomy

The nomenclature for the genus Aspidoscelis was published by T.W. Reeder et al. in 2002. Many species that were formerly included in the genus Cnemidophorus are now considered Aspidoscelis based upon divergent characters between the two groups.

Etymology

The name Aspidoscelis literally means "shield-leg", from the Ancient Greek aspido- ("shield") and skelos ("leg").[2]

Species

The following species are recognized as being valid.[1][3]

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Aspidoscelis.

Speciation

In 2011, it was announced that a parthenogenetic hybrid Aspidocelis was bred in the laboratory.[4] This serves as a demonstration of how other hybrid parthenogens in this genus may have arisen.

References
  1. Genus Aspidoscelis at Encyclopedia of Life. eol.org
  2. "Aspidoscelis sexlineata". Illinois Natural History Survey. University of Illinois. Etymology: Aspidoscelis - aspido (Greek) shield; -skelos (Greek) meaning leg
  3. Genus Aspidocelis at The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  4. Lutes, Aracely A.; Baumann, Diana P.; Neaves, William B.; Baumann, Peter (2011). "Laboratory synthesis of an independently reproducing vertebrate species". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 108 (24). pp. 9910–9915. doi:10.1073/pnas.1102811108.

Further reading
  • Fitzinger L (1843). Systema Reptilium, Fasciculus Primus, Amblyglossae. Vienna: Braumüller & Seidel. 106 pp. + indices. (Aspidoscelis, new genus, p. 20). (in Latin).
  • Reeder, Tod W.; Dessauer, Herbert C.; Cole, Charles J. (2002). "Phylogenetic relationships of whiptail lizards of the genus Cnemidophorus (Squamata, Teiidae) : a test of monophyly, reevaluation of karyotypic evolution, and review of hybrid origins". American Museum Novitates (3365): 1-61.


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