Cleft Lizard

Fascinating facts about the Cleft Lizard

• Sceloporus mucronatus lives between 2,000 and 3,700 m (6,600-12,100 ft) above sea level.
• Spot the same species darting among pine-oak forests in Guerrero, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz and even the urban sprawl of Mexico City – a range that spans five states and the capital. Its presence across such varied landscapes proves that a single reptile can bridge wild and human-altered worlds.
• Sceloporus mucronatus gives birth to live young; its mode of reproduction has been described as viviparous and ovoviviparous.
• The species splits into two recognized subspecies, the original Sceloporus mucronatus mucronatus named by Cope in 1885 and Sceloporus mucronatus olsoni described in 2002. The latter honors herpetologist Rupert Earl Olson, reminding us how taxonomy records both nature and the people who study it.
• Sceloporus mucronatus prefers forest and shrubland but also hides in rock crevices within farms.

About the Cleft Lizard

Sceloporus mucronatus, the cleft lizard, is a species of Phrynosomatidae endemic to Mexico. It occurs in forest and shrubland habitats, as well as agricultural areas, at elevations of 2,000–3,700 m. It is terrestrial and gives birth to live young; its reproduction has been described as viviparous and as ovoviviparous.

More reptiles to discover

Browse Feravox