Sceloporus grammicus

Sceloporus grammicus is a species of lizard from Mexico and the southern United States. It is sometimes referred to as the mesquite lizard or graphic spiny lizard.^[1][2]

Sceloporus grammicus
male S. g. microlepidotus, Mexico
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Phrynosomatidae
Genus:	Sceloporus
Species:	S. grammicus
Binomial name
Sceloporus grammicus Wiegmann, 1828
Synonyms
Tropidurus grammicus – Wagler, 1830 Tropidolepis pleurostictus Gray, 1831 Tropidolepis grammicus – Gray, 1831 Sceloporus grammicus – Boulenger, 1885

male S. g. microlepidotus, Mexico

Geographic range

Sceloporus grammicus is native to the southern United States in the state of Texas, and to Mexico in the states of Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Querétaro, and Aguascalientes.^[2]

Description

Mesquite lizard (Sceloporus grammicus) ventral view of a male

Sceloporus grammicus is a flat-bodied lizard with a tail that is slightly longer than head-body length. Adult total body length varies between 10 and 17.5 cm (3.9 and 6.9 in). The dorsum is mottled olive or gray and has a pattern consisting of 3–6 dark crossbars. The forelegs and tail have narrow crossbars. Males differ from females by having blue patches and black mottling on throat, a dark line on each shoulder, and blue patches on sides of belly, sometimes bordered in black.^[3]

Reproduction

Sceloporus grammicus is viviparous.^[2][4] Litter size varies between 2 and 12.^[3][4] Females become sexually mature between 34 and 74 mm (1.3 and 2.9 in) in snout–vent length.^[4]

Subspecies

There are four recognized subspecies of Sceloporus grammicus including the nominate race:^[2]

• Sceloporus grammicus disparilis Stejneger, 1916 — mesquite graphic lizard
• Sceloporus grammicus grammicus Wiegmann, 1828 — southern mesquite lizard
• Sceloporus grammicus microlepidotus Wiegmann, 1834 — northern mesquite lizard
• Sceloporus grammicus tamaulipensis Sites & Dixon, 1981 — Tamaulipas mesquite lizard