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Cophosaurus texanus

Troschel, 1852

Greater Earless Lizard

G5Secure Found in 40 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100699
Element CodeARACF03010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyPhrynosomatidae
GenusCophosaurus
Other Common Names
greater earless lizard (EN)
Concept Reference
de Queiroz K. 1989. Morphological and biochemical evolution in the sand lizards. PhD Dissertation. Berkeley: University of California. 491 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
This species was formerly placed in the genus Holbrookia. Blaine (2008) found that most C. texanus sampled within the United States formed three non-overlapping mtDNA haplotype clades, the relationships among which were poorly supported. If the central clade is more closely related to the western clade, then the two primary clades would correspond roughly with the two subspecies of C. texanus that occur in the United States. Samples from the vicinity of Eagle Pass, Maverick County, Texas, formed a separate, earlier diverging clade that could represent a separate species or subspecies (Crother 2017).
Conservation Status
Review Date2005-09-09
Change Date1996-10-28
Edition Date2005-06-24
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Range Extent Comments
The range extends from Arizona across most of southern New Mexico to northern Texas, and south to northern Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi, and western Tamaulipas, Mexico (Degenhardt et al. 1996, Bartlett and Bartlett 1999, Dixon 2000, Stebbins 2003). Elevational range extends from near sea level to about 2,100 meters (6,890 feet) (Stebbins 2003).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by many occurrences that are well distributed throughout the range. Degenhardt et al. (1996) mapped well over 100 collection sites in New Mexico, and Dixon (2000) mapped this species as occurring in more than 100 counties in Texas.
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats have been identified. Habitat loss and degradation resulting from agricultural, residential, and commercial development likely have caused localized declines.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

The habitat includes gravelly to rocky substrates in deserts with scattered to moderate vegetative cover (e.g., sparse cactus, mesquite, ocotillo, creosote bush, or paloverde), often along floodplains, arroyo edges, and similar topographic features (Degenhardt et al. 1996, Stebbins 2003). Eggs are laid underground (Smith 1946).

Reproduction

Oviposition season begins in April or May, extends into August. Egg laying evidently peaks in late May in New Mexico; hatchlings first appear in late June or early July in western Texas, in mid-July in New Mexico (Sugg et al. 1995). Clutch size averages 3-4 in Arizona (Smith et al. 1987), 3.2-6.1 in several areas in Texas. Two or more clutches/year in Arizona, 3-5 or more in Texas. Sexually mature by end of first year; most reproduction is by yearlings (Sugg et al. 1995). See Howland (1992).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousDesert
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
TexasS5Yes
ArizonaS5Yes
New MexicoS5Yes
Roadless Areas (40)
Arizona (31)
AreaForestAcres
Arnold MesaPrescott National Forest12,286
Black CanyonPrescott National Forest10,683
Black CrossTonto National Forest5,966
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
Connell MountainsPrescott National Forest7,926
FritschePrescott National Forest14,190
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
HackberryCoconino National Forest17,885
Happy ValleyCoronado National Forest7,972
Hell HoleApache-Sitgreaves National Forests15,512
HellsgateTonto National Forest6,171
Lime CreekTonto National Forest42,568
Lower RinconCoronado National Forest3,278
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Middle Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest10,543
Middle Romero WSRCoronado National Forest60
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
PipestemApache-Sitgreaves National Forests34,598
Santa TeresaCoronado National Forest8,929
Sheridan MountainPrescott National Forest37,600
SunsetApache-Sitgreaves National Forests28,948
Upper Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest2,533
Upper Romero WsrCoronado National Forest150
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
New Mexico (9)
AreaForestAcres
Apache Kid ContiguousCibola National Forest67,542
Contiguous To Black & Aldo Leopold WildernessGila National Forest111,883
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
GrapevineLincoln National Forest2,086
Jefferies CanyonLincoln National Forest8,934
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
West Face Sacramento MountainsLincoln National Forest41,176
References (19)
  1. Bartlett, R. D., and P. P. Bartlett. 1999a. A field guide to Texas reptiles & amphibians. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas. xviii + 331 pp.
  2. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  3. Blaine, R. A. 2008. Biogeography of the North American southwest sand lizards. PhD Dissertation, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. 202 pp.
  4. Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. 3rd ed. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular No. 19. 41 pp.
  5. Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xvii + 429 pp.
  6. Conant, R., and J. T. Collins. 1998. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition, expanded. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 616 pp.
  7. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Sixth edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular 37:1-84. Online with updates at: http://www.ssarherps.org/pages/comm_names/Index.php
  8. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2012. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 7th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 39:1-92.
  9. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  10. Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price. 1996. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. xix + 431 pp.
  11. de Queiroz K. 1989. Morphological and biochemical evolution in the sand lizards. PhD Dissertation. Berkeley: University of California. 491 pp.
  12. Dixon, J. R. 2000. Amphibians and reptiles of Texas. Second edition. Texas A & M University Press, College Station. 421 pp.
  13. Fitch, H. S. 1970. Reproductive cycles of lizards and snakes. Univ. Kansas Museum Natural History Miscellaneous Publication 52:1-247.
  14. Howland, J. M. 1992. Life history of <i>Cophosaurus texanus</i> (Sauria: Iguanidae): environmental correlates and interpopulational variation. Copeia 1992:82-93.
  15. Smith, D. D., P. A. Medica, and S. R. Sanborn. 1987. Ecological comparison of sympatric populations of sand lizards (<i>Cophosaurus texanus</i> and <i>Callisaurus draconoides</i>). Great Basin Nat. 47:175-185.
  16. Smith, H. M. 1946. Handbook of lizards. Lizards of the United States and Canada. Cornell univ. Press, Ithaca. xxi + 557 pp.
  17. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  18. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  19. Sugg, D. W., L. A. Fitzgerald, and H. L. Snell. 1995. Growth rate, timing of reproduction, and size dimorphism in the southwestern earless lizard ( <i>Cophosaurus texanus scitulus</i>). Southwestern Naturalist 40:193-202.