Abronia (lizard)
Abronia is a genus of lizards, known colloquially as alligator lizards, in the family Anguidae. The genus is native to Mexico and Central America. The majority of the species are restricted to southern Mexico and Guatemala, but members of the genus occur as far south as Panama. They inhabit forests and woodlands, mostly in highlands, and some species are often associated with bromeliads. They are typically arboreal, but there are also terrestrial Abronia species. Many species are considered threatened due to habitat loss, killing by locals who mistakenly believe they are venomous, or collection for the captive reptile trade. They feed on small animal prey, such as insects, and the females give birth to live young.
Abronia species are medium-sized to fairly large lizards, with a maximum snout-to-vent length up to. They possess intriguing physical traits such as a long prehensile tail that can be regrown if lost, keeled body scales, and a helmet-like structure on the top of the head, which in some species, for example A. lythrochila, has spikes towards the rear. Their colors vary significantly depending on species, including green, bluish-green, brown, yellowish, whitish, gray and black, and some have contrasting mottled or banded patterns.
Species
These species are recognized as being valid:- Abronia antauges – Mount Orizaba alligator lizard
- Abronia anzuetoi – Anzueto's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia aurita – Cope's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia bogerti – Bogert's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia campbelli – Campbell's alligator lizard
- Abronia chiszari – Chiszar's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia cuchumatanus – Cuchumatanes alligator lizard
- Abronia cuetzpali
- Abronia cunemica – Coapilla arboreal alligator lizard.
- Abronia deppii – Deppe's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia fimbriata
- Abronia frosti – Frost's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia fuscolabialis – Mount Zempoaltepec arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia gadovii – Gadow's alligator lizard
- Abronia gaiophantasma – brilliant arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia graminea – Mexican alligator lizard
- Abronia juarezi – Sierra Juarez alligator lizard
- Abronia leurolepis – smoothback arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia lythrochila – red-lipped arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia martindelcampoi – Martín del Campo's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia matudai – Matuda's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia meledona
- Abronia mitchelli – Mitchell's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia mixteca – Mixtecan arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia montecristoi – Monte Cristo arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia monticola – montane alligator lizard
- Abronia moreletii – Morelet's alligator lizard
- Abronia morenica – Sierra Morena arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia oaxacae – Oaxacan arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia ochoterenai – Ochoterena's arboreal alligator lizard, Northern Chiapas arboreal alligator lizard,
- Abronia ornelasi – Ornelas's arboreal alligator lizard, Cerro Baul alligator lizard
- Abronia ramirezi – Ramirez's alligator lizard
- Abronia reidi – Reid's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia salvadorensis – Salvador arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia smithi – Smith's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia taeniata – banded arboreal alligator lizard, bromeliad arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia vasconcelosii – Bocourt's arboreal alligator lizard
- Abronia viridiflava – dwarf alligator lizard
- ''Abronia zongolica ''