Granite night lizard

Taxobox | name = Granite night lizard

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image_width = 240px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
familia = Xantusidae
genus = "Xantusia"
species = "X. henshawi"
binomial = "Xantusia henshawi"

The Granite night lizard is a flat-bodied species of lizard with a broad, flat head and a soft skin. It has rounded, dark dorsal spots on a pale yellow or cream background. Its scales are granular on its dorsum, but large and squarish on the ventral surface. These lizards have large eyes with vertical pupils, and they lack eyelids.

Granite night lizards most often occurs on rocky slopes with large, exfoliating boulders and abundant crevices, but are occasionally found in coastal sage scrub and chaparral without boulders. They are active in crevices during the day, but move on the surface at night.

References

* This article is based on a description from "A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal Southern California", Robert N. Fisher and Ted J. Case, USGS, http://www.werc.usgs.gov/fieldguide/index.htm.