Echinosaura

Echinosaura
Echinosaura palmeri
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Gymnophthalmidae
Tribe:	Cercosaurini
Genus:	Echinosaura Boulenger, 1890
Species
8, see text.

Echinosaura is a genus of lizards, called commonly the spined tegus, in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The genus is endemic to Central America and South America.

Geographic range and habitat

Species of Echinosaura occur in tropical rainforests of Panama and South America.

Description

Spined tegu lizards are normally brown in color and have spines on the head, torso, and tail.

Species

8 species are recognised:

• Echinosaura brachycephala G. Köhler, Böhme & Schmitz, 2004
• Echinosaura centralis Dunn, 1944
• Echinosaura fischerorum Yánez-Muñoz, Torres-Carvajal, Reyes-Puig, Urgiles-Merchán, & Koch, 2021
• Echinosaura horrida Boulenger, 1890 - rough teiid
• Echinosaura keyi Fritts & H.M. Smith, 1969 - Key tegu
• Echinosaura orcesi Fritts, Almendáriz & Samec, 2002
• Echinosaura palmeri Boulenger, 1911 - Palmer's teiid
• Echinosaura panamensis Barbour, 1924 - Panama teiid

Further reading

• Boulenger GA (1890). "First Report on Additions to the Lizard Collection in the British Museum (Natural History)". Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1890: 77-86 + Plates VIII-XI. (Echinosaura, new genus, pp. 82–83; E. horrida, new species, p. 83 + Plate X, figures 1, 1a, 1b).