Granite night lizard

Description

The granite night lizard (Xantusia henshawi) is a species of xantusiid lizard endemic to North America. The specific name, henshawi, is in honor of American naturalist Henry Wetherbee Henshaw. X. henshawi is found in Mexico in the Mexican state of Baja California, and also in the United States in adjacent southern California. X. henshawi is flat-bodied 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 are often found 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.