chuckwalla
Sign in to saveChuckwallas are lizards found primarily in arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Some are found on coastal islands. The five species of chuckwallas are all placed within the genus Sauromalus; they are part of the iguanid family, Iguanidae.
Article
9 sectionsContents
- Taxonomy and etymology
- Extant species
- Description
- Range, habitat, and diet
- Behavior and reproduction
- Human use
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Chuckwallas are lizards found primarily in arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Some are found on coastal islands. The five species of chuckwallas are all placed within the genus Sauromalus; they are part of the iguanid family, Iguanidae.
==Taxonomy and etymology== The generic name, Sauromalus, is said to be a combination of two ancient Greek words: meaning "lizard" and () meaning "flat". The common name "chuckwalla" derives from the Shoshone word or Cahuilla , transcribed by Spaniards as chacahuala.