Ophisaurus mimicus
Palmer, 1987
oh-FEE-saur-us — MIM-ih-kus
(, Museum Voucher)
(, Observation)
(, Literature Record),
(, Citizen Science),
( Fossil)
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Occurrences:; 92 Total; 88 Museum; 4 Other
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Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH. - (Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2023.04.10.07.49.07)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 0.17 MB
Taxonomic Etymology:
Named for its close resemblance to other Ophisaurus species.
Ophisaurus — From Greek ophis (ὄφις), meaning “snake,” and sauros (σαῦρος), meaning “lizard,” literally “snake-lizard,” referring to its serpentine, legless appearance despite being a lizard.
mimicus — From Latin mimicus, meaning “imitative” or “mimicking,” referencing the species’ cryptic similarity in appearance to other species (especially Ophisaurus attenuatus), despite genetic distinction.