Texas Rose-bellied Lizard
Sceloporus marmoratus
Hallowell, 1852
sel-oh-PORE-us — mar-moh-RAH-tus
SSAR 9th Edition Comments:
Based on phylogenetic analysis of morphological and molecular (mt and nDNA sequence) data, Solis-Zurita et al. (2019, Zoologica Scripta 48: 419–439) found the taxon formerly designated S. variabilis marmoratus to be relatively distantly related to S. v. variabilis, which was inferred to be more closely related to other taxa then recognized as separate species. They, therefore, recognized both taxa (as well as the former S. v. olloporus) as species.
(de Queiroz, Kevin and Lauren M. Chan. 2025. Squamata (excluding snakes) – Lizards. Pages 23-37 in Kirsten E. Nicholson (Editor), Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, 9th Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Lawrence, Kansas. 87 pp.)
Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH.
(Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2024.07.02.09.33.01)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 0.1 MB
Province/State Distribution:
United States: Texas
Taxonomic Etymology:
Named for its marbled or mottled dorsal pattern.
Sceloporus — rom Greek skelos (σκελός), “leg,” and poros (πόρος), “pore,” referring to the conspicuous femoral pores found on the legs of males.
From Greek skelos (σκελός), “leg,” and poros (πόρος), “pore,” referencing the enlarged femoral pores common in this genus.
marmoratus — From Latin marmoratus, meaning “marbled,” referring to the lizard’s irregular blotched or streaked dorsal coloration.
First instance(s) of published English names:
No historic English names have been assigned to this taxon yet.
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
The Reptile Database
GenBank
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
Selected References:
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1852
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Hallowell, Edward. Descriptions of new species of reptiles inhabiting North America. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 6:177-182
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1992
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Sites, Jack W., Jr., J. W. Archie, C. J. Cole, and O. Flores Villela. A review of phylogenetic hypotheses for lizards of the genus Sceloporus (Phrynosomatidae): Implications for ecological and evolutionary studies. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (213):1-110
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1993
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Wiens, John J. Phylogenetic relationships of phrynosomatid lizards and monophyly of the Sceloporus group. Copeia 1993(2):287-299
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2010
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Wiens, John J., Caitlin A. Kuczynski, Saad Arif, and Tod W. Reeder. Phylogenetic relationships of phrynosomatid lizards based on nuclear and mitochondrial data, and a revised phylogeny for Sceloporus. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 54:150-161
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2010
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Leaché, Adam D. and Jack W. Sites. Chromosome evolution and diversification in North American Spiny Lizards (genus Sceloporus). Cytogenetic and Genome Research 127(2-4):166-191
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2010
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Leaché, Adam D. Species trees for spiny lizards (Genus Sceloporus): Identifying points of concordance and conflict between nuclear and mitochondrial data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 2010(54):162-171
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2013
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Lambert, Shea M. and John J. Wiens. Evolution of viviparity: A phylogenetic test of the cold-climate hypothesis in Phrynosomatid lizards. Evolution 67(9):2614–2630
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