Abronia cunemica, also known commonly as the Coapilla arboreal alligator lizard and el dragoncito de Coapilla in Mexican Spanish, is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species, which was described in 2024 by Adam Clause et al., is native to southern Mexico.[1]

Abronia cunemica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Anguidae
Genus: Abronia
Species:
A. cunemica
Binomial name
Abronia cunemica
Clause et al., 2024

Geographic range

edit

A. cunemica is endemic to the Mexican state of Chiapas. The type locality is "vicinity of Coapilla, Municipio de Coapilla, Northern Highlands, Chiapas, Mexico".[2]

Ecology and behaviour

edit

A. cunemica are elusive tree-dwellers, feeding mainly on insects. They are rarely seen due to their limited distribution and ambiguous behaviour.

They can reach a length of up to 9.8 inches and are characterized by their yellow-brown scaly bodies with darker brown blotches.

References

edit
  1. ^ Elusive ‘alligator’-like creature found in treetops of Mexico. It’s a new species. Yahoo News. By Aspen Pflughoeft. January 5, 2024. Accessed January 7, 2024.
  2. ^ Clause, AG; Luna-Reyes, R; Mendoza-Velázquez, OM; Nieto-Montes de Oca, A; Solano-Zavaleta, I (2024). "Bridging the gap: A new species of arboreal Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico". PLOS ONE. 19 (1): e0295230. Bibcode:2024PLoSO..1995230C. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0295230. PMC 10763973. PMID 38170723.