Sceloporus mucronatus, also known commonly as the cleft lizard, the central cleft lizard, and la espinosa mucronada in Mexican Spanish, is a species of lizard in the subfamily Sceloporinae of the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is endemic to Mexico. There are two recognized subspecies.
Geographic distribution Sceloporus mucronatus is found in the Mexican states of Guerrero, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, and Veracruz, and in Mexico City.
Habitat The preferred natural habitats of Sceloporus mucronatus are forest and shrubland, at elevations of , but it has also been found in agricultural areas, where it shelters in rock crevices.
Behavior Sceloporus mucronatus is terrestrial.
Reproduction Sceloporus mucronatus gives birth to live young. Its mode of reproduction has been described as viviparous and as ovoviviparous.
Subspecies Two subspecies of Sceloporus mucronatus are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Sceloporus mucronatus mucronatus Sceloporus mucronatus olsoni
Etymology The subspecific name, olsoni, is in honor of American herpetologist Rupert Earl Olson.
References
Further reading
(Sceloporus torquatus mucronatus, new subspecies, p. 402). 448 pp., 728 color photos.
(Sceloporus mucronatus olsoni, new subspecies).