Xenosaurus newmanorum
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenosaurus_newmanorum
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Xenosaurus newmanorum faces severe habitat loss due to deforestation and agricultural expansion within its restricted range in the Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico. The species' specialized microhabitat requirements make it particularly vulnerable to forest fragmentation, as it depends on specific rock crevices and fallen logs in cloud forest environments. Mining activities and infrastructure development further threaten the remaining suitable habitat patches.
Habitat
This knob-scaled lizard inhabits cloud forests and pine-oak forests in the Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico, typically found in rock crevices, under fallen logs, and among leaf litter at elevations between 1,200-2,400 meters. The species requires humid microhabitats with stable temperatures and moisture levels characteristic of montane forest ecosystems.
