Xantusia gracilis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Xantusia gracilis faces significant pressure from habitat degradation in its limited range within the Baja California Peninsula. Urban development and agricultural expansion have fragmented the desert scrub and rocky outcrop habitats essential for this species. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns and increased temperatures that may exceed the thermal tolerance of this small lizard.
Habitat
This species inhabits desert scrubland and rocky outcrops in the Baja California Peninsula, typically found under rocks and in crevices where it can regulate its body temperature. It prefers areas with sparse vegetation and well-drained soils characteristic of the Sonoran Desert ecosystem.
