Added 2 February 2025.

The Teiidae

Glaucomastix

Racerunners and Whiptails

Glaucomastix is a New World genus made up of species formerly assigned to Cnemidophorus. They are all native to Brazil.

The genus was erected after molecular analysis in 2016 (see Bibliography). The authors of the study characterized Glaucomastix by the following: preanal spurs absent, granules present in the supraorbital semicircles, less than 40 femoral pores, first superciliary divided, opercular projection of skin in the anterodorsal margin of ear-opening absent, a light vertebral stripe, and a bright bluish-green tail. Glaucomastix can be distinguished from Ameivula in having a light vertebral stripe, a bright bluish-green tail and divided first superciliary.

As export of Brazil's wildlife is extremely limited, these species are unlikely to be seen in the herpetocultural hobby.

Our thanks as usual to the Reptile Database for their bibliographical information.


QUICK INDEX


G. abaetensis, Bahian Sand Dune Lizard

G. cyanurus

G. littoralis

G. venetacaudus





Scientific Name

Common Name

Distribution

Size

Notes

Glaucomastix

G. abaetensis

Bahian Sand Dune Lizard

NE Brazil


See the Reptile Database for a very handy description and comparison with other species in the area.

G. cyanura


Brazil (Bahia)



G. littoralis


SE Brazil



G. venetacaudus


NW Brazil



Bibliography

“Molecular systematics of teioid lizards (Teioidea/Gymnophthalmoidea: Squamata) based on the analysis of 48 loci under tree-alignment and similarity-alignment”, Goicoechea, N., Frost, D. R., De la Riva, I., Pellegrino, K. C. M., Sites, J., Rodrigues, M. T. and Padial, J. M., 2016. Cladistics.

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