Elusive 'alligator'-like creature found in treetops of Mexico is a new species

miamiherald.com

13 pointswjb32 comments

Very cool but the title seems like clickbait. Arboreal alligator lizards were documented like 200 years ago, this is just a new species in a known genus. If its a lizard just say its a lizard. The title makes it seem like its some kind of new giant tree-dwelling reptile. These lizards are less than a foot long.

Also

>Alligator lizards are a group of lizards only found in Central America where they live in “humid highland forests,”

This is incorrect, we have alligator lizards in the US. Arboreal alligator lizards are one of three genus of alligator lizard. I wish they’d use Abronia instead of saying alligator lizard or else they are gonna confuse texans and californians who have alligator lizards in their backyards.

We had those in our backyard all the time. In fact I captured a few alligator lizards to keep as pets. They are nothing like alligators, of course; they are ordinary brown lizards a few inches long. They ate crickets and flies and mealworms. They are called "alligator lizard" because of the shape of their head and such, that is all.

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