Reptiles · Squamata · Liolaemidae

Patagonia Mountain Lizard

Phymaturus patagonicus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Patagonia mountain lizard is a liolaemid with a flattened body and a spiny tail that lives in the cracks of the basalt outcrops of the Patagonian steppe. It is herbivorous, which is uncommon among small lizards, and viviparous. Its reproduction is extraordinarily slow: the females breed only every two or three years and give birth to one or two young.

Size

9 cm – 12 cm

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

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Fun facts

It is an almost strict herbivore, which is exceptional in a lizard of less than twelve centimetres: most small lizards are insect-eaters because leaves demand a bulky digestive system.
Its reproduction is among the slowest known in a lizard: the females breed every two or three years and give birth to one or two young, a rate more typical of a large mammal.
It lives in family groups in the cracks of the rock, and several individuals share the same refuge for generations in a landscape where the outcrops are isolated islands of habitat.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Rocky outcrops and basalt plateaus of the Argentine Patagonian steppe
Sexual maturity: 7 years
Gestation / incubation: 4 months of gestation
Litter / clutch size: 2

Sources consulted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phymaturus_patagonicus