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''Ctenosaura hemilopha'', also known as the cape spinytail iguana , is a species of spinytail iguana endemic to Baja California.〔Grismer, L. Lee.(2002) ''Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California, Including Its Pacific Islands and the Islands in the Sea of Cortés''. The University of California Press.409 p. ISBN 0-520-22417-5〕 It is arboreal and primarily herbivorous, although it can be an opportunistic carnivore. Males may grow up to in length, while females are smaller, with a length of up to . Five subspecies are currently recognized. The existence of mainland and insular populations of this species has been valuable in providing biologists with study and control groups comparing the evolution of island populations and their mainland counterparts. The San Esteban Island subspecies (''C.h. conspicuosa'') coexists with the giant San Esteban chuckwalla, contrary to predictions of ecological niche theory. == Taxonomy and etymology == ''Ctenosaura hemilopha'' was first described by zoologist Edward Drinker Cope in 1863.〔Cope, E.D. (1864). Descriptions of new American Squamata in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science. Philadelphia. 15 1863: 100–106.〕 The generic name, ''Ctenosaura'', is derived from two Greek words: ''ctenos'' (Κτενός), meaning "comb" (referring to the comblike spines on the lizard's back and tail), and ''saura'' (σαύρα), meaning "lizard". Its specific name is a combination of the Greek word ''hemisus'' (ήμισυς) meaning "half" and ''lophos'' (λοφος) meaning "crest" or "plume" ; both are in reference to the animal's short crest of spines, when compared to other species of its ''genus''. There are five subspecies of ''C. hemilopha'' that are all similar in appearance and habitat. *''C. h. hemilopha'' occurs on the southern half of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico.〔 *''C. h. conspicuosa'' is found on San Esteban Island (Isla San Esteban) and Cholludo Island (Isla Cholludo) in the Gulf of California.〔 *''C. h. insulana'' is found on Cerralvo Island (Isla Cerralvo) 5 miles off the southern part of Baja near La Paz, Baja California Sur.〔 *''C. h. macrolopha'' is found on the Mexican mainland from Hermosillo, Sonora, south to mid Sinaloa.〔 *''C. h. nolascensis'' is found on San Pedro Nolasco Island (Isla San Pedro Nolasco).〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ctenosaura hemilopha」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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