Ящерица Ума из долины Коачелла: Экология и статус сохранения.

Species of phrynosomatid lizard

The Coachella Valley fringe toed lizard (Uma inornata) is a species of phrynosomatid lizard.

The species is most closely related to Uma notata, the Colorado Desert fringe toed lizard. Genetic variation within the species is small, equivalent to that of one population of Uma notata. The species population is isolated from other closely related lizards.

During breeding season, male lizards minimize time spent foraging for food to maximize time for mating. They preferentially ate readily available flowers rather than spending time foraging. Female lizards observed an energy maximizing feeding strategy all year around. This, however, varies by season. During the spring, they tend to consume flowers and plant dwelling arthropods, and during the summer, this switches to ground dwelling arthropods and leaves. Adult males and females have different diets only during breeding season, where males consume ants and plants in the mornings, whilst females feed on ants and other insects throughout the day. The Coachella Valley fringe toed lizards are talented as they are able to identify when there is an arthropod present underground, and dig them out of the sand to consume. In fact, they are agile and sometimes even jump to catch flowers that are too tall. Their water consumption is likely through their food.

The lizard is endemic to Coachella Valley, California. Unfortunately, there have been severe droughts in California and the Coachella Valley. In 2002, the yearly precipitation was below 10mm. Low precipitation and frequent droughts reduce the growth of plants and food sources for the Coachella Valley fringe toed lizard. The lack of food sources contribute to a species' survival, thus this may be a cause for the decrease in mean reproductive productivity and decline in mean hatchling numbers and population densities.

It is listed as an endangered species in California, a threatened species in the United States, and the IUCN classifies it as endangered.

The Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge, for the Coachella Valley fringe toed lizard, is contained within the Coachella Valley Preserve, and Indio Hills Palms State Reserve, located east of Palm Springs near Palm Desert, California, in the Colorado Desert region of the Sonoran Desert.