Tropidurus helenae

Tropidurus helenae
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Tropiduridae
Genus:	Tropidurus
Species:	T. helenae
Binomial name
Tropidurus helenae (Manzani & Abe, 1990)
Synonyms
Tapinurus helenae Manzani & Abe, 1990 Tropidurus helenae — Frost, 1992

Tropidurus helenae is a species of lizard in the family Tropiduridae. The species is native to northeastern Brazil.

Etymology

The specific name, helenae, is in honor of Brazilian herpetologist Helena Ribas Lopes.

Geographic range

T. helenae is endemic to the Brazilian state of Piauí.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of T. helenae is savanna.

Description

The holotype of T. helenae has a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 7.0 cm (2.8 in), plus a tail length of 12.2 cm (4.8 in).

Behavior

T. helenae is terrestrial, diurnal, and saxicolous (rock-dwelling).

Diet

T. helenae preys upon termites.

Reproduction

T. helenae is oviparous.

References

Further reading

• Frost DR (1992). "Phylogenetic analysis and taxonomy of the Tropidurus group of lizards (Iguania: Tropiduridae)". American Museum Novitates (3033): 1–68. (Tropidurus helenae, new combination).
• Manzani PR, Abe AS (1990). "A New Species of Tapinurus from the Caatinga of Piaui, Northeastern Brazil (Squamata: Tropiduridae)". Herpetologica 46 (4): 462–467. (Tapinurus helenae, new species).
• Pianka ER, Vitt LJ (2003). Lizards: Windows to the Evolution of Diversity. Berkeley: University of California Press. 346 pp. ISBN 978-0520234017. (Tropidurus helenae, p. 165).
• Uchôa, Lucas Rafael; Delfim, Fagner Ribeiro; Mesquita, Daniel Oliveira; Colli, Guarino Rinaldi; Garda, Adrian Antonio; Guedes, Thaís B. (2022). "Lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) from the Caatinga, northeastern Brazil: Detailed and updated overview". Vertebrate Zoology 72: 599–659.