The plateau spot-tailed earless ⁣lizard (Holbrookia lacerata) is a species ⁢that was recently discovered on the Edwards ⁣Plateau ⁤in Central and West Texas. It was initially considered to be vanishing, but after a thorough 12-month evaluation, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the lizard ⁣does not need to ⁢be listed under the Endangered Species Act.

In‍ a statement released on the USFWS website, Jeff Fleming, the Service’s Acting Southwest Regional Director, expressed excitement about the positive news. He ​credited the dedicated efforts⁤ of researchers⁢ and‌ conservation partners for gathering crucial data on the species, ⁢which enabled the Service to⁣ make an informed decision about its conservation status.

Could the Texas‌ Spot-Tailed Earless ​Lizard Be Next on the Endangered Species List?

In 2010,‍ a petition ⁢was filed to list the lizard and two of its subspecies. At the time, there was very little research on its population status. The Service requested scientific ⁣information⁢ to determine the lizard’s ‍status, and with funding from the​ Texas Comptroller’s​ Office and ⁢Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, researchers from ‍the ‌University ​of Texas at ‌Austin, University of Texas at Arlington, ⁣Texas A&M University–College Station, Texas A&M University – Kingsville, Texas Tech University, The ⁣Nature ⁣Conservancy, and ⁣others ​conducted ⁤species surveys and documented the genetics, habitat ​needs, and ​land use in⁣ the ​lizard’s range. This data was used for ​a peer-reviewed Species Status ⁣Assessment.

The ​assessment revealed that while the species faced some challenges, several resilient populations of the plateau spot-tailed earless lizard⁤ were found in areas similar to its native range. The findings also showed that threats such⁤ as habitat loss, modifications, ⁣and‌ road kills ‌only affect⁣ a small ⁢population of these lizards.

“This ‌is a prime example of how sound scientific research can guide effective‍ conservation decisions,”⁤ said Michael Warriner, Supervisory Fish and ⁢Wildlife Biologist with the Austin⁣ Ecological Services Field Office. “Through rigorous research ​and monitoring conducted ‌by universities⁤ in Texas, we gained a deeper understanding of this species and its population ​dynamics, ultimately​ finding that it is not in danger⁣ of extinction.”

The research also ⁣determined that the Plateau spot-tailed earless lizard and the Tamaulipan spot-tailed earless lizard ​are distinct species.

About the Plateau Spot-tailed⁤ Earless Lizard

The plateau spot-tailed earless lizard (Holbrookia lacerata) can be found in Texas and Oklahoma, as well as the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León,​ and Tamaulipas. It feeds on small invertebrates such as ants and can‍ be found in habitats with little to no vegetation, including prairies, meadows, sand dunes,​ woodlands, chaparral, and graded roads. They burrow in soil,⁤ fallen logs, and leaf litter. ⁢Invasive fire ants pose⁣ a threat to⁤ this species, according to the USFWS.