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McGUIRE- SYSTEMATICS OF CROTAPHYTID LIZARDS
circles absent. Supraoculars small, flat or convex,
smooth, becoming progressively larger medially such
that medial scales are two to four times larger than
lateral ones. Circumorbitals absent. Superciliaries
eight to 12, extremely elongate medial scale present.
Palpebrals ovoid, slightly convex, may be inter-
spersed with numerous interstitial granules. Preo-
culars, suboculars, and postoculars form an arc of
four to seven rectangular scales, second, third, or
fourth scale elongate. Supralabials 13 to 17, usually
slightly longer than high except anteriormost scale,
which is square. Lorilabials in two to four rows,
ovoid to rectangular, juxtaposed, separating su-
pralabials from suboculars and nasals. Aperture of
external auditory meatus rectangular or ovoid, often
constricted at or above the midpoint, approximately
two to four times higher than wide, with small,
strongly convex, somewhal conical auricular scales
lining anterior margin. Mental pentagonal, one to
1.5 times wider than high, bordered laterally by an-
terior infralabials and posteriorly by a pair of post-
mentals that may be enlarged. Postmentals almost
always separated from infralabials by sublabials on
at least one side. Chinshields weakly differentiated
or undifferentiated. Infralabials 12 to 17, square or
wider than high, inferior border convex. Gulan usu-
ally flat, but occasionally convex and beadlike; each
scale may be separated from adjacent scales by nu-
merous asymmetrically arranged interstitial gran-
ules.
Dorsal scales in approximately 160 to 200 rows
midway between forelimb and hindlimb insertions.
Tail long, cylindrical in both sexes and all age groups.
Paired, median row of subcaudals not larger than
adjacent subcaudals and lateral caudals. Enlarged
postanal scales present in males.
Deep postfemoral dermal mite pocket present at
hindlimb insertion. Femoral pores 20 to 3 1, femoral
pores extend beyond angle of knee, separated me-
dially by ten to 18 granular scales. Subdigital la-
mellae on fourth toe 20 to 24.
Coloration in Life. -Individuals from southern
San Diego County, the Sierra de Juarez and Sierra
San Pedro Martir, and cismontane northwestern Baja
California generally are dark brown in coloration
with a pair of large paravertebral spots that are sep-
arated by broad, cream-colored transverse bars.
There is much lateral flecking; however, lateral spots
are lacking. Spots are nearly always absent from the
head. In southern populations, such as those in the
Vizcaino Desert, the base color of the dorsum is a
paler golden tan, the dorsal spots are fragmented,
and lateral spots may be present. In some southern
individuals, the dorsal spotting may be nearly indistinguishable,
with the dorsum peppered with fine
pale speckling. This pattern may be more cryptic on
the fine aeolian sand characteristic of the Vizcaino
Desert (Grismer et al., 1994). The speckled pattern
of the southern individuals appears to be an ontogenetic
fragmentation of the color pattern characteristic
of northern individuals as subadults have
been examined with dorsal patterns very similar to
those from the northern portion of the peninsula.
Gravid coloration in G. copei is similar to that of
G. bvislizenii, with orange or red spots often present
on the head and/or neck, in two rows of spots on
each flank, and on the ventral surface of the tail.
Red or orange pigments may be present on the thighs
as well. Males lack any form of breeding coloration.
A description of the dorsal pattern of G. copei
(pattern Cl) was provided in Montanucci (1978).
Size. -This species exhibits strong sexual dimorphism
with females reaching larger adult size (maximum
observed SVL = 126 mm) than males (maximum
observed SVL = 120 mm).
Distribution (Fig. 50).- Gambelia copei occurs in
extreme southcentral California in the vicinities of
Cameron Corners (Mahrdt, 1973), Campo, and Potrero
Grade southward through all but the San Felipe
Desert region of northeastern Baja California
to the northern portion of the cape region, Baja
California Sur. The species is also found on the Pacific
islands of Isla de Cedros, Isla Magdelena, and
Isla Santa Margarita off of the west coast of the
peninsula. Gat~tbelia copei occurs in the lower Colorado
Desert region between El Huerfanito and Bahia
de San Luis Gonzaga and is also known from
the gulf coast desert region in the vicinities of Bahia
de Los Angeles and Punta San Francisquito. However,
G. copei apparently does not inhabit the Gulf
Coast desert region between Santa Rosalia and the
vicinity of Loreto and may be excluded from this
region by the intervening Sierra San Pedro and Sierra
de La Giganta. This species occurs in high densities
on the sandy plains of the Vizcaino Peninsula
and its distribution appears to be limited to the
western side of the peninsular ranges from this region
to a point at least as far south as the southern
terminus of the Sierra de La Giganta. It is known
from as far south as I km N Rancho Tres Hermanos
(N of Todos Santos) in the cape region of Baja California
Sur.
The only published distribution map specific to
Ga))tbelia copei (Banta and Tanner, 1968) is flawed