biology

Lepidophyma dontomasi

Lepidophyma dontomasi is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Lepidophyma dontomasi rather than just read about it. In short: Lepidophyma dontomasi, also known commonly as MacDougall's tropical night lizard and la lagartija nocturna de MacDougall in Mexican Spanish, is a small species of lizard in the family Xantusiidae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

Key takeaways

Lepidophyma dontomasi belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Lepidophyma dontomasi to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Lepidophyma dontomasi from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Lepidophyma dontomasi, also known commonly as MacDougall's tropical night lizard and la lagartija nocturna de MacDougall in Mexican Spanish, is a small species of lizard in the family Xantusiidae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

Etymology The specific name, dontomasi, is in honor of the collector of the holotype, naturalist Thomas Baillie MacDougall, who was called Don Tomás by the local Mexicans.

Geographic range Lepidophyma dontomasi is known only from the type locality on Cerro Lachiguiri in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, where it was collected at 2,200 m (7,200 ft) elevation. However, it may be more widespread.

Habitat The preferred natural habitats of Lepidophyma dontomasi are pine forest and grassland.

Reproduction Lepidophyma dontomasi is ovoviviparous.

References

Further reading Bezy, R.L.; Camarillo, J.L. (1992). "Systematics of Xantusiid Lizards Allied with Lepidophyma gaigeae Mosauer". Herpetologica. 48 (1): 97–110. Mata-Silva, V.; Johnson, J.D.; Wilson, L.D.; García-Padilla, E. (2015). "The herpetofauna of Oaxaca, Mexico: composition, physiographic distribution, and conservation status". Mesoamerican Herpetology. 2 (1): 6–62. Savage, J.M. (1963). "Studies on the Lizard Family Xantusiidae. IV. The Genera". Contributions in Science (71): 1–38. (Lepidophyma dontomasi, new combination, p. 35). Smith, H.M. (1942). "Mexican herpetological miscellany". Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 92 (3153): 349–395. (Gaigeia dontomasi, new species, pp. 374–376).

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Lepidophyma dontomasi

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Lepidophyma dontomasi claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Lepidophyma dontomasi before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Lepidophyma dontomasi ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Lepidophyma dontomasi

In research: Lepidophyma dontomasi appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Lepidophyma dontomasi in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Lepidophyma dontomasi is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Endemic reptiles of Mexico, Fauna of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca, IUCN Red List data deficient species, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Lepidophyma dontomasi outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Lepidophyma dontomasi in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Lepidophyma dontomasi means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Lepidophyma dontomasi out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lepidophyma dontomasi in simple terms?

Why does Lepidophyma dontomasi matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Lepidophyma dontomasi?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Lepidophyma dontomasi.