biology

Xenosaurus newmanorum

Xenosaurus newmanorum 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 Xenosaurus newmanorum rather than just read about it. In short: Xenosaurus newmanorum, also known commonly as Newman's knob-scaled lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Xenosauridae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

Key takeaways

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

Reference excerpt

Xenosaurus newmanorum, also known commonly as Newman's knob-scaled lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Xenosauridae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

Etymology The specific name, newmanorum (Latin, genitive, plural), is in honor of American zoologist Robert J. Newman and his wife Marcella Newman.

Habitat The preferred natural habitat of Xenosaurus newmanorum is rocky areas in forest, at elevations of 1,100–2,000 m (3,600–6,600 ft), but it has also been found in plantations of citrus fruits and coffee.

Reproduction The mode of reproduction of Xenosaurus newmanorum has been described as viviparous and as ovoviviparous. Litter size is only one or two young. The gestation period lasts approximately one year, and the female only bears young every other year.

References

Further reading Lemos-Espinal, J.A.; Smith, G.R.; Ballinger, R.E. (1998). "Thermal Ecology of the Crevice-dwelling Lizard, Xenosaurus newmanorum ". Journal of Herpetology. 32 (1): 141–144. Taylor, E.H. (1948). "A Preliminary Account of the Herpetology of the State of San Luis Potosí, México". University of Kansas Science Bulletin. 33 (1): 169–215. (Xenosaurus newmanorum, new species, pp. 183–187).

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Xenosaurus newmanorum

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Xenosaurus newmanorum 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 Xenosaurus newmanorum 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 Xenosaurus newmanorum 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 Xenosaurus newmanorum

In research: Xenosaurus newmanorum 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 Xenosaurus newmanorum 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: Xenosaurus newmanorum is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics IUCN Red List endangered species, Lizard stubs, Reptiles described in 1949, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Xenosaurus newmanorum 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.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Xenosaurus newmanorum” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Xenosaurus newmanorum in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Xenosaurus newmanorum 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 Xenosaurus newmanorum out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Xenosaurus newmanorum in simple terms?

Xenosaurus newmanorum, also known commonly as Newman's knob-scaled lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Xenosauridae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

Why does Xenosaurus newmanorum 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 Xenosaurus newmanorum?

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 Xenosaurus newmanorum.