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Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: December 31st, 2022.


Taxonomy of the family Corytophanidae
Bibliography of the genus Corytophanes
Biodiversity of the family Corytophanidae








Genus
Corytophanes

Helmeted Basilisks, Helmeted Iguanas

Helmleguane

Hjelmbasilisker, Hjelmleguaner

1827 Corytophanes Boie (type species: Agama cristata Merrem 1821)
1830 Corythophanes Wagler [emendation]
1831 Chamaeleopsis Wiegmann (type species: Chamaeleopsis hernandezii Wiegmann 1831; syn. Peters & Donoso-Barros 1970)
Contents: 3 species, none of which are endemic.
Endemism: 0% 100%
Distribution: Mexico, Central America, NW. South America.
Reported from: Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (Campeche, Chiapas, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatan), Nicaragua (incl. Islas del Maiz [Isla Grande del Maiz]), Panama.

Corytophanes cristatus

Smooth-headed Helmeted Basilisk, Elegant Helmeted Basilisk

Glattköpfige Helmleguan

Glathovedet Hjelmbasilisk

1820 Agama cristata Merrem
Corytophanes cristatus Boie 1827 [by implication]
1833 Corythophanes cristatus Gravenhorst 1833

Remarks: Records from Veracruz (e.g., Smith & Taylor 1950; Peters & Donoso-Barros 1970; Pérez-Higareda & Navarro 1980) are considered doubtful. Not listed for the state by Torres-Hernandez, Ramirez-Bautista, Cruz-Elizalde, Hernandez-Salinas, Berriozabal-Islas, DeSantis, Johnson, Rocha, Garcia-Padilla, Mata-Silva, Fucsko & Wilson (2021).
Distribution: Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz), Nicaragua (incl. Islas del Maiz [Isla Grande del Maiz]), Panama.


Corytophanes cristatus
© Henrik Bringsøe

Corytophanes hernandesii

Forest Helmeted Basilisk, (Hernandez' Helmeted Basilisk)

Nordvestliche Helmleguan

Nordvestlig Hjelmbasilisk

1831 Chamaeleopsis hernandesii Wiegmann
Corytophanes hernandesii Fitzinger 1843
1837 Corythophanes chamaeleopsis Duméril & Bibron (Peters & Donoso-Barros 1970)
1856 Corythophanes hernandezii Lichtenstein & von Martens 1856 [invalid emendation]
1874 Corythophanes mexicanus Bocourt [substitute name for Chamaeleopsis hernandesii Wiegmann 1831] (Peters & Donoso-Barros 1970)

Remarks: Smith (1971) credited Deppe (1830) as the author of this species, however, this was rejected by McCranie, Townsend & Wilson (2004). The latter authors, along with Bauer & Adler (2001), are followed herein, considering Wiegmann (1831) to be the author, although it is not clear whether Gray (1831) [also refered to as "Wiegmann in Gray" (1831)] may have predated Wiegmann (1831).
Specific epithet sometimes incorrectly spelled "hernandezii" (e.g., Lichtenstein & von Martens 1956; Beltrán 1953; Pérez-Higareda 1981; Alvarez del Toro 1982; Ramirez-Bautista, Flores-Villela & Casas-Andreu 1982; McCranie & Espinal 1998).
Distribution: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (Campeche, Chiapas, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatan).


Corytophanes hernandesii
© Rune Midtgaard

Corytophanes percarinatus

Keeled Helmeted Basilisk

Gekielte Helmleguan

Kølskællet Hjelmbasilisk

1856 Corythophanes percarinatus Dumeril

Remarks: A record from Ecuador is regarded as doubtful.
Distribution: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (Chiapas).