Holbrookia propinqua Baird & Girard, 1852

Dorsal Scale Characteristics

This species, Holbrookia propinqua Baird & Girard, 1852, has small, pointed, keeled dorsal scales, as suggested by its common name. Its lateral scales are similar in shape to the dorsal scales but smaller in size.

Ventral Scale Characteristics

Its ventral scales are flat and smooth, and 3 to 4 times larger than the dorsal scales.

Size Measurements

Adult individuals may reach a snout to vent length (SVL) of 62 mm (2+1⁄2 inches), with a total length of 140 mm (5+1⁄2 inches).

US Habitat Range

In terms of geographic distribution and habitat, Holbrookia propinqua lives in the Tamaulipan mezquital ecoregion, where it can be found across various vegetation zones in south Texas, including mixed oak forest, mesquite brushlands, cleared fields, coastal prairie, and grasslands. It only occurs in areas with outcrops of Tertiary sand or sandy deposits along streams.

Preferred Texas Habitats

It is likely most common in the loose, shifting sands of beaches, barrier islands, and the Coastal Sand Plain of southern Texas.

Mexico Habitat Range

It also has a range extending into northeast Mexico, where it is strongly restricted to the narrow sand dune zone along coastal beaches, peninsulas, and barrier islands of Tamaulipas, stretching south to the area around Veracruz, Veracruz.