NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Chilean Tree Iguana
Liolaemus chiliensis (Lesson, 1829)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
Liolaemus chiliensis, the Chilean tree iguana, is a species of lizard in the family Liolaemidae, also referred to as the weeping or crying lizard in English. Synonyms for this species include Liodeira chilensis and Calotes chiliensis. Less commonly, it is called the Talcahuano smooth-throated lizard.
This species is well known for its distress calls, although the sound of these calls does not resemble weeping or crying.
The specific name chiliensis is derived from the species' country of origin, Chile. It is endemic to central Chile and southwestern Neuquen Province, Argentina. This iguanid lizard is found inhabiting bushes and branches in open forests and ecotonal scrublands or scrub-steppes, chiefly in the Chilean Matorral ecoregion.
Wikipedia contributors, Liolaemus chiliensis; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T08:18:31.865513+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Liolaemus chiliensis (Lesson, 1829)
- Name authority
- (Lesson, 1829)
- Common name
- Chilean Tree Iguana
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Liolaemidae
- Genus
- Liolaemus
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
- suborderIguania
- familyLiolaemidae
- genusLiolaemus
- speciesLiolaemus chiliensis (Lesson, 1829)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Liolaemus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Liolaemus acostai Abdala & Juárez-Heredia, 2013 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Brilliant Tree IguanaLiolaemus alticolor Barbour, 1909 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Liolaemus antumalguen Avila, Morando, Perez & Sites, 2010 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Liolaemus arambarensis Verrastro, Veronese, Bujes & Martins Dias Filho, 2003 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Liolaemus baguali Cei & Scolaro, 1983 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Liolaemus bellii Gray, 1845 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Liolaemus burmeisteri Avila, Perez, Medina, Sites & Morando, 2012 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Liolaemus canqueli Cei, 1975 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Liolaemus caparensis Breitman, Pérez, Parra, Morando, Sites & Avila, 2011 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Liolaemus casamiquelai Avila, Perez, Morando & Sites, 2010 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Liolaemus chehuachekenk Avila, Morando & Sites, 2008 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Peak Tree IguanaLiolaemus chillanensis Müller & Hellmich, 1932 | LiolaemidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Agama molinaii Lesson, 1827 Lesson, 1827 | synonym |
| Calotes chiliensis Lesson, 1829 Lesson, 1829 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Liolaemus&species=chiliensis Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3V6DX. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.