The Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus) is the only member of its genus that is found in the United States and it is primarily of Texan occurrence. While it can be commonly observed throughout the Big Country, Edwards Plateau, Trans-Pecos, and south Texas thorn-scrub eco-regions it barely occurs in the central portions of the Panhandle, roughly ranging from Amarillo southward. It also occurs westward to central Arizona, and then southward into central Mexico.
The habitat that this relatively conspicuous lizard prefers is arid to semi-arid rocky arroyos, rocky hillsides, and rocky fields. Basically, if there is an area with abounding rocks, this lizard likely thrives there. The jumbled masses of large rocks strewn along caliche county roads are frequently utilized as basking and hunting sites.
The Greater Earless Lizard is taxonomically divided into two races: the Southwestern Earless Lizard (C.t.scitulus) in the Trans-Pecos area and the Texas Earless Lizard (C.t.texanus) everywhere eastward. These two races are almost identical save for a few color discrepancies.
