Why has establishing a precise distribution map for *Lepidophyma flavimaculatum* proven difficult for researchers?
Because they are nocturnal and fiercely territorial, leading to extreme reclusiveness
The difficulty in mapping the precise distribution and population size of the Yellow Spotted Night Lizard is directly linked to its behavioral traits. The species is described as being notoriously reclusive. Specifically, they are nocturnal, meaning they are active only after dark when temperatures drop and humidity rises, making daytime searches fruitless. Additionally, they are characterized as fiercely territorial. This combination means they rarely venture far from established, protected microhabitats, leading to an extremely guarded existence that limits researcher interaction and observation, thus obscuring broad population data, even though the IUCN currently lists them as Least Concern.
