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Region: Americas Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Iguanidae Genus: Sceloporus Scientific Name: Sceloporus orcutti orcutti
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Description:
Maximum length of head and body - 28.5 cm. . Males are strongly coloured, back coppery to black with a blue spot in the centre of each scale, giving it an iridescent appearance. Males can have a broad purple stripe running down the middle of the back. Entire underside is blue. There are no longitudinal grooves on the sides. Their sides are covered with granular scales which are smaller than the scales on their back and belly. Movable eyelids and round pupils. The dorsal scales are keeled, overlapping, sharply pointed which gives this lizard a bristly look. The mid-dorsal scales are not enlarged.
Colouring is affected by the lizard's physical and emotional health and also by weather conditions. The females are smaller and not so brightly coloured and may be banded like the young.
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Distribution:
Southern California, Baja California.
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Habitat:
Rocky and semi-desert regions in the mountains.
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Food:
Insects, buds, leaves and even other lizards.
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Reproduction and Development:
Egg layers. Eggs are smaller than a dime. They nest in sand or earth in crevices. The incubation period is two and a half months, neither male nor female guards the nest. Size of young when hatched is 3 x 3.8 cm. . Weight of young is probably about 5.7 gm.
The male copulatory organ is a pair of hemipenes, only one of which is inserted into the transvers cloacal opening of the female. In the resting position, the hemipenes are drawn into pockets at the base of the tail.
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Adaptations:
Although thought of as ground dwellers, they are also excellent climbers. Hibernate in winter; first year in rock fissures, older lizards in deeper crevices. Their scales can be raised and the body flattened to expose more surface to the sun's rays.
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Threats to Survival:
Habitat destruction.
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Status:
Common
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Zoo Diet:
Crickets, mealworms and ants.
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Store
Animal Fact Sheet
The New Tundra Trek