Lizard Species Flashcards
SoCal deserts and coast
soft pliable skin w/ fine granular scales, movable eyelids present, toes slender (no toe pads), tail constricted at base, brown bands on body and tail
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Eublepharidae
Coleonyx variegatus
introduced, scattered pops around central and S CA
broad toe pads, prominent keeled knobby tubercles on dorsal surface
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Gekkonidae
Hemidactylus turcicus
small range in desert slopes of extreme SoCal
enlarged leaf-like toe pads, two large flat scales on the tip of each toe, eyes have immovable eyelids, scales on dorsal surface of body mostly granular but interspersed w/ enlarged keeled tubercles, dark spots above, pale below
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phyllodactylidae
Phylodactylus xanti
Central Valley, Sierras, and S mountains
adults lose stripes and often have red on head and tail, when present striping ends at base of tail
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Scincidae
Plestiodon gilberti
widespread along entire coast and in NorCal, some eastern pops
lights lateral stipes border well-defined darker side stripes, stripes extend onto tail
Family: Scincidae
Plestiodon skiltonianus
small range in SoCal
back marked w/ large dark spots on a light background, small compressed body, gular folds, granular dorsal scales, square ventral scales, large scales on head (not on sides), no moveable eyelids or toe pads
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Xantusiidae
Xantusia henshawi
islands off of S coast
large, two rows of supraoculars, folds on neck and sides distinct, coloration variable, small compressed body, gular folds, granular dorsal scales, square ventral scales, large scales on head, no moveable eyelids or toe padslarge scales on head (not on sides)
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Xantusiidae
Xantusia riversiana
Mojave Desert and S inner coast range
speckled dorsally, light stripe from eye to shoulder, small compressed body, gular folds, granular dorsal scales, square ventral scales, large scales on head (not on the sides), no moveable eyelids or toe pads
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Xantusiidae
Xantusia vigilis
widespread in CA except for the N coast and Sierras
well-developed limbs, slim body, tail long and whiplike, tail scales keeled, pointed snout, large scales on head, large squarish belly scales, granular scales on back gular fold present, pattern variable, back of head rounded
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Teiidae
Aspidoscelis tigris
southeastern deserts
large, round body, long tail, small round head, body scales granular except for a row of enlarged keeled scales dwn middle of back, pale above and below w/ barring or dark spots and blotches on back and sides, dark rings on tail
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Iguanidae
Dipsosauraus dorsalis
southeastern deserts
large, flattened body, dark colored, loose folds of skin on neck and sides, rostral scale absent, tail base broad, tail tip blunt
Family: Iguanidae
Sauromalus ater
Great Basin and southeastern deserts
two black bands on the neck w a white band in b/w, granular scales, brad head, narrow neck, rear legs large, tail long thick and somewhat glattened laterally, dorsal color is brown to olive w/ many small white spots and dashes and brown or reddish-orange crossbands
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Crotaphytidae
Crotaphytus bicinctores
small range in SoCal
2 black bands on neck w/ white band in b/w, wide dorsal gap present in posterior black band (incomplete collar)
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Crotaphytidae
Crotaphytus vestigium
San Joaquin Valley and surrounding foothills
broad triangular-shaped head, rounded body, truncated snout, granular scales, long rounded tail that’s longer than the body, dorsal color varies from grayish to yellowish w/ cream-colored crossbands and sometimes large dark spots, underside pale w/ gray spots on throat
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Crotaphytidae
Gambelia sila
Great Basin and SE deserts
large head, granular scales, long rounded tail, rounded body, dorsal color can be light or dark, w/ many dark spots or light spots accordingly, underside pale w/ gray streaks on throat
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Crotaphytidae
Gambelia wislizenii
small range in SoCal
flat-bodied, single narrow black collar, tail banded, dorsal scales granular except for those on legs and tail which are keeled and pointed
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Petrosaurus mearnsi
SE deserts
slim body, extremely long legs, dorsal scales granular, diagonal furrows in upper labials, 2 or 3 black bars on belly/sides of body at or anterior to midpoint, tail long and flat w/ black crossbars on underside, scales keeled
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Callisaurus draconoides
Mojave Desert
fringe of projecting pointed scales on toes, fine granular scales, countersunk lower jaw, flattened body, fular folds, pale background color w/ small dark eyespots (ocelli), black spots on underside of tail, ocelli don’t form lines, dark crescent-shaped throat markings, cospicuous black spot on each side of belly, rough scales
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Uma scoparia
Coachella Valley
fringe of projecting pointed scales on toes, fine granular scales, countersunk lower jaw, flattened body, fular folds, pale background color w/ small dark eyespots (ocelli), black spots on underside of tail, dark spots on sides of belly reduced or absent, thoat markings faintly streaked (not crescent shaped), ocelli from lines over shoulders
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Uma inornata
extreme SE CA
fringe of projecting pointed scales on toes, fine granular scales, countersunk lower jaw, flattened body, fular folds, pale background color w/ small dark eyespots (ocelli), black spots on underside of tail, throat streaked (not crescent-shaped), dark spots on sides of belly, ocelli tend to form lines over shoulders
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Uma notata
sidespread in NorCal and around the Central Valley, some S pops
Males of the genus often have blue patches on belly, keeled pointed scales on dorsal surface and incoplete gular folds, smalles Cal lizard of this genus, scales very small relative to others in the genus, often has a black bar on shoulder, rusty coloration in armpits and sides, no yellow on rear surface of hind limbs
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Sceloporus graciosus
mostly SE deserts but also S inner Coast Range
Males of the genus often have blue patches on belly, keeled pointed scales on dorsal surface and incoplete gular folds, stocky, light colored, black wedge-shaped mark on each side of neck, body scales large and very pointy
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Sceloporus magister
widespread throughout CA except in SE deserts
Males of the genus often have blue patches on belly, keeled pointed scales on dorsal surface and incoplete gular folds, sides of belly blue, rear surfaces of limbs yellow or orange, scales on body intermediate in size relative to other CA species in the genus
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Sceloporus occidentalis
widespread throughout CA in arid and semi-arid regions
complete gular fold, small bluish-black blotch on sides of chest behind forelimbs, dorsal color and patterning variable, back scales small and smooth, frontal divided
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Uta stansburiana
small range in SoCal
Males of the genus often have blue patches on belly, keeled pointed scales on dorsal surface and incoplete gular folds, dark wedge-shaped mark on each side on neck often obscured by overall dark body coloration, scales w/ rounded rear margins, body scales weakly keeled, tail scales strongly keeled and pointed
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Sceloporus orcutti
SE desert regions
complete gular fold, several rows of keeled scales down center of back (smaller on sides), scales on sides of body granular, tail scales keeled and pointed
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Urosaurus graciosus
small rnage in extreme SoCal
complete gular fold, body scales granular and gradually enlarging toward midorsal back, tail scales keeled and pointed
Familly, Genus & Species
Familly: Phrynosomatidae
Urosaurus nigricaudus
small range along Arizona border
complete gular fold, several rows of keeled scales down center of back w/ small scales down the very center, scales on sides of body granular, tail scales keeled and pointed
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Urosaurus ornatus
widespread in CA west of deserts and Sierras up throuh the Bay Area
two horns at back of head larger than the rest, horn bases seperated, two rows of fringe scales on sides of body, 2 or 3 rows of enlarged pointed scales on throat
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Phrynosoma blainvillii
small range in extreme NE CA
horns greatly reduced to nubbins, single row of fringe scales on sides, no enlarged scales on throat
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Phrynosoma douglasii
small range in extreme SE deserts
dark mid-dorsal stripe, pale body color, horns slender, tail long broad and flat
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Phrynosoma mcallii
Great Basin and SE deserts
snout very blunt, horns and body spines relatively short, one row of fringe scales on sides of body, one row of enlarged throat scales
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Phrynosoma platyrhinos
N coast, Sierra Nevadas
short limbs, slim body, lateral fold, armored head, dorsal scales keeled to varying degrees, dark stripes on belly b/w scale rows, patterning on sides often not as distinctly crossbanded as in the similar species
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Anguidae
Elgaria coerulea
entire CA coast, Sierran foothils, ring around Central Valley
short limbs, slim body, lateral fold, armored head, dorsal scales strongly keeled, dark stripes on belly in the middle of scale rows, crossbands on back and tail usually well-defined, long tails
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Anguidae
Elgaria multicarinata
western half of state from Bay Area south
snake-like burrowing lizard, scales small and cycloid, small eyes w/ eyelids present, shovel-like snout, countersunk jaw, no ear openings, tail blunt, dark lateral stripes on lighter background color, no lateral fold
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Anniellidae
Anniella pulchra
extremely rare, small range in Mojave Desert
large, heavy bodied, short swollen tail, bright patterning of black and pink/orange/yellow, bead-like dorsal scales, belly scales squarish, loose folds of skin on neck, well-developed gular fold
Family, Genus & Species
Family: Helodermatidae
Heloderma suspectum
