Lizard Species Flashcards by Lauren Broder

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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