Family: Phrynosomatidae, Earless and Horned Lizards view all from this family
Description 7-12" (17.8-30.5 cm). A large rough-scaled lizard. Yellow to brown, with some crossbanding and a black triangular mark with light rear edge on each shoulder. Blue throat and blue patches on sides of belly; absent in females and young, who show more prominent crossbanding.
Warning Will bite if picked up. Its bite is not venomous.
Subspecies Nine; 5 in our range:
Purple-backed Spiny Lizard (S. m. magister), male has dark purple to black band down center of back, bordered by narrow light stripes; sw. Arizona into Mexico.
Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard (S. m. bimaculosus), male has 2 rows of prominent dark spots down back and usually a dark stripe behind eye; se. Arizona through c. New Mexico to sw. Texas, south into Mexico.
Barred Spiny Lizard (S. m. transversus), male usually has several distinct crossbands on back and dark patches near forelegs; small area of ec. California and adjoining wc. Nevada.
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard (S. m. uniformis), male uniform yellowish-tan, sometimes with vague darker blotches; c. and s. Nevada, extreme sw. Utah to c. Arizona, se. California and ne. Baja California, isolated population west of San Joaquin Valley, California.
Orange-headed Spiny Lizard (S. m. cephaloflavus), head yellowish-orange, male has several chevron-shaped bars along back; se. Utah, extreme sw. Colorado, nw. New Mexico, and ne. Arizona.
Breeding Mates in spring and early summer; 7-19 eggs are laid May to July, incubation lasts 8-11 weeks. More than 1 clutch may be laid in a season.
Habitat Arid and semiarid areas at low elevation where vegetation and rocks provide adequate cover.
Range S. Nevada south into Baja California and southeast through Arizona, New Mexico, and w. Texas. Isolated population in c. California.
Discussion Diurnal. These are wary lizards that dart into rocky crevices, rodent holes, or vegetative cover when startled. They readily climb trees or walls in search of insect prey. Occasionally they eat flowers and leaves.
