Sceloporus magister Hallowell, 1854

Nomenclature and Common Name

This species, Sceloporus magister Hallowell, 1854, is commonly called the desert spiny lizard.

Male Coloration

Adult males typically have prominent blue or violet patches on the belly and throat, and green or blue coloring on their tails and sides.

Female and Juvenile Coloration

Females and juveniles lack this blue/violet and green/blue coloration, and instead have large merged dark spots on their back and belly regions.

Shared Shoulder Markings

Individuals of both sexes have brownish or yellow triangular spots on their shoulders.

Reproduction

Adult female desert spiny lizards lay between 4 and 24 eggs during the summer.

Adult Size

A fully grown desert spiny lizard can reach a body length of up to 5.6 inches.

Seasonal Color Change

In addition to their distinct bright color patterns, desert spiny lizards change their color: they become darker in winter to absorb more heat from sunlight, and lighter in summer to reflect solar radiation.

Territorial Behavior

They are frequently observed doing repeated push-ups (pushing their bodies up and down) as a territorial display.

Pathological Record

The first recorded case of leukemia in the lizard family Phrynosomatidae was documented in this species.

United States Distribution

Within the United States, this lizard is found in Arizona, California, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah.

Mexico Distribution

It also occurs in the Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango.

Elevation Range

Its distribution extends across the deserts of southern Arizona and the northeastern plateaus, at elevations ranging from near sea level along the Colorado River to approximately 5,000 feet.

Biotic Community Habitats

It inhabits multiple biotic communities, including Sonoran Desertscrub, Great Basin Desertscrub, Semidesert Grassland, Interior Chaparral, and woodlands.

Microhabitat Locations

It is most often found on lower slopes, bajadas, plains, and low valleys, frequently in tree branches or near ground cover such as wood piles, rock piles, and pack rat nests.

Arboreal Preferences

The desert spiny lizard is a primarily arboreal species that prefers cottonwood, yucca, Joshua trees, and ironwood.