About Sceloporus scalaris Wiegmann, 1828
Nomenclature
Commonly known as the bunch grass lizard, this species has the scientific name Sceloporus scalaris Wiegmann, 1828.
Dorsal Coloration
Bunch grass lizards are typically grey in overall color, and often have additional orange and yellow coloring around the neck and behind the forelimbs.
Ventral Coloration
Males display more of this vibrant coloration on their underside, while the undersides of females are usually white.
Body Size
Adult bunch grass lizards have a snout-to-vent length that ranges from 52 to 62 mm, as reported by Ortega and Barbault in 1986.
Geographic Distribution
S. scalaris has a wide distribution: it occurs across much of Mexico, ranging north from the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt into southern Arizona and New Mexico in the United States.
Habitat and Elevation
This species is most often found in high elevation grasslands, at altitudes between 1500 and 3000 m.
Reproduction Mode
Like many other species in the genus Sceloporus, S. scalaris is ovoviviparous.
Juvenile Emergence Period
Juveniles of this species are first observed in late August, according to Ortega and Barbault's 1986 record.
