Uma inornata Cope, 1895

Nomenclature and Common Name

Uma inornata Cope, 1895, commonly called the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, is well adapted to its desert habitat.

Burrowing Adaptation

It has a wedge-shaped nose that lets it burrow through loose, fine sand.

Sand Protection Adaptations

Elongated scales cover its ears to block blowing sand, and specialized nostrils allow it to breathe while under sand without inhaling sand particles.

Endemic Range

This lizard is endemic to Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California.

Habitat Specificity

It is restricted to habitats with fine, windblown sand deposits in the valley's sandy plains.

Historical Habitat Loss

Since the 1970s, the estimated area of this species' suitable habitat has decreased by roughly 75% due to human activities.

Remaining Suitable Habitat

Only a small portion of its original habitat retains the blowsand habitat of moving fine sand that the species needs to survive.

Anthropogenic Habitat Threats

Over the past three decades, the lizard's habitat has been harmed by growing human population, urban development, off-road vehicle use, and non-native invasive plants.

Federal Conservation Listing

As a result, the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard was listed as federally threatened and endangered in 1980.

Regional Drought Data

Severe droughts have also occurred in California and the Coachella Valley; in 2002, yearly precipitation was below 10 millimeters.

Drought Impact on Food Availability

Low precipitation and frequent droughts reduce plant growth and limit the lizard's food sources.

Drought Impact on Population Metrics

Limited food availability impacts the species' survival, and this may explain the observed decreases in mean reproductive productivity, mean hatchling numbers, and population densities.

Male Breeding Season Foraging Behavior

During breeding season, male lizards reduce time spent foraging to maximize time spent mating.

Male Breeding Season Diet Preference

Males prefer to eat easily accessible flowers instead of investing time in extensive foraging.

Female Feeding Strategy

Female lizards follow an energy-maximizing feeding strategy year-round.

Trophic Classification

The Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard is omnivorous.

General Diet Components

Its diet includes ants, beetles, flowers, leaves, spiders, and occasionally its own shed skin.

Seasonal Diet Variation

Diet composition varies by season: in spring, lizards tend to eat flowers and plant-dwelling arthropods, while in summer they switch to ground-dwelling arthropods and leaves.

Breeding Season Sex-Based Diet Differences

Adult males and females only have different diets during breeding season: during this period, males eat ants and plants in the mornings, while females feed on ants and other insects throughout the day.

Subterranean Prey Foraging Behavior

Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizards can detect when arthropods are underground, and will dig these prey items out of sand to eat them.

Above-Ground Prey Capture Behavior

They are agile, and sometimes jump to catch flowers that grow too tall to reach otherwise.

Water Acquisition Strategy

The lizard likely obtains all the water it needs through its food.