Vertebrate Natural History: Lizards

Lizard Life List

The Lizard life list is a photography listing of almost every species of Lizard seen in the course. Range Maps are from Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas by James Dixon. Permission to use the maps was granted by Dr. Dixon. Note: Aspidoscelis is the new genus name for Cnemidophorus.

		*Anolis carolinensis* Family: Polychrotidae Preserved Specimen Range Map Green Anoles are one of more common lizards found in Texas. The one was found at Mckinney Falls SP. Males have a reddish throat fan.
		*Aspidoscelis (Cnemidophorus) gularis* Family: Teiidae Preserved Specimen Range Map This the Texas Spotted Whiptail. Whiptails are fast lizards. Only way to catch it is to use a lizard noose, or if you are lucky you may find one sleeping under a rock. This lizard was photographed at Barton Springs Habitat Preserve.
		*Aspidoscelis (Cnemidophorus) sexlineatus* Family: Teiidae Preserved Specimen Range Map The Six lined Racerunner. This species was found at Sandy Creek Park during the Fall 2004 East Texas trip.
		*Coleonyx brevis* Family: Gekkonidae Preserved Specimen Range Map This is a terrestrial gecko that has closable eyelids. They are found in West Texas. They will let out a "faint squeak" when pictued up (Conant 207). This youngster pictured was photographed at Seminole Canyon SP. Mature adults, lack the black and yellow bands.
		*Cophosaurus texanus* Family: Phrynosomatidae Preserved Specimen Range Map Texas Earless lizards are common lizards found in Central and West Texas. They are diurnal and is often found in dry creek beds. This particular lizard was found at Barton Springs Habitat Preserve.
		*Crotaphytus collaris* Family: Crotaphytidae Preserved Specimen Range Map Collarded lizards are medium size lizards that are found in North Central and West Texas. They have much longer hind legs than fore legs. They can get up and run on their hind legs (saltatorial bipedalism). This specimen was photographed around Seminole Canyon. Collared lizards do not have do not have fracture planes, and therefore can not lose their tails by autotomy (Pough 1991). The males are the colorful ones.
		*Eumeces fasciatus* Family: Scincidae Range Map This is the Five Lined Skink. They are often found under rocks and fallen logs. This one pictured was found by the Maymester 04 class at Caddo Lake SP. Young Five Lined Skinks have a blue tail, they lose this with age.
		*Eumeces tetragrammus* Family: Scincidae Range Map A common Enumces species that is found in the Austin area. This particular specimen was found at the Barton Springs Habitat Preserve.
		*Gerrhonotus liocephalus infernalis* Family: Anguidae Preserved Specimen Range Map The Texas Alligator lizard is the largest legged lizard found in Texas (up to 16 inches long). They are often seen around cliffs. They prey on insects, lizards, snakes and even small mice (Conant 179). When they shed, the shed skin looks just like a snake's shed skin except for the old leg skin sticking out. Their tend to shed their skin in one or two pieces, much like snakes. Baby Texas Alligator lizards have a different pattern than the adults. Their scales are reinforced by osteoderms (bony plates), this gives them a stuff body. Moveable folds on the lateral side of the body allow the lizard allows the body to inhale and exhale. This lizard was found at Barton Springs Habitat Preserve by the Spring 04 class.
		*Hemidactylus turcicus* Family: Gekkonidae Preserved Specimen Range Map The common Mediterranean Gecko. Commonly found on walls, usually near a light. This is an exotic species from India (Conant and Collins 1998).
		*Holbrookie maculata* Family: Phrynosomatidae Range Map This Lesser earless lizard was photographed by the Maymester 04 class during their West Texas trip.
		*Ophisaurus attenuatus* Family: Anguidae Preserved Specimen Range Map Slender Glass Lizards get to be around 2 feet in total length. The moveable eyelids and ear holes distingishes it from snakes. This one was found around the Port Aransas area by the Fall 04 class. Genus name consists of ophi meaning snake, saurus meaning lizard (Jaeger 175). Legless lizards break off their tails by autotomy, which means they can control when to break their tails. They have fracture planes in their vertebrae, that will break and release the tail. When the tail is regrown back, it is often discolored and the support stucture is cartilage instead of bone (Pough 1991).
		*Phrynosoma cornutum* Family: Phrynosomatidae Preserved Specimen Range Map This Texas Horned Lizard was found by the Maymester 04 during their West Texas Trip. They were once found in almost every part of Texas, but fire ants and over collecting has reduced their range.
		*Phrynosoma modestum* Family: Phrynosomatidae Range Map This Roundtail Horned Lizard was found by the Maymester 04 at Seminole Canyon State Park. We saw a couple of them rounding around the Rio Grande Trail. Males and females can be easily sexed. Males have hemipenis bulges and have femoral pores.
		*Sceloporus olivaceus* Family: Phrynosomatidae Preserved Specimen Range Map The Texas Spiny Lizard is a lizard that is often seen running along trails in the Barton Springs Greenbelt. They often run up trees when they feel threatened. The genus name is made up of scel meaning leg and porus meaning pores. They have pores that run under the hind legs. This one was found by the Fall 03 class at Mckinney Falls SP.
		*Sceloporus serrifer cyanogenys* Family: Phrynosomatidae Range Map The Blue Spiny Lizard is the largest spiny lizard found in Texas. Males have blue patches on the underside. This species was photographed in South Texas by the Fall 04 class. Males and females differ by color. The males are much more blue. They are live-bearers. The new borns are about two inches in total length.
		*Sceloporus undulatus* Family: Phrynosomatidae Range Map This is the Southern Prairie Lizard. It was photographed by the Maymester 04 class in West Texas.
		*Sceloporus variabilis* Family: Phrynosomatidae Preserved Specimen Range Map The Rosebelly Lizard is a small spiny lizard that is found in South Texas. This one was found at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge by the Fall 04 class. They also have a very distinct belly pattern. Notice the black patch that is by the armpit? Only the males have that.
		*Scincella lateralis* Family: Scincidae Range Map The ground skink is probably the most common lizard in Texas. They are often seen running around in leaf litter.
		*Urosaurus ornatus* Family: Phrynosomatidae Preserved Specimen Range Map This Tree lizard was found by the Maymester 04 class during their trip to West Texas. They have blue patches on their bellies.