Species: Sceloporus graciosus

Sagebrush Lizard

Species

Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

Upper side small spiny scales, usually with a pale dorsolateral stripe on each side; scales on rear of thigh very small, some often granular and unkeeled; no distinct blue patches on sides of throat (throat may be blue mottled); scales above eyes separated from median head scales by complete row of small scales; maximum size 15 cm total length. Mature male: enlarged postanal scales; underside of base of tail with two hemipenial swellings, blue patch (may be black-edged) on each side of belly; throat mottled or streaked with blue. Mature female: blue areas faint or absent (or pale yellowish green when inactive under rocks); gravid females may develop red/orange color along sides (e.g., rusty spot in axilla). Hatchling: usually 23-28 mm snout-vent length (Colorado, Utah). Source: Hammerson (1999).

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Craniata

Class

Reptilia

Order

Squamata

Family

Phrynosomatidae

Genus

Sceloporus

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102981

Classification

Other Global Common Names

Common Sagebrush Lizard

Informal Taxonomy

Animals, Vertebrates - Reptiles - Lizards

Formal Taxonomy

Animalia - Craniata - Reptilia - Squamata - Phrynosomatidae - Sceloporus - .

Ecology and Life History

Migration

true - false - false

Non-migrant

true

Locally Migrant

false

Food Comments

Eats insects (e.g., beetles, flies, ants, caterpillars, etc.) spiders, ticks, mites, and aphids.

Reproduction Comments

Eggs are laid in June-July in Colorado, May-July in west-central California. In southern Utah, reproduction occurred between mid-May and and early July (Tinkle et al. 1993). Clutch size is 1-8; throughout the range, clutch size averages usually between 3 and 5 (Tinkle et al. 1993). Eggs hatch in 45-75 days (beginning in early to mid-August in Colorado and Utah, mid- to late August in west-central California). In Colorado and Utah, most adult females produce 2 clutches annually. Individuals become sexually mature in first (south) or second (north) year; at 10-11 months in west-central California. In southern Utah, most females produce their first clutch at an age of about 22-24 months (some matured in about one year under uncommon optimal conditions).

Ecology Comments

In southern Utah and west-central California, annual survival rate averaged roughly 50-60% in adults, less than 30% in juveniles and eggs (Tinkle et al. 1993). The southern Utah population appeared to be substantially resource limited. <br><br>Home range size averaged about 400-600 sq m in Utah. M'Closkey et al. (1997) found that areas experimentally depopulated of this species were quickly recolonized from surrounding areas. <br><br>Predators include: striped whipsnakes, night snakes, and a variety of predatory birds.

Length

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

Global Status Last Reviewed

2005-07-18

Global Status Last Changed

1996-10-28

Other Status

LC - Least concern

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

G - 200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles) - G - This lizard ranges from Washington, Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota south to northern Baja California, northern Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico, and eastward into western Nebraska (Stebbins 2003). Elevational range extends from around 500 feet to about 10,500 feet (150-3,200 meters) (Stebbins 2003). The disjunct populations in southern California and the Sierra San Pedro Martir in Baja California were treated as a distinct species by Grismer (2002).

Global Range Code

Global Range Description

200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102981