Lizards Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas
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General Description: Ornate Tree Lizards (Urosaurus ornatus) are small, brown lizards with small scales and a dark ladder-like pattern on a lighter back. Males have blue or blue-green belly patches. The rusty tail base, blue-green underside, and orange on the throat and dewlap are good indicators. Around Las Vegas, look for Tree Lizards in river drainages along the Colorado River or head out to the Grand Canyon where they are fairly common. Taxonomy: Phrynosomatid Lizard Family (Phrynosomatidae). |
 Gray-brown Tree Lizard with dark crossbars (Arches NP, UT) |
Technical Description: Body size to 2.25 in; tail length to 3.25 in. Dorsal color brown to dark gray with darker crossbars. Two rows of enlarged scales down the middle of the back with a band of small scales between the larger scales. Base of tail with rusty color. Side of body with a fold of skin. Adult males have orange or blue throat and blue or blue-green belly patches. Adult females may have an orange or yellow throat, but not the colorful belly patches. Diet: Insects and other arthropods. Habitat: Found widely, but infrequently from the low desert to the pine-spruce forest, primarily in areas with trees or large rocks and along water courses. In Nevada, found only in the Upper Sonoran Life Zone along the Colorado River. Spends most of its time in the trees or on large rocks. |
 Male tree lizard with orange throat patch |
Range: Arizona, southern Utah, southern Colorado, eastern New Mexico, west Texas, northern Mexico. In California and Nevada, only found along the Colorado River. Look for tree lizards at Goldstrike Hot Springs, Arizona Hot Springs, and in Boy Scout Canyon. Breeding: Lays 1-6 clutches of up to 12 eggs from March to August. Similar Species: These lizards superficially resemble Western Fence Lizards, but these have small, smooth scales and the general color is brown rather than gray. Comments: |
 Brown with crossbars (Arches National Park, Utah) |
 Ornate Tree Lizard |
 Pale, red tree lizard on red sandstone in southern UT |
 Gray with crossbars (Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona) |
 Gray with dark crossbars (Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona) |
 Male with blue-green belly |
 Typical habitat (Arches National Park, Utah) |
 Male Ornate Tree Lizard on a fence rail |
 Two rows of enlarged scales down the middle of the back separated by small scales |
 Two rows of enlarged scales down the middle of the back separated by small scales |
 Male with orange throat color and blue patches on belly |
 Female inguinal scale pattern (note enlarged post-anals) |
 Female with orange throat color and unmarked, white belly |
 Female inguinal scale pattern (note lack of enlarged post-anals) |
Mating Behavior
 Big male notices a female come into his territory and puffs up to show off his fancy colors. |
 She comes in and he displays his belly color. She seems to like what she sees. |
 Discouraging her from running off, he bites and holds her tail |
 It looks like we are going to have little tree lizards before too long |
Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
; Last updated 231215
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