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Project Noah Nature School
Uta stansburiana
A small (up to 64 mm or 2.5" from snout to vent), orange-tan to gray-brown lizard. A dark blue-gray to black blotch marks each lower side of the body just behind the forelimb. Markings are variable and can include brown chevron-shaped blotches, light dorsolateral stripes, no pattern, and speckles. The lips and sides of the throat are often marked with alternating orange and gray to blue-gray stripes. The remainder of the underside is plain pale gray. Males often have bright turquoise blue speckling on the tail, back, and upper surfaces of the hind limbs. Females lack blue speckling and usually have light dorsolateral stripes. The scales on the body are small and mildly keeled. The scales on the tail are larger and more strongly keeled. The belly scales are smooth and flat and the scales on the top of the head are large and smooth. Its single side blotch distinguishes this lizard from our other small lizards.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a 98-acre (40 ha) zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, natural history museum, publisher, and art gallery founded in 1952. Located just west of Tucson, Arizona, it features two miles (3.2 km) of walking paths traversing 21 acres (8.5 ha) of desert landscape. The nonprofit organization focuses on the interpretation of the natural history, plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert.
Spotted on Nov 5, 2013
Submitted on Dec 10, 2013
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