Ornate Tree Lizard

Description:

This lizard was in the back yard of my sister's house in Chandler, AZ. It ran to the top of the wall before I could get a good photo of it.

Habitat:

Suburban house back yard.

Notes:

The tree lizard or ornate tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) is a species of lizard native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The species has been used to research the physiological changes in the body during the fight-or-flight response as related to stress and aggressive competition. Also, its life history and costs of reproduction have been documented in field populations in New Mexico. WIKIPEDIA