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Sceloporus occidentalis
A small lizard basking on rocks in Western Nevada. Keeled, ridged, pointy scales. This one is most likely a male with faint blue markings on throat and belly, and is very darkly colored from basking on warm rocks.
Usually seen on fence posts, rocks, logs, piles of lumber, and sides of buildings in a wide variety of habitats throughout its range.
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Studies have shown that Lyme disease is lower in areas where the lizards occur. When ticks carrying Lyme disease feed on these lizards' blood (which they commonly do, especially around their ears), a protein in their blood kills the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. The ticks' blood is therefore cleansed and no longer carries Lyme disease.
cool.