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Western Fence Lizard

Sceloporus occidentalis

Description:

Western fence lizards measure 5.7-8.9 cm (snout-vent length)[3] and a total length of about 21 cm. They are brown to black in color (the brown may be sandy or greenish) and have black stripes on their backs, but their most distinguishing characteristic is their bright blue bellies. The ventral sides of the limbs are yellow. These lizards also have blue patches on their throats. This bright coloration is faint or absent in both females and juveniles. The scales of S. occidentalis are sharply keeled, and between the interparietal and rear of thighs, there are 35-57 scales.

Notes:

These two males were fighting over a female, which was hiding and also bigger and less colorful. The winner was the bigger and more colorful lizard. He then started bobbing up and down - I'm guessing he's dancing to try to attract his mate.

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14 Comments

Josh Asel
Josh Asel 10 years ago

Thank you Miguel! Appreciate it.

Miguel Jesus
Miguel Jesus 10 years ago

Cool Lizard. Congrats for your spottings.

Josh Asel
Josh Asel 11 years ago

Yeah he's a beaut. Thank you Donna :)

DonnaBollenbach
DonnaBollenbach 11 years ago

Nice series. Very cool lizard!

Josh Asel
Josh Asel 11 years ago

Thank you Kranti :)

KrantiAzad
KrantiAzad 11 years ago

great series !

Josh Asel
Josh Asel 11 years ago

Yeah you can Hemma :) I think that dark blue dewlap one of the more interesting parts about the lizard. and Ashley, if I get the chance... I'll take it. ;)

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 11 years ago

you can see a dewlap in this one too.

AshleyT
AshleyT 11 years ago

Please have someone video it then put it on facebook, I would love to see it! Haha

Josh Asel
Josh Asel 11 years ago

Lol thanks for the info Ashley. I willing it give that a shot :p

AshleyT
AshleyT 11 years ago

Beautiful pictures! I haven't managed to make lizards look this good in pictures yet ;)

Also, the bobbing he was doing, male fence lizards do "push ups" to show off their blue belly to the females. If you put on a blue shirt and do push ups in front of a male during breeding season, he will probably do the push ups back :)

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 11 years ago

this is a lovely spot! Breeding colors?
BTW,did I ID this rigt?
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/102...

Josh Asel
Josh Asel 11 years ago

Thank you Gerardo :)

Gerardo Aizpuru
Gerardo Aizpuru 11 years ago

Great series !

Josh Asel
Spotted by
Josh Asel

Sebastopol, California, USA

Spotted on Mar 16, 2013
Submitted on Mar 17, 2013

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