A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Sceloporus occidentalis
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.
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.
14 Comments
Thank you Miguel! Appreciate it.
Cool Lizard. Congrats for your spottings.
Yeah he's a beaut. Thank you Donna :)
Nice series. Very cool lizard!
Thank you Kranti :)
great series !
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. ;)
you can see a dewlap in this one too.
Please have someone video it then put it on facebook, I would love to see it! Haha
Lol thanks for the info Ashley. I willing it give that a shot :p
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 :)
this is a lovely spot! Breeding colors?
BTW,did I ID this rigt?
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/102...
Thank you Gerardo :)
Great series !