Stats

Lifespan

5-7 yrs

Size

Small

Diet

Insectivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Temperate woodland

Range

North America

Movement

Climbing

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Common

About

A common sun-basking lizard of western fences and rocky chaparral. Males flash vivid blue belly and throat patches during push-up displays — and their blood contains a protein that kills the Lyme-disease bacterium carried by ticks.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   hatchling

   A miniature reptile emerges from its egg already independent.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A juvenile sheds and grows, often duller-colored than adults.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown with adult size and coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Reptilia

Order

Squamata

Family

Phrynosomatidae

Genus

Sceloporus

Species

Sceloporus occidentalis