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San Joaquin Fence Lizard
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- Order: Squamata (scaled reptiles)
- Suborder: Lacertilia (=Sauria) (lizards)
- Family: Iguanidae (iguanid lizards)
- Subfamily: Phrynosomatinae (spiny and horned
lizards)
- Genus: Sceloporus (fence and spiny
lizards)
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| Also Known As: fence
lizard, blue-belly |
Scientific Name: Sceloporus
occidentalis biseriatus Hallowell, 1854 |
| Habitat: A wide range
of environments, from forests to grasslands to near human
habitation. Often found near old buildings and around wooden
fences (hence the common name). |
Skelos="leg," porus="pore"
(referring to femoral pores on the legs), occidentalis="Western,"
bi="two," seriatus="lined"
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| Length: to 9.25 inches
total. |
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| Food: Insects. |
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I found this male fence lizard under a board near
Carlsbad in January 2004. He was still a little cool so he
remained still for this picture. |
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| In this picture you can see the
lizard's belly. Note the light-blue patches on the sides of
the belly and also on the throat. The femoral pores
(openings along the thigh) have secreted an orange substance which
gives the appearance of a "comb" along the lizard's hind
legs.
NOTE: The range map shows the range for the entire
Western Fence Lizard complex--there are 6 subspecies.
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