Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard in Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness

Lucky to spot this Sceloporus magister, also known as the Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard or the Desert Spiny Lizard. We were on our way back from the Wirepass Trailhead in Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area located in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah. The Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard could have been at least 8 inches long.

(according to Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sceloporus_magister):
Like many desert lizards, Desert Spiny Lizards stay warm by changing their color so they are darker during cool times, which allows them to absorb more heat from the sun, and become lighter during warm times so they reflect more solar radiation (rays). The spiny lizard also uses camouflage so they are not easily seen by predators.

Like all desert reptiles, the spiny lizard spends most of the day inactive in burrows. Burrows are much cooler than temperatures on the ground's surface.
Sceloporus magister ventral.jpg

The males have vivid ventral colorings that easily demarcate them from other species.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Sceloporus magister
• Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard
• Desert Spiny Lizard
• Wirepass Trailhead
• Utah BLM
• Arizona BLM
• National Monuments
• American Southwest