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California Gardening Reptiles & Amphibians

Lizard ID please--California

4 years ago

I think this looks like one of the fence lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis. Can you tell if it is the coast range subspecies? Or if I'm totally wrong? (http://www.californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/s.o.bocourtii.html#taxonomy ) It lacks the blue, but nobody felt like it would be polite to flip the little guy to check thoroughly.

Found in Alameda County, east SF Bay. Thanks!

Comments (5)

Lars
4 years ago
Are you keeping it as a pet? It looks cute, but I've not seen a similar one here or in Palm Springs or Arizona, and so I cannot help with ID. I've seen a lot of lizards in Death Valley, Anza Borrego, and Joshua Tree, but none of them look like what you have shown.

How many of these have you seen? I found a camelion in my back yard, not native to here but often kept as pets, and so you could consider this lizard as an escapee, perhaps, especially if it is tame.
Fori thanked Lars
uncle molewacker z9b Danville CA (E.SF Bay)
4 years ago
I believe that it's a western fence lizard... i have many in my yard
Fori thanked uncle molewacker z9b Danville CA (E.SF Bay)
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I'm not really familiar with many of the TX lizards, but you're right; this does NOT look like a native US species. Although the pic is small, from what I can see this almost looks like a Frilled Dragon, a native of New Guinea and Australia. Those are the one what spread out the big neck frill if they feel cornered or threatened, though simply moving away is their first line of defense. The head definately has that shape like a member of the Agamid family, and a foot and a half would be too big for a Fence Lizard, which is also in that family. Frilled Dragons are commonly sold as pets, though they are quite expensive, so if that's what it is, it must have escaped from someone-someone who is VERY upset! Check with the local papers' "Lost and Found" section and see if anyone has lost such a pet in your area, and you should certainly try to catch it without hurting it. Sharon McKenzie
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Fori
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks!

Very cute indeed, Lars! I should be glad it didn't occur to my kids to keep him as a pet. It was unusually calm and posed on a kid's arm (fuzzy bathrobe photo background) for inspection and then we put it in the vegetable garden.

We haven't seen this species in the yard before but we do have alligator lizards. I can't imagine an alligator lizard sitting around for photos. :)

If we found a chameleon, I think we'd have to keep it!
CA Kate z9
4 years ago
I’ll bet that you’ll see the blue if you bring in a female. They turn blue to attract a mate.
Fori thanked CA Kate z9
kittymoonbeam
4 years ago
Love my fence lizards. Had so many young ones last year. Wish i could cling to sides of walls like they do.

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