Spiny Lizard

There are many different types of lizards in Arizona.  The Spiny lizard belongs to the Iguanidae Family which possesses spines, are colorful and use visual displays to attract mates and protect territories.  Spiny lizards are usually grey or brown and all have keeled, pointed, overlapping  scales.  These lizards are from 3 1/4  to 5 1/2 inches in length.  The tail is longer than the body. Spiny lizards have a black-wedge-shaped mark on each side of the neck and blue-green patch on throat and on each side of belly.  Sight is very important to their life style and they  have color vision.

Stiff competition

Spiny lizards enjoy basking in the sun and are frequently seen on top of rocks or walls taking in the Arizona sun.  They compete with other lizards for these basking sites, food, mates and shelter.  They prefer areas where  creosote bush and mesquites are found.  Spiny lizards are good climbers of rocks and trees but are also found on the ground   They seek shelter in crevices, under objects on the ground and in rodent burrows.

April, May, June most active period

Spiny lizards are most in feeding and mating during March, April and May during daylight hours .Eat insects, lizards, and occasionally buds, flowers, berries and leaves. The female lays a clutch of 4 to 19 eggs in the May to June time period.  If environmental conditions are good more than one clutch may be laid per season.

The Spiny lizard often bites when captured and is preyed upon by carnivorous animals including  coyotes, hawks, owls, roadrunners and other lizards.