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Northern 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: (all undulatus)
eastern fence lizard, fence swift |
Scientific Name: Sceloporus
undulatus hyacinthinus (Green, 1818) |
| Habitat: A variety of
environments, from arid regions to woodland. Often seen near
brush piles and fences. |
Skelos="leg," porus="pore"
(referring to femoral pores on the legs), undulatus=
"wavelike pattern" (dorsal pattern), huakinth-os="dark
blue," inus="belonging to" (in reference to
the blue belly patches exhibited by males)
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| Length: Up to 7.5 inches. |
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| Food: Insects,
arachnids, snails, millipedes. |
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This subadult (about 4 inches long) fence lizard
was found just south of Little Rock Air Force Base in an
open-woods area. These lizards are fairly abundant wherever
they are found.
Recent research indicates Sceloporus
lizards may have an agent in their blood rendering them immune to
Lyme disease. |
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| The range map here indicates the
range of the entire species, Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus
undulatus), not just this subspecies (there are 8 subspecies
in the US!). |
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| See also the fence lizards on the Colorado,
Missouri, New
Mexico, and Utah pages. |
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