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Banded Rock Lizard
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- Order: Squamata (scaled reptiles)
- Suborder: Lacertilia (=Sauria) (lizards)
- Family: Iguanidae (iguanid lizards)
- Subfamily: Phrynosomatinae (spiny and horned
lizards)
- Genus: Petrosaurus (rock lizards)
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Scientific Name: Petrosaurus
mearnsi (Stejneger, 1894) |
| Habitat: Rocky areas,
canyons with large boulders. |
Petra="rock," sauros="lizard,"
mearnsi in honor of naturalist and Army Lieutenant Colonel
Edgar A. Mearns
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| Length: to 10.5 inches
total. |
Former Scientific
Names: Streptosaurus mearnsi |
| Food: Insects. |
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I saw this lizard while I was hiking the Palm
Canyon Trail at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park the morning of 11
April 2003. I had seen one other specimen and took pictures,
but it was WAY up the side of the canyon--I could barely see
it. It was hanging on a beyond-vertical rock face, which
meant it had to waddle carefully to maintain its grip! The
individual pictured here was only a few feet from me and I was
able to get better photographs. I chose this first picture
because it demonstrates the lizard's excellent camouflage against
the granite boulder. |
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| This next picture is oriented
correctly--the lizard is hanging head-down on the vertical rock
face. Banded rock lizards are highly adapted to life in such
locations. Their bodies are flattened, to keep their center
of gravity nearer the rock surface. They also spread their
long legs wider than other lizards do when moving (causing them to
waddle) to maintain their grip. |
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