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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 desert to woodland; often found in brush piles,
along fences, and in/around human habitation. |
Skelos="leg," porus="pore"
(referring to femoral pores on the legs), undulatus="having
a wavelike pattern," huakinthos="dark/blue,"
inus="belonging to"
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| Length: Up to 7.5 inches
total length. |
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| Food: Insects and
arachnids. |
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I found this lizard during a trip to Aransas
National Wildlife Refuge in May 2002. Fence lizards are
the common "blue-bellies" found along fences and fallen
logs. They're so named because males exhibit bright blue
markings on their bellies, especially during breeding season. |
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| The range map is for the entire
species, Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus), not
just this subspecies (there are 8 subspecies!). |
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