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Pale Leopard Lizard
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- Order: Squamata (scaled reptiles)
- Suborder: Lacertilia (=Sauria) (lizards)
- Family: Iguanidae (iguanid lizards)
- Subfamily: Crotaphytinae (collared and leopard
lizards)
- Genus: Gambelia (leopard lizards)
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Scientific Name: Gambelia
wislizenii punctatus (Tanner & Banta, 1963) |
| Habitat: Arid regions
with sparse ground cover. |
Gambelia in honor of naturalist and
explorer William Gambel, wislizenii in honor of Army
surgeon and naturalist Frederick A. Wislizenius, punctatus="spotted"
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| Length: Can reach 15+ inches
(mostly tail). |
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| Food: Insects,
arachnids, other lizards, just about anything it can swallow (some
leopards have reportedly choked to death trying to swallow prey
items too large!). |
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| On the way to Delicate Arch, I
happened to see this beautiful lizard perched atop a boulder,
surveying its domain. Leopard lizards and the
closely-related collared
lizards often use a "sit and wait" tactic to
hunting, ambushing unsuspecting prey. They are fast lizards,
capable of running on their hind legs like little dinosaurs.
They will not hesitate to bite. I used to have two of these
lizards as pets. |
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