A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California
Small Spiny Lizards in California -
Sceloporus occidentalis and Sceloporus graciosus
Click on a picture for a larger view
| Western Fence Lizards and Common Sagebrush Lizards | ||
| These two species of lizards are very hard to tell apart. Both are small, diurnal, brownish or grayish lizards patterned with spots and chevrons and stripes on the back. The pictures below might help you differrentiate one from the other where they occur together, especially if you can get a male lizard in hand. In many areas of the state, Common Sagebrush Lizards are typically found only at high elevations, while Western Fence Lizards are found at low and high elevations. |
||
 |
 |
 |
Dorsal view - Common Sagebrush Lizard on the left, Western Fence Lizard on the rignt. Note the larger scales on the Western Fence Lizard. © Patrick Briggs |
Ventral view of males - Common Sagebrush Lizard on the right, Western Fence Lizard on the left. The underside markings of males vary with location and subspecies. © Patrick Briggs |
Comparison of the rear thighs of a Common Sagebrush Lizard - on top, and a Western Fence Lizard - on the bottom. Note the granular scales on the Common Sagebrush Lizard and the keeled (and yellow) scales on the Western Fence Lizard. |
 |
||
Head view - Common Sagebrush Lizard on the left, Western Fence Lizard on the right. © Patrick Briggs |
||
| Western Fence Lizard - Sceloporus occidentalis (also called swift or blue belly) | ||
| This is one of the most commonly-seen lizards in California. Found in a variety of habitats throughout the state, except most desert areas, it is active during daylight. Frequently seen standing on top of rocks, boulders, fences, walls, beach driftwood, trees, as well as on the ground. Often found around suburban houses and yards. Looking at the underside of males is a good way to differentiate this species from the Sagebrush Lizard. The rear of the limbs are orange or yellow on the Fence Lizard, but not on the Sagebrush Lizard, and scales on the rear of the thighs are large and keeled. Also, the male has a more solid blue patch on the throat. |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Male | Male | Female |
 |
 |
|
| Ventral view of male Western Fence Lizard, showing yellow on rear of thighs. | Close-up of the keeled scales on the rear thigh of a Western Fence Lizard. Compare with the Common Sagebrush Lizard |
|
| Researchers are finding that the traditional taxonomy of Sceloporus occidentalis, is incorrect, therefore many herpetologists do not currently break the species down into subspecies. The range map below is one interpretation of the distribution of the currently-recognized subspecies. |
||
 |
||
| More pictures and information for the individual subspecies: Sceloporus occidentalis becki - Island Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis biseriatus - San Joaquin Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii - Coast Range Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis longipes - Great Basin Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis occidentalis - Northwestern Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis taylori - Sierra Fence Lizard |
||
| Common Sagebrush Lizard - Sceloporus graciosus | ||
| Common Sagebrush lizards are generally found at higher-elevations, than Fence Lizards, including the Great Basin sagebrush zones, but they also enter river bottoms in the coastal redwoods on the north coast. They are often seen on the ground, where they will run into bushes or rocks to hide. They are also found on large rocks in the mountains. Looking at the underside of males is a good way to differentiate this species from the Western Fence Lizard. The rear of the limbs are not orange or yellow, as they are on the Western Fence Lizard, and the scales on the rear of the thighs are granular, not keeped. The blue throat patch on the male generally has light flecks. There is usually some rusty coloring on the sides of the neck and body, and a black bar on the shoulder. Here is a chart showing some differences in scale count and pattern between the three subspecies of Sagebrush Lizards in California. |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Male underside |
Male underside |
Female underside |
 |
||
| Close-up of the granular scales on the rear thigh of a Common Sagebrush Lizard. Compare with the Western Fence Lizard |
||
 |
||
| More pictures and information for the individual subspecies: Sceloporus graciosus graciosus - Northern Sagebrush Lizard Sceloporus graciosus gracilis - Western Sagebrush Lizard Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus - Southern Sagebrush Lizard |
||
Return to the Top
© 2000 - 2012