A lizard of the rocks, the Crevice Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus poinsetti) is one of the most prickly looking lizards. It's heavily keeled scales are an adaptation that, together with an ability to puff themselves up, makes for a lizard that is hard to extract from the tight rocky crevices into which they retreat.
This is a large Sceloporus species found in rocky cliff situations of southern New Mexico. They are an active and aggressive hunter, stalking prey and then pouncing hard. Shown here is a male from Soccorro County.
Their coloration is fairly drab, though there is a certain iridescence about their base coloration. The males have bluish belly markings. Their body is slightly compressed laterally, allowing them to fit into narrow crevices. Their toes are long for grasping the rocks -- these guys are nimble climbers. And always, there are the prickly, heavily keeled scales from head to tail.
This is a large Sceloporus species found in rocky cliff situations of southern New Mexico. They are an active and aggressive hunter, stalking prey and then pouncing hard. Shown here is a male from Soccorro County.
Their coloration is fairly drab, though there is a certain iridescence about their base coloration. The males have bluish belly markings. Their body is slightly compressed laterally, allowing them to fit into narrow crevices. Their toes are long for grasping the rocks -- these guys are nimble climbers. And always, there are the prickly, heavily keeled scales from head to tail.
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