Lizards of Maricopa County

Claudia Kirscher

Liberty Wildlife Volunteer

There are 56 known species of lizards in Arizona, 16 of which are found in Maricopa County.  They come in a variety of sizes, colors, and diversity of habitats.

The Gila monster is probably Arizona’s most-well-known lizard, one of two venomous lizards in North America (the other is the Mexican beaded lizard in Mexico).  The venom is delivered through grooves in the teeth. Bites are painful but rarely fatal to humans.  They live in elevations up to 5500 feet, a variety of habitats, and spend most of their lives underground, only coming above ground for 3-4 weeks per year for food, mating, and egg-laying.

Gila monsters from the northwestern part of Arizona usually have a banded pattern. Those from the south-central and southeastern part of Arizona usually have a reticulated or mottled pattern. Young from all parts of the state are banded. (see photo above). Under Arizona State law they are protected against “harming, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing or collecting.”

The western banded gecko is strictly nocturnal, hunting for insects and spiders. They do not have villi (toe pads) on the bottom of their feet so cannot climb like the Mediterranean Gecko. They are small. The pupils are vertically elliptical. The tail becomes plump when the gecko is well fed.

The Common Chuckwalla is a rock crevice-dweller. It is often seen basking on boulders, outcroppings, and rock piles during the daytime. When threatened it retreats into a rock crevice and inflates itself with air until it becomes securely wedged. It feeds on a variety of plants, but will occasionally supplement its diet with insects. They measure up to 9” from snout to vent.

The Desert Iguana is in the same family as the large green iguanas of Mexico and South America. This lizard often remains active through mid-day when high temperatures force other lizards to seek shelter. It hibernates during the cold months of winter and late fall. They measure 4-6″ in length and eat plant leaves, buds and flowers, and some insects.

Zebra-tailed lizards are found at sea level and up to 5000 ft. They are heat tolerant and active during the day. It does hibernate during the cold months of winter.  When approached by a predator it often curls and wags its tail over the back exposing the black and white “zebra stripes”. Both males and females are territorial and will head bob and do push-ups if threatened. Its diet is extremely varied: grasshoppers, bees, caterpillars, ants, spiders, small lizards and plant material.

Regal horned lizards are often mistakenly called “horny toad.”  They are a lizard, not a toad.  It is active during the day, all year round, except during cold temps when it will burrow into the ground. It occasionally squirts blood from its eyes when threatened or captured. This blood might have a foul taste to deter predators. Other defensive behaviors include inflating itself by gulping air and poking with the horns. They eat mostly ants, but will also eat beetles and other insects.

The Arizona night lizard is small, measuring up to 2-1/4 inches.  It is found in habitats up to 7000 ft in elevation. It favors rock crevices.  It is rarely seen during the daytime. They eat ants, flies, beetles, a variety of other insects and spiders.

The Desert spiny lizard is a colorful daytime lizard found in elevations up to 5000 ft. Males have two large, bright, blue-green patches on the belly and a blue-green patch on the throat. They can measure up to 6 “.  They eat ants, beetles and small lizards. It hibernates during winter.  It often bites when captured. They are sometimes found in male-female pairs.

The side-blotched lizard is among the few reptiles likely to be active during the winter months in the Sonoran Desert, coming out of underground burrows when the sun is warm.  They are out during the daytime.  They have a dark splotch just behind the first pair of legs with a barely visible blue-green coloration under the chin. They are very common.  It is a small lizard measuring up to 2-1/2 “.  It is found up to elevations of 6500 ft.  It is an opportunistic hunter that waits for prey to wander within close proximity. Prey includes a variety of insects including grasshoppers, beetles, ants, spiders, scorpions, and termites. It will occasionally eat plant material.

Lizard Fun Facts: 

• Pushups are a way to defend their territory against rival males and perhaps show off to a potential mate, The pushups show off the bright colors on their bellies and throat.
•  Many lizards are born with tails that are pre-broken, so if they find themselves in a tough spot  they can easily detach their tails and run. The blood vessels close on their own to prevent bleeding and the tail will grow back after several months. However, research shows that those without tails tend to lose social status with their peers and may have a harder time defending territories or getting mates.
• Lizards are found on all continents except Antarctica and all habitats except extreme cold and deep oceans.
• Unlike snakes, most lizards have moveable eyelids.
• As in all reptiles, lizards undergo “ecdysis” ….. the process of shedding old skin.

Resources: Reptilesofaz.org ; desertmuseum.org ;tucsonherpsociety.org ;