Description: The common side-blotched lizard is a species of small iguanid lizard. Males can grow up to 2.4 inches from snout to vent, while females are typically a little smaller. The degree of pigmentation varies with sex and population. Some males can have blue flecks spread over their backs and tails, and their sides may be yellow or orange, while others may be unpatterned. Females may have stripes along their backs/sides, or again may be relatively drab. Both sexes have a prominent blotch on their sides, just behind their front limbs. Coloration is especially important in common side-blotched lizards, as it is closely related to the mating behavior of both males and females. The different throat morphologies that the side-blotched lizard adopts also affects their sprinting speed. Across all three morphs, sprinting speed is positively correlated with blue hue, the brightness of the yellow throat, and the level of saturation of the orange throats. While aspects of throat coloration are positively related to sprinting speed and mass of the lizard, they do not affect the lizard’s snout-vent and hind limb length.

Habitat: Habitats include a wide variety of arid and semiarid situations with scattered bushes and/or scrubby trees; soil may be sandy, gravelly, or rocky; the species is often found in sandy washes with scattered rocks and bushes. Eggs are buried in sandy soil.

Range: The geographic range extends from western Colorado southward to the tip of Baja California, northern Sinaloa, and northern Zacatecas, Mexico, including many islands along the Pacific coast of Baja California and in the Gulf of California. Elevational range extends from below sea level in desert sinks to about 9,000 feet.

Found in these States: CO | NM | TX

Diet: Side-blotched lizards are an opportunistic forager that waits for prey to wander within close proximity. It feeds on a variety of insects including grasshoppers, beetles, ants, and termites. It also eats a variety of spiders, scorpions, and occasionally some plant material.

Reproduction: Multiple clutches of eggs are laid in spring and summer. Clutch size ranges from 2 to 5 eggs. Hatchlings begin to emerge in June.

Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of the large and stable extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, number of subpopulations, and population size. No major threats are known.

Taxonomy: