Compare two species

Common Sagebrush Lizard vs. Southwestern Fence Lizard

They meet at the edges of their ranges in the pine country of east-central Arizona; both are small, striped spiny lizards with blue belly patches in males. A: Small and fine (about 40 to 68 rows from head to hips) in the Common Sagebrush Lizard; big, strongly keeled and pointed (fewer than 40 rows) in the Southwestern Fence Lizard. B: Small: to 2.5 in (6.4 cm) head and body in the Common Sagebrush Lizard; bigger: to 3 in (7.6 cm) head and body in the Southwestern Fence Lizard. The Sagebrush often has rust-orange in the armpit and on the sides, and fine granular scales on the back of the thigh; no open photo shows them clearly.

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Common Sagebrush Lizard

Sceloporus graciosus

Southwestern Fence Lizard

Sceloporus cowlesi

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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