Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard vs. Desert Spiny Lizard

Both are big spiny lizards of the desert valleys of southeastern Arizona, often in trees and wood piles. A: Two rows of dark blotches down the back (adult males) in the Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard; no rows of blotches; adult males may have a purple stripe down the back in the Desert Spiny Lizard. B: Grey, tan or brown with scattered yellow or orange scales in the Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard; straw-yellow to tan, the head often yellow or orange in the Desert Spiny Lizard. Both have a black wedge on each shoulder.

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

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