Granite Spiny Lizard

Range

Southwestern California and the Baja Peninsula.

Habitats

Often found living on boulder piles and rocky outcrops and hillsides. It excels at climbing rock surfaces, and lives in mixed vegetation habitats.

Identification

A thick-bodied lizard with keeled overlapping scales that have sharp points on the edge. The scales on the tail are more sharply keeled, creating a spiny appearance. It usually reaches 11 inches in total length. It is a dark-colored lizard, often with vertical zebra-like stripes down its body that merge into complete bands on the tail and legs. It has dark radiating stripes around the eyes, large brow ridges, and elongated triangular scales lining the ear holes. Adult breeding males develop vibrant colors while females remain less colorful and more striped.

Learn more with Schechter Natural History's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians