What Predators do they have in the desert? DESERT SPINY LIZARD Sceloporus magister: DESCRIPTION: A large (up to about 142 mm or 5.6" from snout to vent), stocky lizard with large, pointed, keeled, overlapping scales. Base coloration is gray, tan, or brown. Life History and Behavior: Activity: Diurnal. Its elevational range extends from sea level to 2130 m (7000 ft) (Macey and Papenfuss 1991).
Snakes are another known Predators for lizards. They are near the bottom of the food chain in the desert. The presence of distinct cross bands on the forelimbs is a useful feature for distinguishing the species from the Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister) , a vaguely similar animal that is quite abundant in our region. What Predators do they have in the desert? There are many different types of predators that a lizard has. Though not native to Arizona, Mediterranean geckos also are common in warmer months, Wiens says. Finally, lizards are even known to eat other lizards.
(2006, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39(3):873-880) split the wide-ranging Desert Spiny Lizard into three species: 1) S. uniformis of the Great Basin, Central Valley of California, and the Mohave Desert, 2) S. magister of the Sonoran Desert and Colorado Plateau, and 3) S. bimaculosus of the Chihuahuan Desert. Desert Spiny Lizard DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND SEASONALITY In California, the desert spiny lizard is widely distributed throughout the Mojave, Sonoran and Colorado deserts, as well as parts of the Great Basin and and Central California Coast, in arid and semiarid environments. The whiptail and desert spiny lizards are active mostly in the warmer months, from March to October. Clark Spiny Lizard reaches a maximum snout-vent length 125 mm (Stebbins 1985). There are many different types of predators that a lizard has. Interesting Facts: Common predators of the desert spiny lizard include roadrunners, hawks, snakes, and bullfrogs. In the wild, especially in the desert, this includes many types of birds such as hawks, Eagles, owls and other birds of prey. This is a spiny lizard, as its name signifies and sharp pointed spiny scales cover its body.
Editor’s Note: Schulte et al. In the wild, especially in the desert, this includes many types of birds such as hawks, Eagles, owls and other birds of prey. The desert spiny lizard has a thicker body and is longer than the other two, reaching up to 12 inches — and, true to its name, is covered in imposing spines. S. uniformis "…tends to be yellow to tan above, without markings or with less distinctive markings than the Desert Spiny Lizard." The desert spiny lizard also uses camouflage so it is not so easily seen by predators. A young male can postpone his expulsion from a territory for a while by repeatedly slipping back into the conspicuous brown juvenile color.
Their eyes are red and cute. The jaws of these desert lizards are strong; hence avoid their bites. "Desert Spiny Lizards [S. magister] are somewhat larger, and adult males will have a black, deep purple, or red middorsal longitudinal stripe bordered by light stripes…." Predators: Predatory birds, snakes, bullfrogs: Breeding Season: Spring and summer: Mode of Reproduction: Oviparous (egg laying) Clutch Size: 2 to 12 eggs: Incubation Period : 1 to 3 months: Reproductive Age: 5 to 7 months of age: Average Lifespan: Up to 5.9 years in captivity: IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern: Desert Spiny Lizard Pictures Gallery. Finally, lizards are even known to eat other lizards. Snakes are another known Predators for lizards. Spiny lizards are preyed upon by snakes, foxes, skunks, raccoons, hawks and a number of other animals. These lizards are supposed to have a high level of intelligence, a fact that their brain size substantiates.