#zebra tailed lizard

Zebra-Tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides), male, in breeding colors, SHOWING OFF TO THE FINE ASS HAYNAS!!!, family Phrynosomatidae, Arizona, USA

Zebra-Tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides), family Phrynosomatidae, Imperial County, CA, USA

Zebra-tailed Lizard

Zebra-tailed lizards (Callisaurus draconoides) are a genus of lizards endemic to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Zebra-tailed lizards live in open desert with fairly hard-packed soil, scattered vegetation, and scattered rocks, typically flats, washes, and plains. Zebra-tailed lizards are common and widely distributed throughout the southwestern United States, ranging from the Mojave and Colorado deserts north into the southern Great Basin.

Zebra-tailed lizards (Callisaurus) are a genus of phrynosomatid lizards endemic to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

This particular individual is an adult male Nevada Zebra-tailed Lizard, (Callisaurus draconoides myurus). This subspecies is found in Nevada not far from the California border north of Honey Lake, where it might occur in washes along the border near Smoke Creek. These lizards reach a length of 2.5-4 inches (6-10cm) from snout to vent, up to almost 9 inches including tail.

They live in open sandy desert washes, desert pavement, and hard pan, with scant widely-spaced vegetation and open areas. They are also sometimes found in wind-blown sand dunes near hard-packed ground. Their diet consists of small invertebrates such as insects and spiders, small lizards and occasional plant material.

These diurnal lizards are well adapted to living in desert areas, tolerant of high temperatures they are often seen basking on rocks, even on extremely hot afternoons. They are also possibly the fastest desert lizards, able to run very quickly as they have long legs and streamlined body. After speeding away, this lizard sometimes stops far ahead in the open, but it will also run to the far side of a bush, out of view, or into a bush or burrow for protection. Before running, a lizard may curl the tail up towards the back, exposing the black and white bars. They then wag it nervously while running and after stopping. This tail display tactic concentrates a predator's attention on the tail, which, if attacked and broken off, can grow back.