During our hikes in and around Las Cruces, NM, we came across several very interesting creatures. Among them was this one particular lizard that, at first, was hard to believe was real.
Doesn’t it look like a toy found in a discount store?
Once it was seen in and among the native flora, it looked a bit more natural as it blended with the environment.
Look at this closeup shot…
Aren’t those great markings on the head? And the feet..yellow toes! What’s with that?
Here’s a great side shot of the markings on its chin and the dots on the back. I never saw a lizard that had such a colorful persona.
Of course it was real. I actually touched the first one we saw to get it to scoot away, but it didn’t go too far. It “appeared” to be as curious of us as we were with it.
In the picture below, the two dark “collars” are easy to spot and provide a clear segmenting of the shoulder from the torso.
More lizards were spotted and will be presented in a future post, but the Eastern Collared Lizard was my favorite.
Read More:
Reptiles and Amphibians of Arizona
Visit the Arizona Herpetological Association
New Mexico Herpetological Society