Eastern Fence Lizard
Like 2 Dislike 0 Published on 5 Jul 2011
Eastern Fence Lizard
(Sceloporus undulatus)
Description: 3 1/2-7 1/2" (9.0-19.0 cm). Dark band along rear of thigh. Color varies geographically: gray to brown or rusty, dark or light stripes down back, sometimes vague crossbars or spots. Back and belly scales about same size. Males usually marked by black-bordered blue patches on belly and blue throat patch.
Subspecies: Southern Fence Lizard (S. u. undulatus), wavy dark crossbars on back, blue patches on belly and throat; s. South Carolina to c. Florida, west to e. Louisiana.
Southern Prairie Lizard (S. u. consobrinus), weak dorsolateral light stripes, throat patches often fused, female lacks belly patches; se. Arizona to extreme s. Oklahoma, through c. Texas to Mexico.
White Sands Prairie Lizard (S. u. cowlesi), pale, back pattern faint or absent; White Sands, New Mexico.
Northern Plateau Lizard (S. u. elongatus), wavy dark crossbars on back, blue patches on throat and belly; sw. Wyoming to ne. Arizona and nw. New Mexico.
Red-lipped Plateau Lizard (S. u. erythrocheilus), dorsolateral stripes indistinct or absent, blue throat patches meet at midline, chin yellow, lips orange during breeding season; extreme ne. New Mexico and w. Oklahoma through e. Colorado to se. Wyoming.
Northern Prairie Lizard (S. u. garmani), prominent dorsolateral light stripes, throat patches reduced or absent, female lacks belly patches; se. Wyoming and s. South Dakota through e. Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma to extreme n. portion of Texas panhandle.
Northern Fence Lizard (S. u. hyacinthinus), wavy dark crossbars on back, belly and throat patches black-bordered; e. Kansas to New Jersey, south to c. South Carolina, southwest to e. Texas, and north through e. Oklahoma.
Southern Plateau Lizard (S. u. tristichus), faint dorsolateral light stripes, blue throat and belly patches; c. Arizona to c. New Mexico.
Breeding: Mates April to August. Yearling lays 1 clutch of 3-13 eggs, June to September; older females lay 2-4 clutches. Eggs hatch June to September.
Habitat: Generally sunny locations: favors rotting logs, open woodlands, open grassy dunes, prairies.
Range: Delaware to Florida and west to New Mexico and Arizona.
Discussion: Diurnal. In the east this lizard is primarily arboreal, seldom far from a tree or wall up which it will flee to avoid capture. In the prairie states it is more terrestrial, sheltering under brush or in burrows. It will eat almost any insect, spider, centipede, or snail, but beetles seem a favorite food.