Mexico Herpetology

Adult male, 200′, Sonora, Mexico

Adult male, 200′, Sonora, Mexico

Adult male, 200′, Sonora, Mexico

Adult male, 200′, Sonora, Mexico

Venter of adult male, 200′, Sonora, Mexico

Female showing gravid coloration, 200′, Sonora, Mexico

Subadult male, 200′, Sonora, Mexico

Juvenile male, 200′, Sonora, Mexico

DICKERSON’S COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus dickersonae – Schmidt 1922

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This colorful species is found only in a narrow band of rocky hills [...]

WESTERN COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus collaris – Say in James 1823
Crotaphytus collaris baileyi – Stejneger 1890

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
In Sonora, Mexico the range of this species and Crotaphytus nebrius closely approach one-another but do not overlap.

HABITAT:
This lizard inhabits both Sonoran upland and high desert sites, generally where rocks are present. It is most common on alluvial fans and the lower [...]

RETICULATE COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus reticulatus – Baird 1858

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:

HABITAT:

NATURAL HISTORY:
Unlike other species of Crotaphytus, this lizard spends the majority of its time on bare earth; however, it will bask on small limestone rocks and associated formations when available. It is largely insectivorous but also consumes smaller lizards with vigor. When frightened, collared lizards have the ability to [...]

VENERABLE COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus antiquus – Axtell & Webb 1995

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Crotaphytus antiquus is known only from three small mountain ranges in the Mayrán (AKA Parras) Basin in the vicinity of Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico. These are the Sierra Solis, Sierra Texas and Sierra San Lorenzo.

HABITAT:
Crotaphytus antiquus occurs on the lower slopes of several extremely dry desert ranges. [...]

SIERRA LOS CUCAPAS COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus grismeri – McGuire 1994

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This newly described species is only found at a few localities in the Sierra los Cucapás and Sierra el Mayor of northeast Baja California Norte, Mexico. Elevational distribution from 50-250 meters.

HABITAT:
C. grismeri is most often observed on or around rocky slopes, canyons, ridges, and among rocky rubble [...]

SONORA COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus nebrius – Axtell & Montanucchi 1977

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:

HABITAT:

Habitat, 100′, Sonora, Mexico

NATURAL HISTORY:

TAXONOMY:

TYPE:

PERSONAL NOTES:
I have seen C. nebrius in the vicinity of Ajo, Arizona in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. In July, 2003 Chris Gruenwald and I found an adult male in the vicinity of the Rio Yaqui just N of Sahuaripa, Sonora. It was [...]

BAJA CALIFORNIA COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus vestigium – Smith & Tanner 1972

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species is found from the US border south to at least San Jose Comondu, Baja California Sur. Largely this distribution lies to the east of the Sierra de Juarez and Sierra San Pedro Martir but it also occurs in a narrow band of the pacific [...]

Adult Female, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

BLACK-SPOTTED COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus collaris – Say in James 1823
Crotaphytus collaris melanomaculatus – Axtell & Webb 1995

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
Crotaphytus collaris melanomaculatus occurs from northeast Durango eastward through southern Coahuila, northern Zacatecas, southern Nuevo Leon, central and north-central San Luis Potosi and extreme southwest Tamaulipas. In Tamaulipas, this lizard is found in the Municipios [...]

CHIHUAHUA COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus collaris – Say 1823
Crotaphytus collaris fuscus – Ingram & Tanner 1971

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:

HABITAT:

Rocky Grassland Habitat, Hidalgo Co., New Mexico

NATURAL HISTORY:
This species is saxicolus and is most often observed perched on rocks and rock outcrops. Male and female Crotaphytus collaris fuscus display their breeding coloration in May and early June. Smaller lizards are a large [...]

Adult, 400′, Isla Angel de la Guarda, Baja California, Mexico

ISLA ANGEL DE LA GUARDA COLLARED LIZARD
Crotaphytus insularis – Van Denburgh & Slevin 1921

IDENTIFICATION:

DISTRIBUTION:
This species is found only on Isla Angel de la Guarda, a large island off the coast of Baja California Norte in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

HABITAT:

Rocky arroyo habitat, Isla Angel de la [...]