BajaNomad

Identify my Lizard Igor

CaboSur - 9-10-2015 at 10:40 AM

Can someone identify my friendly lizard ? Seems my gecko population is way down this year, maybe he eats them ? He does seem to have a rather large belly for a lizard. Igor is approx 7-8 inches long

Maron - 9-10-2015 at 10:43 AM

He is a good size lad, good looking also

bajabuddha - 9-10-2015 at 03:59 PM

Your lizard is a "Collared Lizard", my all-time fave.... and sorry, Vandy; it's a male. Of course, it still gives you an in for another cheap shot at the next POTUS. :P

Collared lizards are very aggressive; they will bite. In the small town of Bluff, Utah a young school kid brought one for show-and-tell, and a little girl wanted to give it a 'kiss'.... bad idea. it latched on to her nose, and all holy hell pandemonium broke loose in the classroom for about 10 minutes until the teacher got it off her schnozola and calmed everyone else down. The teacher asked, "What did we learn from this?" and the little victim (not the lizard) said, "I'm NEVER gonna kiss another LIZARD!! "

I was called out on the res on an ambulance call for an 8-y.o. Navajo boy who'd been bitten. It was my first 'assessment' after graduating.... we arrived to find the boy with a whole t-shirt wrapped around his finger, and the family produced the collared lizard in a shoe-box, well-dispatched with stones, poor little feller. I unwrapped the boys' hand, and found indentation marks on the nose-picker-finger; hadn't even broken the skin...... seein's as how THEY DON'T HAVE TEETH. I turned to my supervisor and whispered, "You gotta be chittin' me!". She being a kindergarten teacher proceeded to alcohol-wipe the dented finger, and place a shiny kiddy-Band-Aid on, and all was well, except for poor Igor.

From then on, I was teased as 'Dinosaur Man'. Loved it.

Bob53 - 9-10-2015 at 04:52 PM

I've never seen a collared lizard with a tail like that. Very cool looking.

Skipjack Joe - 9-10-2015 at 05:18 PM

Well isn't that something. I thought you were asking me to key him out.

Although it does have a black coloration around the collar I don't think this is the black collared lizard. Black collared lizards have a double collar that goes completely around its neck, a more bulbous head, fairly smooth skin, and doesn't occur naturally south of Concepcion. Although not very clear the picture shows heavily spines legs and probably back. My guess is that it's a desert spiny lizard. A picture from the side would be helpful.

Incidentally, confirming the aggressive nature of the collared lizard. My class partner and I caught a leopard and a collared lizard and put them in a can to bring back to camp. When we got back they had each other by the head each biting the other open jawed. The leopards were more aggressive. I wouldn't handle them. The collared is a truly handsome reptile.

woody with a view - 9-10-2015 at 05:32 PM

i'm glad Igor chimed in! i was waiting for that.....

MMc - 9-10-2015 at 05:34 PM

They look pretty similar, might want to think about a name change.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/female-desert-spiny-lizar...

[Edited on 9-11-2015 by MMc]

woody with a view - 9-10-2015 at 05:38 PM

looks like your garden variety Split-tailed alligator lizard!

StuckSucks - 9-10-2015 at 05:43 PM

Apologies for the crappy old-time, steam-powered digital photos, but here's a guy we saw while riding the Porcupine Rim Trail in Moab - the colors were amazing**:




** said like Huell Howser

CaboSur - 9-10-2015 at 06:10 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha  
Your lizard is a "Collared Lizard", my all-time fave.... and sorry, Vandy; it's a male. Of course, it still gives you an in for another cheap shot at the next POTUS. :P

Collared lizards are very aggressive; they will bite. In the small town of Bluff, Utah a young school kid brought one for show-and-tell, and a little girl wanted to give it a 'kiss'.... bad idea. it latched on to her nose, and all holy hell pandemonium broke loose in the classroom for about 10 minutes until the teacher got it off her schnozola and calmed everyone else down. The teacher asked, "What did we learn from this?" and the little victim (not the lizard) said, "I'm NEVER gonna kiss another LIZARD!! "

I was called out on the res on an ambulance call for an 8-y.o. Navajo boy who'd been bitten. It was my first 'assessment' after graduating.... we arrived to find the boy with a whole t-shirt wrapped around his finger, and the family produced the collared lizard in a shoe-box, well-dispatched with stones, poor little feller. I unwrapped the boys' hand, and found indentation marks on the nose-picker-finger; hadn't even broken the skin...... seein's as how THEY DON'T HAVE TEETH. I turned to my supervisor and whispered, "You gotta be chittin' me!". She being a kindergarten teacher proceeded to alcohol-wipe the dented finger, and place a shiny kiddy-Band-Aid on, and all was well, except for poor Igor.

From then on, I was teased as 'Dinosaur Man'. Loved it.
What a story bajabuddha. Maybe i should not wear my flip flops outside, wouldn't want him hanging on one of my toes.. Here's a side view

Cliffy - 9-10-2015 at 09:12 PM

The bigger ones BBQ good! :-) Gotta be hungry though.

bajabuddha - 9-10-2015 at 09:32 PM

I humbly (ahem) stand corrected on the collared lizard, but I swear they must be first cousins. I've had so many wonderful interfaces with them over the years, I didn't look close enough for the 'collar'. Dinosaurs, nonetheless. I actually watched one take a leopard lizard (young'un) and swallow him head-first. Too cool, McCool.

BajaBlanca - 9-11-2015 at 07:54 AM

They are just beautiful - all of them.

David K - 9-11-2015 at 09:03 AM

In this book...





this was the closest match I could see (#61):


CaboSur - 9-11-2015 at 09:42 AM

David, thanks for the identity. Seems my Gecko population is way down this year, either Igor eats them or they have left the neighborhood to him. I prefer Igor to the Geckos since he doesn't come inside. Also, I think maybe he has a girlfriend , there's been a smaller one running around with him lately !

Pappy Jon - 9-11-2015 at 01:29 PM

Yes, one of the spiny lizards, and from the picture above it appears to be a Baja Spiny. Not a collard lizard.