The Common Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana) is a species of Side-blotched Lizard common on the Pacific coast of North America, from Washington to western Texas and NW Mexico. It has a peculiar evolutionary strategy following the pattern of the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, with three types of males existing which each applies a different technique to acquire mates.
Ten Facts about Common Side-blotched Lizard
- Small in size, 4-6 inches long from snout to tip of tail; body length 1.5-2.5 inches.
- This lizard is generally brownish, but it may be darker or lighter, and has a dark blotch located on each side of the chest just behind the front leg; hence, the common name. Small whitish spots cover the body.
- Dry areas that are sandy or gravelly with rocks and scattered plants. Found in elevations from below sea level to 9,000 feet.
- From central Washington south to the tip of Baja, California, on the east side of the Cascades and Sierras. East to western Colorado and west Texas, and into central Mexico.
- Due to its small size, this lizard can heat up quickly; hence, it can be active on warm winter days while other lizards are in deep hibernation.
- Spring is the start of the breeding season. By April, the females may lay their first set of eggs.
- home range sizes for these lizards: males have a .06-acre home range, females have a .02-acre home range
- Side-blotched Lizards prey on a variety of creatures: ants, ant lion, larvae, flies, mosquitoes, damselflies, dragonflies, beetles, bees, aphids, caterpillars, ticks, scorpions and spiders.
- These lizards, in turn, are preyed upon by larger lizards, like the collared or leopard lizard, as wells as by snakes and birds.
- There may be up to 12 eggs laid; the eggs take 61 days to hatch. The female may lay up to 3 clutches of eggs a season.
