Baja California Rock Lizard

About the Baja California Rock Lizard

The Baja blue rock lizard (Petrosaurus thalassinus) is a species of large, diurnal phrynosomatid lizard. It reaches up to 45 cm (18 in) long including the tail, and has a flattened body with small, smooth, granular scales and slightly keeled scales near the tail. The head is bluish with red to orange colors around the eyes, yellow neck with blue spots and streaks. The back of the tail is gray blue with darker cross bars. The coloration intensifies during the breeding season in both sexes.

It prefers temperatures in excess of 90 °F (32 °C) and basks in direct sunlight on desert rocks. A very wary species, its flattened body allows it to quickly retreat into rock crevices to escape predators as well as inclement weather conditions. When threatened, it can extend a skin flap along its throat. Like many lizards, it is able to drop its tail when caught.

It feeds on various insects, small lizards, blossoms, leaves, seeds, and small fruit. Occasional incidents of cannibalism on smaller individuals have been observed. Two subspecies are recognized within P. thalassinus; P. t. thalassinus inhabits the Cape region, and P. t. repens ranges... Wikipedia →