Banded Rock Lizard
Petrosaurus mearnsi
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyPhrynosomatidae (Phrynosomatid Lizards)
- GenusPetrosaurus (California rock lizards)
- SpeciesPetrosaurus mearnsi (Banded Rock Lizard)
About the Banded Rock Lizard
Petrosaurus mearnsi, also called commonly the banded rock lizard and Mearns' rock lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to western North America. The specific name, mearnsi, is in honor of American naturalist Edgar Alexander Mearns, who collected the first specimens.
Petrosaurus mearnsi is endemic to extreme southern California and Baja California, Mexico. It also occurs on Isla El Muerto. Petrosaurus mearnsi is an extremely flat-bodied lizard. Its dorsum is olive, brown or gray, with white or bluish spots. It has a single black collar, a banded tail, and granular scales on its body, with keeled tail and limb scales. Individuals may have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 6.2–8.7 cm (2.4–3.4 in). Males have more pronounced throat patterns and brighter blue coloring than females.
Petrosaurus mearnsi is associated with boulder hillsides, extending in Baja California to chaparral and pinyon-juniper woodlands. Petrosaurus mearnsi is omnivorous, feeding not only on insects and spiders, but also on buds and flowers.
Gravid females of Petrosaurus... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Banded Rock Lizard in Joshua Tree National Park
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Banded Rock Lizard in Joshua Tree National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Banded Rock Lizard sighting in Joshua Tree National Park, based on 47 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Banded Rock Lizard in Joshua Tree National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Banded Rock Lizard in Joshua Tree National Park in our monthly data.