Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyPhrynosomatidae (Phrynosomatid Lizards)
- GenusUta (Side-blotched lizards)
- SpeciesUta stansburiana (Common Side-blotched Lizard)
About the Common Side-blotched Lizard
The common side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana) is a species of side-blotched lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to dry regions of the western United States and northern Mexico. It is notable for having a unique form of polymorphism wherein each of the three different male morphs utilizes a different strategy in acquiring mates. The three morphs compete against each other following a pattern of rock paper scissors, where one morph has advantages over another but is outcompeted by the third.
The specific epithet, stansburiana, is in honor of Captain Howard Stansbury of the US Corps of Topographical Engineers, who collected the first specimens while leading the 1849-1851 expedition to explore and survey the Great Salt Lake of Utah.
The systematics and taxonomy of the widespread and variable lizards of the genus Uta is much disputed. Countless forms and morphs have been described as subspecies or even distinct species. The forms which occur in most of Mexico (except Baja California) have been recognized as a very distinct species, the eastern side-blotched lizard, Uta stejnegeri.
Populations from San Benito and Cedros Islands... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister
Ornate Tree Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides
Greater Earless Lizard
Cophosaurus texanus
Clark's Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus clarkii
Regal Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma solare
Greater Short-horned Lizard
Phrynosoma hernandesi
Elegant Earless Lizard
Holbrookia elegans
Southwestern Fence Lizard
Sceloporus cowlesi
Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus bimaculosus
Mountain Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus jarrovii
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 8 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 10 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Side-blotched Lizard in Saguaro National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Common Side-blotched Lizard sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 992 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Side-blotched Lizard in Saguaro National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Common Side-blotched Lizard in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.