Southwestern Fence Lizard
Sceloporus cowlesi
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyPhrynosomatidae (Phrynosomatid Lizards)
- GenusSceloporus (Spiny Lizards)
- SpeciesSceloporus cowlesi (Southwestern Fence Lizard)
About the Southwestern Fence Lizard
The southwestern fence lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi), also known as Cowles' prairie lizard, the White Sands prairie lizard or the White Sands swift, is species of spiny lizard in the family Iguanidae. The species is native to the Chihuahuan Desert of the south-western United States and north-central Mexico. Originally described in 1956 as Sceloporus undulatus cowlesi, a subspecies of the eastern fence lizard, subsequent DNA studies elevated the southwestern fence lizard to species status.
The following cladogram is based on Leaché and Reeder, 2002, and shows the relationship of Sceloporus cowlesi to other species in the "Sceloporus undulatus group". The specific name, cowlesi, is in honor of American herpetologist Raymond Bridgman Cowles. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister
Clark's Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus clarkii
Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus bimaculosus
Mountain Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus jarrovii
Ornate Tree Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides
Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
Greater Earless Lizard
Cophosaurus texanus
Regal Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma solare
Greater Short-horned Lizard
Phrynosoma hernandesi
Elegant Earless Lizard
Holbrookia elegans
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 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Southwestern Fence Lizard in Saguaro National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Southwestern Fence Lizard sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Southwestern Fence Lizard in Saguaro National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Southwestern Fence Lizard in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.