Phrynosomatidae (Phrynosomatid Lizards)

Family

Phrynosomatid Lizards

Phrynosomatidae

60 species in our catalog · found in 54 parks

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassSquamata
FamilyPhrynosomatidae (Phrynosomatid Lizards)

Species in this group

Each card shows the species at its best park — tap for the full profile

Common Side-blotched Lizard

Uta stansburiana

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

Plateau Fence Lizard

Sceloporus tristichus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Greater Earless Lizard

Cophosaurus texanus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Emerald Swift

Sceloporus malachiticus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Southwestern Fence Lizard

Sceloporus cowlesi

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Zebra-tailed Lizard

Callisaurus draconoides

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Desert Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma platyrhinos

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus uniformis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Western Fence Lizard

Sceloporus occidentalis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Desert Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus magister

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Ornate Tree Lizard

Urosaurus ornatus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Sagebrush Lizard

Sceloporus graciosus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Crevice Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus poinsettii

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Merendon Emerald Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus schmidti

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Honduran Emerald Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus hondurensis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Rose-bellied Lizard

Sceloporus variabilis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Greater Short-horned Lizard

Phrynosoma hernandesi

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus chrysostictus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Small-scaled Lizard

Urosaurus nigricauda

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Graphic Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus grammicus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Canyon Lizard

Sceloporus merriami

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Eastern Fence Lizard

Sceloporus undulatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Island Fence Lizard

Sceloporus becki

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Mountain Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma orbiculare

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Dwarf Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus squamosus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Roundtail Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma modestum

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Crevice Swift

Sceloporus torquatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Bocourt’s Emerald Lizard

Sceloporus smaragdinus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Hunsaker's Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus hunsakeri

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Texas Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma cornutum

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Baja California Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus zosteromus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Clark's Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus clarkii

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Cozumel Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus cozumelae

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Shortnose Rock Lizard

Petrosaurus repens

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Cedros Island Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma cerroense

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Teapen Rosebelly Lizard

Sceloporus teapensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Blue Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus serrifer

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Baja California Rock Lizard

Petrosaurus thalassinus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Regal Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma solare

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus bimaculosus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Long-tailed Brush Lizard

Urosaurus graciosus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Lundell's Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus lundelli

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard

Uma inornata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Anahuacan Bunchgrass Lizard

Sceloporus anahuacus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Coast Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma blainvillii

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard

Uma scoparia

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Flat-tailed Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma mcallii

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Granite Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus orcutti

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Plateau Bunchgrass Lizard

Sceloporus subniger

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Banded Rock Lizard

Petrosaurus mearnsi

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Black-nosed Lizard

Sceloporus melanorhinus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Coast Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma coronatum

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Santa Catalina Side-blotched Lizard

Uta squamata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Elegant Earless Lizard

Holbrookia elegans

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Western Earless Lizard

Holbrookia maculata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Texas Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus olivaceus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Tropical tree lizard

Urosaurus bicarinatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Green Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus internasalis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Prairie Lizard

Sceloporus consobrinus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Mountain Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus jarrovii

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 60 species Show fewer

Daily sighting probability by month

Probability-weighted average across the group's species

~20%

Jan

~30%

Feb

~40%

Mar

~40%

Apr

~40%

May

~40%

Jun

~40%

Jul

~40%

Aug

~40%

Sep

~40%

Oct

~20%

Nov

~20%

Dec

When they're spotted

When the group's species are recorded (aggregated)

Where to see Phrynosomatid Lizards

Worldwide records of this group (human observations from 2019 onwards, GBIF). Pins mark our parks — tap one for the chance of seeing at least one species of the group there.

Parks Ranked

Chance of seeing at least one species of the group · number of its species present

#	Park	Country	Species	Daily sighting probability
1	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	14	>90%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~80%
	Desert Spiny Lizard			~60%
	Western Fence Lizard			~40%
	Desert Horned Lizard			~40%
	Zebra-tailed Lizard			~40%
	Long-tailed Brush Lizard			~20%
	Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard			~10%
	Coast Horned Lizard			~10%
	Flat-tailed Horned Lizard			~10%
	Banded Rock Lizard			~10%
	Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard			~10%
	Ornate Tree Lizard			<5%
	+2 more at the park page…
2	Zion National Park	🇺🇸 United States	10	>90%
	Plateau Fence Lizard			~80%
	Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard			~70%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~60%
	Sagebrush Lizard			~50%
	Desert Spiny Lizard			~40%
	Greater Short-horned Lizard			~30%
	Ornate Tree Lizard			~30%
	Desert Horned Lizard			Insufficient data
	Zebra-tailed Lizard			Insufficient data
	Western Fence Lizard			Insufficient data
3	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	10	>90%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~90%
	Zebra-tailed Lizard			~70%
	Desert Horned Lizard			~70%
	Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard			~40%
	Sagebrush Lizard			~20%
	Western Fence Lizard			~20%
	Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard			~10%
	Ornate Tree Lizard			~10%
	Desert Spiny Lizard			~10%
	Coast Horned Lizard			Insufficient data
4	Guadalupe Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	9	>90%
	Greater Earless Lizard			~80%
	Southwestern Fence Lizard			~70%
	Ornate Tree Lizard			~60%
	Crevice Spiny Lizard			~50%
	Roundtail Horned Lizard			~30%
	Texas Horned Lizard			~20%
	Greater Short-horned Lizard			~20%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~20%
	Western Earless Lizard			Insufficient data
5	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	8	>90%
	Plateau Fence Lizard			~70%
	Desert Spiny Lizard			~60%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~50%
	Ornate Tree Lizard			~50%
	Greater Short-horned Lizard			~40%
	Sagebrush Lizard			~30%
	Desert Horned Lizard			~20%
	Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard			~10%
6	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	12	>90%
	Desert Spiny Lizard			~50%
	Ornate Tree Lizard			~40%
	Zebra-tailed Lizard			~40%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~30%
	Greater Earless Lizard			~30%
	Clark's Spiny Lizard			~20%
	Regal Horned Lizard			~20%
	Greater Short-horned Lizard			~10%
	Elegant Earless Lizard			~10%
	Southwestern Fence Lizard			~10%
	Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard			<5%
	Mountain Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
7	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	10	>90%
	Greater Earless Lizard			~60%
	Canyon Lizard			~40%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~30%
	Crevice Spiny Lizard			~30%
	Southwestern Fence Lizard			~30%
	Roundtail Horned Lizard			~20%
	Ornate Tree Lizard			~20%
	Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard			~20%
	Texas Horned Lizard			~10%
	Texas Spiny Lizard			~10%
8	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	8	~90%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~50%
	Small-scaled Lizard			~40%
	Zebra-tailed Lizard			~40%
	Baja California Spiny Lizard			~20%
	Shortnose Rock Lizard			~20%
	Granite Spiny Lizard			~10%
	Santa Catalina Side-blotched Lizard			Insufficient data
	Coast Horned Lizard			Insufficient data
9	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	7	~90%
	Zebra-tailed Lizard			~50%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~30%
	Small-scaled Lizard			~30%
	Hunsaker's Spiny Lizard			~30%
	Baja California Spiny Lizard			~20%
	Baja California Rock Lizard			Insufficient data
	Coast Horned Lizard			Insufficient data
10	Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	🇺🇸 United States	5	~90%
	Western Fence Lizard			~60%
	Sagebrush Lizard			~50%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~20%
	Desert Horned Lizard			~20%
	Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard			~10%
11	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	8	~90%
	Zebra-tailed Lizard			~40%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~40%
	Small-scaled Lizard			~30%
	Shortnose Rock Lizard			~20%
	Cedros Island Horned Lizard			~20%
	Baja California Spiny Lizard			~20%
	Granite Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
	Hunsaker's Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
12	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	4	~80%
	Common Side-blotched Lizard			~60%
	Western Fence Lizard			~40%
	Island Fence Lizard			~30%
	Coast Horned Lizard			~10%
13	Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca	🇲🇽 Mexico	5	~80%
	Graphic Spiny Lizard			~40%
	Mountain Horned Lizard			~30%
	Crevice Swift			~30%
	Anahuacan Bunchgrass Lizard			Insufficient data
	Plateau Bunchgrass Lizard			Insufficient data
14	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~80%
	Emerald Swift			~80%
15	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	~70%
	Western Fence Lizard			~50%
	Sagebrush Lizard			~30%
16	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	3	~70%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			~40%
	Dwarf Spiny Lizard			~30%
	Honduran Emerald Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
17	Irazú Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~60%
	Emerald Swift			~60%
18	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	2	~60%
	Honduran Emerald Spiny Lizard			~50%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			Insufficient data
19	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	2	~60%
	Merendon Emerald Spiny Lizard			~50%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			Insufficient data
20	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	3	~60%
	Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard			~40%
	Cozumel Spiny Lizard			~20%
	Lundell's Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
21	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~50%
	Emerald Swift			~50%
22	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~50%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			~50%
23	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	3	~50%
	Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard			~30%
	Lundell's Spiny Lizard			~10%
	Cozumel Spiny Lizard			~10%
24	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~50%
	Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard			~40%
	Lundell's Spiny Lizard			~10%
25	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~40%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			~40%
	Dwarf Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
26	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1	~40%
	Emerald Swift			~40%
27	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~40%
	Emerald Swift			~40%
28	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~40%
	Emerald Swift			~40%
29	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~40%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			~40%
	Dwarf Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
30	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~40%
	Bocourt’s Emerald Lizard			Insufficient data
	Rose-bellied Lizard			Insufficient data
31	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	4	~40%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			~30%
	Black-nosed Lizard			~10%
	Tropical tree lizard			Insufficient data
	Green Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
32	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	3	~40%
	Cozumel Spiny Lizard			~20%
	Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
	Lundell's Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
33	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~30%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			~30%
	Emerald Swift			Insufficient data
	Dwarf Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
34	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~30%
	Eastern Fence Lizard			~30%
35	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	2	~30%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			~30%
	Honduran Emerald Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
36	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	3	~30%
	Blue Spiny Lizard			~20%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			Insufficient data
	Teapen Rosebelly Lizard			Insufficient data
37	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	2	~30%
	Teapen Rosebelly Lizard			~20%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			Insufficient data
38	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~30%
	Eastern Fence Lizard			~30%
39	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~30%
	Western Fence Lizard			~30%
40	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	1	~30%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			~30%
41	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	1	~20%
	Emerald Swift			~20%
42	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~20%
	Eastern Fence Lizard			~20%
43	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Sagebrush Lizard			~10%
44	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~10%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			Insufficient data
45	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	1	~10%
	Honduran Emerald Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
46	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~10%
	Emerald Swift			~10%
47	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	1	~10%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			Insufficient data
48	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~10%
	Rose-bellied Lizard			Insufficient data
49	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~10%
	Emerald Swift			Insufficient data
	Rose-bellied Lizard			Insufficient data
50	Badlands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Sagebrush Lizard			Insufficient data
51	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	1	<5%
	Cozumel Spiny Lizard			Insufficient data
52	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Sagebrush Lizard			Insufficient data
53	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Prairie Lizard			Insufficient data
54	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Western Fence Lizard			Insufficient data