Striped Plateau Lizard
Sceloporus virgatus
The Striped Plateau Lizard is a small-bodied lizard, reaching approximately 72 mm (2.75 inches) from snout to vent. Its overall coloration ranges from dark grayish brown to orange-brown. Prominent on its back are two pale yellow or creamy stripes that run lengthwise from the neck to the tail base, flanking a broad, muted mid-dorsal band. Below these stripes, a lighter stripe adorns each lower side of the body. Typically, rows of dark blotches span the dorsum, each often accompanied by a small, pale spot at the rear. Its scales are pointed and keeled, arranged in diagonal rows along the body sides. The underside is pale—usually white or cream—with occasional flecks, especially around the throat and chest. During the breeding season, males develop small, vivid blue throat patches, while gravid females often display striking orange coloration in the same area. Males also tend to have larger postanal scales and a thicker tail base.
This species has a limited geographic range in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. In the U.S., it is found specifically in mountainous regions of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, including the Chiricahua, Peloncillo, Animas, and Guadalupe Mountains. Southward, its range extends into the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico, reaching as far as southern Chihuahua. Elevationally, it occurs between roughly 4,800 to 10,000 feet (1,490–3,080 meters). The Striped Plateau Lizard favors high-elevation woodland and forest habitats. It is most commonly associated with Madrean Evergreen Woodlands and Petran Montane or Subalpine Conifer Forests. Within these zones, it prefers open, sunlit environments such as rocky canyon bottoms, forested slopes, and the edges of intermittent streams. These areas often provide a mix of boulders, logs, and leaf litter for basking and cover. Diurnal and primarily ground-dwelling, this lizard is often seen basking on rocks, logs, or even climbing low trees when threatened or avoiding predators. Though mostly terrestrial, it is agile and opportunistically arboreal. It shows peak activity during warmer months, with adults entering hibernation in the colder parts of late fall and winter. Juveniles, however, may remain sporadically active during mild winter days. Both sexes are territorial, especially during the breeding season. The diet of the Striped Plateau Lizard is composed largely of insects and other small arthropods. Common prey includes grasshoppers, beetles, centipedes, and various invertebrates. It actively forages on the forest floor and among rocks and logs. Breeding occurs in spring, typically during April and May. Females lay a single clutch of 3 to 18 eggs during June or July, often timed with the onset of the summer monsoon season. Nests are excavated in moist, sun-warmed soil, often evidenced by the mud-stained heads of nesting females after rainfall. Hatchlings generally begin to emerge by August. Though sometimes found near the range of other Sceloporus species such as the Eastern Fence Lizard and Slevin’s Bunchgrass Lizard, the Striped Plateau Lizard is distinguishable by its lack of blue belly patches (present in Eastern Fence Lizards) and the diagonal arrangement of side scales (contrasting with the longitudinal rows in Slevin’s Bunchgrass Lizard). Its well-defined striping and subtle color changes during the breeding season make it a visually striking species within its montane ecosystem.
References:
Stebbins, R. C., & McGinnis, S. M. (2018). Peterson Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians (4th ed.). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Brennan, T. C. (n.d.-e). Striped Plateau Lizard. The Reptiles and Amphibians of Arizona. https://reptilesofaz.org/snakes-subpages/h-s-virgatus/
Brennan, T. C., & Holycross, A. T. (2006). A field guide to Amphibians and reptiles in Arizona (2nd ed.). Arizona Game and Fish Dept.