Northern Fence Lizard
(Sceloporus undulatatus hyacinthinus) |
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DESCRIPTION: 4-7 1/4" (10-18.4 cm).
Dark band along rear of thigh. Gray to brown or rusty above,
with wavy dark (female) to faint or absent (male) crossbars on
back. Males usually marked by black-bordered blue patches on
belly and throat. Back and belly scales about same size.
STATUS:
RANGE: The Northern Fence Lizard is found
from extreme southeastern New York west through eastern Kansas,
south to northern South Carolina, central Alabama, and eastern
Texas. In the Midwest, the Northern Fence Lizard is found in
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.
HABITAT: The Northern Fence Lizard acquired
its name from its love of basking on rail fences. They can be
found basking on anything from logs, trees, and rocks, to rusted
cars and old buildings. An inhabitant of the forest floor, the
Northern Fence Lizard is strictly diurnal and seeks cover under
wood, rocks, bark, or even rubbish when it isn’t basking.
SPECIAL HABITAT: They generally hibernate
in holes in trees, logs, or fence posts from approximately
November to April.
FOOD: Insects, especially beetles; spiders;
centipedes; and snails |
