HerpIndiana

Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)

Adult Female from Floyd County

Description

Coloration: A medium-sized, brownish gray lizard with spiny skin. Dorsal coloration is a reddish brown for males and more gray for females. Both males and females possess dark crossbands, though those of females are more obvious. These bands are often broken at mid-body. Males have bright blue coloration the sides of the belly and some blue or green on the black throat. Females have some blue patches on the throat and belly (Minton 2001, pg. 222).

Scalation: This lizard has 40-46 scales in median dorsal rows. Dorsal scales are keeled, and ventral scales are smooth (Minton 2001, pg. 222).

Size: Fence Lizards grow to be 5-6 inches in total length (Minton 2001, pg. 223).

Juveniles: Juveniles appear like the females but a bit darker (Conant and Collins 1998, pg. 232).

Eggs: Females lay 6-8 eggs (Minton 2001, pg. 224).

Distribution

Fence Lizards are found through the southern half or third of Indiana, thought they are absent from much of the western side (Minton 2001, pg. 223).

Activity

These lizards are mostly active from early April to late October, though they will appear on warm, sunny winter days (Minton 2001, pg. 223).

Breeding Season: Fence Lizards breed soon after emerging for the spring. This continues through early May, and eggs are laid within the next month or so (Minton 2001, pg. 224).

Taxonomy

The Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) in Indiana is a member of the subspecies hyacinthinus (The Northern Fence Lizard). It belongs to the genus Sceloporus and is in the family Phrynosomatidae which is represented in Indiana by no other species.

Natural History

Habitat: Fence Lizards prefer dry ridges and forests, where they seek out open, sunny basking spots (Minton 2001, pg. 223). They can be encountered basking on downed trees, rocky outcrops, and manmade structures exposed to the sun.

Feeding: Fence Lizards feed on a variety of invertebrates, including ants, beetles, and spiders (Minton 2001, pg. 225).

Breeding: Females lay eggs under rocks or other cover. Eggs probably hatch in early August (Minton 2001, pg. 224).