Home › Volumes › Reptiles › Lizards
Zebra-tailed Lizard — Part 4
"The food of the species consists largely of the leaves of a forget-me-not (Cryptonthe), which is abundant among the sand dunes. The young leaves of the desert willow (Chilopsis) are also eaten. The insect food consists of caterpillars, ants, bees, etc. One species was seen several feet up on an oblique limb of desert willow, in search of the young leaves which were just budding.
"Specimens were secured at Daggett, California."
The Spotted Lizards--Genus Holbrookia: The five species comprising this genus are rather small, moderately slender in proportions, though of distinctly flattened form. They are covered with very minute scales. All are pale in colour, and usually with two rows of large, wavy blotches on the back, and a row of similar, though less distinct blotches on each side. On most of the species there are two bluish or blackish bars on the lower portion of each side.
This genus differs from the closely allied genera by the absence of external ear disks, these being entirely concealed by the fleshy folds of the head. The limbs are well-developed, with long and slender toes.
From the following key, together with the illustrations, the student should be able to easily distinguish the species, which inhabit an extended area of the central and western United States and northern Mexico:
Key to the Spotted Lizards.
General markings of all the species.--Pale brown, yellowish or gray with two rows of dark blotches on the back, these bluntly triangular, with the points directed toward the tail; on the tail they fuse together, forming V-or W-shaped blotches or bands. Similar, though more obscure blotches on the sides.
I. Tail flat for nearly its entire length.
Black cross-bars on under surface of tail; a pair of black crescents on each side of abdomen.