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lizard lizard lizard Lizards Around Las Vegas
Wildlife Around Las Vegas
lizard lizard lizard

More than 20 species of harmless lizards can be found around Las Vegas, but only a few are common. The most common lizards are the small Side-blotched Lizards; almost every small lizard scurrying away under a rock or creosote bush is a side-blotched. Collared Lizards are common on rocky hillsides, and Desert Iguanas and Zebra-tailed Lizards are common in sandy flats. Desert Spiny Lizards and their cousins (the "blue belly" lizards) are common at Red Rocks and in the mountains. After you learn to recognize the common lizards, it will be easier to recognize the less common species.

Gila (pronounced "he' la") Monsters are the only venomous lizards around Las Vegas, but they are rare and seldom seen; although people often mistake Chuckwallas for Gilas. If you see a Gila Monster, count yourself among the lucky and leave it alone.

Photo Family Species
Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores) Crotaphytidae Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores)
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii) Crotaphytidae Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii)
Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) Iguanidae Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)
Chuckwalla Iguanidae Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)
Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides) Phrynosomatidae Common Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)
Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus) Phrynosomatidae Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus)
Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma scoparia) Phrynosomatidae Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma scoparia)
Horned Lizard Phrynosomatidae

Southern Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum)

Northern Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos)

Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglassii) Phrynosomatidae Greater Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi)
Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus) Phrynosomatidae Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus uniformis) Phrynosomatidae Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus uniformis)
Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) Phrynosomatidae

Great Basin Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis longipes)

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

Plateau Fence Lizard (Sceloporus tristichus) Phrynosomatidae Plateau Fence Lizard (Sceloporus tristichus)
Common Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana) Phrynosomatidae Common Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana)
Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) Phrynosomatidae Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)
Long-tailed Brush Lizard (Urosaurus graciosus) Phrynosomatidae Long-tailed Brush Lizard (Urosaurus graciosus)
Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus) Eublepharidae Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)
Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) Gekkonidae Mediterranean House Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)
Desert Night Lizard (Xantusia vigilis) Xantusiidae Desert Night Lizard (Xantusia vigilis)
Western (Great Basin) Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris tigris) Teiidae Great Basin Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris tigris)
Western Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris)
Plateau Striped Whiptail (Aspidoscelis velox) Teiidae Plateau Striped Whiptail (Aspidoscelis velox)
Gilbert Skink (Plestiodon gilberti) Scincidae Gilbert's Skink (Plestiodon gilberti)
Western Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus) Scincidae

Great Basin Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus utahensis)

Western Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus)

Panamint Alligator Lizard (Elgaria panamintina) Anguidae Panamint Alligator Lizard (Elgaria panamintina)
Banded Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectus cinctum) Helodermatidae Banded Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectus cinctum)
Species Not Around Las Vegas
Photo Family Species
Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) Crotaphytidae Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)
Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura hemilopha) Iguanidae Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura hemilopha)
Sierra Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis taylori) Phrynosomatidae

Sierra Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis taylori)

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

Crevice Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus poinsettii) Phrynosomatidae Crevice Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus poinsettii)
Southwestern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi) Phrynosomatidae Southwestern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi)
Orange-headed Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister cephaloflavus) Phrynosomatidae Orange-headed Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister cephaloflavus)
Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister)
Purple-backed Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister magister) Phrynosomatidae Purple-backed Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister magister)
Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister)
Sonoran Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus clarkii clarkii) Phrynosomatidae Sonoran Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus clarkii clarkii)
Regal Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma solare) Phrynosomatidae Regal Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma solare)
Sonoran Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis sonorae) Teiidae Sonoran Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis sonorae)
Coastal Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri) Teiidae Coastal Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri)
Broad-headed Skink (Eumeces laticeps) Scincidae Broad-headed Skink (Eumeces laticeps)
Northwestern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea principis) Anguidae Northwestern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea principis)
Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) Anguidae Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata)
Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) Polycrotidae Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei)
Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) Order: Crocodylia
Family: Alligatoridae
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) Order: Crocodylia
Family: Crocodylidae
American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)
Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
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