Lizards around Las Vegas
Lizards are cold-blooded reptiles. Most have dry, scaly skin, four legs, clawed feet, external ear openings, and a long tail. The tail aides in balance and is also a body area for fat storage. Losing the tail has serious consequences like loss of social status especially for male lizards or vulnerability to predators. Some lizards can grow back their tail if they live long enough. The most abundant of our lizards, Side-blotched Lizards live just less than two years.
Most lizards are easy to spot and observe as they are active during warm (above 65 degrees Fahrenheit) daylight hours. They hibernate for most of winter, but may come out to feed on warm winter days. Some lizards are vegetarians. For instance, Chuckwalla are particulary fond of yellow flowers. Other species of lizards eat insects, spiders, small snakes, other lizards and even small mammals like mice.
They deposit their eggs in a nest. Some lizards do not lay their eggs, but give birth after hatching the eggs inside their body. Others give birth to live young. Female lizards do not nurse or care for their young after birth. Some species of North American whiptails have only female individuals; adult females lay unfertilized eggs that hatch only into females.
The photos below were taken between 2003 and 2006 . To begin a slideshow click on first thumbnail and enjoy...
