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A Walk in the Desert, Caroline Arnold. Illustrated by Freya Tanz. 1990.

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Admiring the Ornate Tree Lizard

The ornate tree lizard, or more commonly, simply the tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) is a species of lizard commonly found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. True to their name, they live primarily in riparian or dry forest areas, although they can also be found in scrubland, deserts, and urban areas. Tree lizards can be highly territorial, and an area can consist of a dominant male and several lesser males. Females have their own, individual territories that do not over lap. Despite their small size, barely two inches long, tree lizards can defend large territories, sometimes up to 250 square feet.

Tree lizards spend a majority of their time competing with other males, thermoregulating, or hunting. They are ambush predators, preferring to wait motionless for unsuspecting insects and arachnids to wander into their range. Their ability to remain still, combined with their dull mottled backs, also makes for excellent camouflage against larger predators like birds and snakes. The bright undersides of tree lizards, on the other hand, serve a very different purpose: mating.

In males, the coloration of the belly and throat patch (also known as the dewlap) are an important part of male mating competitions. They can signal age, health, and aggressiveness when flashed at another male in a four-legged pushup characteristic of initiating fights. Similarly, when females are carrying eggs, their dewlaps and underbellies can turn orange or red. After laying a clutch of up to thirteen eggs, typically under a rock or in a previously-dug hole, the female’s coloration fades. A month later, juvenile tree lizards hatch, already ready to survive independently.

Conservation status: Not threatened. Due to their wide range and adabtability, the ornate tree lizard population is large and quite stable. Future threats may include climate change and habitat destruction.