Reptiles
Clark's Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus clarkii · also called Clark's spiny lizards
A Clark’s spiny lizard scales the trunk of a sycamore in an Arizona canyon with practiced ease, its banded tail trailing behind, more at home in the branches than most of its ground-hugging spiny lizard relatives ever are.
Overview
Clark’s spiny lizard, Sceloporus clarkii, is a large, notably arboreal lizard native to mountain and desert canyon habitat across southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and adjacent Mexico. Its genuine climbing ability, distinctively banded tail, and preference for wooded sky-island canyons make it one of the more behaviourally distinct spiny lizards of the American Southwest.
A spiny lizard that took to the trees
While most spiny lizards content themselves with rocks and open ground, Clark’s spiny lizard has made trees a regular part of its life, climbing with a confidence unusual for its genus.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable mountain and desert canyon habitat throughout its Southwest range.
Clark's Spiny Lizard: common questions
What makes Clark's spiny lizard different from other spiny lizards?
This species spends considerably more time climbing trees than many other spiny lizards, which tend to stay closer to the ground or rocky surfaces, making it one of the more genuinely arboreal members of its genus.
How can you identify Clark's spiny lizard?
Look for a clearly banded pattern along the tail, a helpful field mark combined with its comparatively large, stocky body covered in rough, keeled scales, that helps distinguish it from several other spiny lizards sharing similar canyon and woodland habitat.
Where does Clark's spiny lizard live?
This species occupies canyon and woodland habitat within isolated mountain ranges across southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and adjacent Mexico, often in areas with scattered oak and sycamore trees well suited to its climbing habits.
What does Clark's spiny lizard eat?
It feeds mainly on a variety of insects and other small invertebrates, though it takes a somewhat broader range of prey sizes than many smaller spiny lizard relatives, occasionally including larger insects and other small animals.