Reptiles
Colorado Desert Fringe-Toed Lizard
Uma notata · also called Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizards
A Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard sprints across a wind-rippled dune in southeastern California, its snowshoe-like fringed toes keeping it skating over the surface, before diving headfirst into the loose sand and vanishing entirely from sight.
Overview
The Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard, Uma notata, is a specialised, sand-adapted lizard native to active dune habitat within the Colorado Desert of southeastern California. Its snowshoe-like fringed toes, ability to dive beneath the sand surface, and dependence on a narrow, patchy range of specific dune systems make it one of the more remarkably adapted and genuinely vulnerable reptiles of the American desert.
A close cousin of the Mojave dune specialist
Sharing nearly identical sand-adapted features with its Mojave relative, the Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard has simply carved out its own separate stretch of dune habitat farther south, following the same evolutionary blueprint in a different corner of the desert.
Status
Vulnerable — dependent on specific active sand dune systems threatened by off-road vehicle use, sand mining, and development.
Colorado Desert Fringe-Toed Lizard: common questions
How is the Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard related to the Mojave fringe-toed lizard?
The two are close relatives sharing the same fringed-toe adaptations and sand-diving ability, but they occupy separate desert dune systems, with the Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard confined to the Colorado Desert of southeastern California while the Mojave fringe-toed lizard occupies dune systems within the Mojave Desert farther north.
How do the fringed toes help this lizard move on sand?
The fringed scales along its toes increase surface area, functioning much like a snowshoe, which keeps the lizard from sinking into loose, shifting sand as it moves quickly across dune habitat that would slow down many other lizards.
Why is the Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard considered vulnerable?
This species depends on specific active sand dune systems within the Colorado Desert, and threats such as off-road vehicle use, sand mining, and development can degrade this already naturally patchy and specialised habitat, putting real pressure on its limited range.
Can this lizard really disappear into the sand?
Yes, it can dive directly into loose sand and effectively move just beneath the surface, a remarkable escape strategy that lets it disappear from predators almost instantly and also helps it avoid extreme surface temperatures during the hottest parts of the day.