Reptiles
Great Basin Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus bicinctores · also called Great Basin collared lizards
A Great Basin collared lizard spots movement across a rocky outcrop and takes off at a sprint, rising onto its hind legs alone as it accelerates, a big-headed predator built for both speed and a genuinely powerful bite.
Overview
The Great Basin collared lizard, Crotaphytus bicinctores, is a large-headed, rock-dwelling lizard native to desert habitat across the Great Basin region of Nevada, Utah, and adjacent states. Its bipedal sprinting ability, powerful bite, and recognition as a distinct species from the more widespread collared lizard make it one of the more physically capable and taxonomically notable lizards of the northern desert Southwest.
A sprinter with a serious bite
Between its ability to run upright on two legs alone and a bite backed by genuinely strong jaw muscles, the Great Basin collared lizard combines speed and force in a way few other desert lizards can match.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable rocky desert habitat throughout the Great Basin region.
Great Basin Collared Lizard: common questions
How fast can a Great Basin collared lizard actually run?
When moving quickly, this species can rise up and sprint bipedally on its hind legs alone, a distinctive high-speed running style that lets it cover ground rapidly across open rocky terrain, a technique shared with other collared lizard species.
How is the Great Basin collared lizard different from the common collared lizard?
This species was recognised as genetically distinct from the more widespread collared lizard found farther south and east, reflecting adaptations tied to its more northern range within the Great Basin region specifically, rather than the broader desert Southwest.
Why does the Great Basin collared lizard have such a large head?
Its disproportionately large head houses strong jaw muscles capable of a genuinely forceful bite relative to its body size, an adaptation that lets it tackle prey items, including other lizards, that a smaller-headed predator of similar overall size could not manage.
What kind of habitat does the Great Basin collared lizard prefer?
This species favours rocky outcrops and boulder fields within the Great Basin desert region, using elevated perches to watch for both potential prey and approaching predators across the open terrain.