Head to head
Crevice Spiny Lizard vs Clark's Spiny Lizard
The crevice spiny lizard and Clark's spiny lizard are both large, robust lizards from the same genus and overlapping regions of the American Southwest, yet each has specialised in a completely different escape strategy.
| Crevice Spiny Lizard | Clark's Spiny Lizard | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Sceloporus poinsettii | Sceloporus clarkii |
| Primary escape strategy | Wedging into rock crevices | Climbing into trees |
| Body shape | Somewhat flattened | Stockier, less flattened |
| Climbing ability | Limited, stays near rock surfaces | Notably strong for a spiny lizard |
| Habitat | Rock outcrops, canyon walls, boulder fields | Canyon and woodland with scattered trees |
| Range | Southwestern US and northern Mexico | Southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, adjacent Mexico |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Diet | Insectivore | Insectivore |
Crevice Spiny Lizard vs Clark's Spiny Lizard: common questions
What is the main difference between a crevice spiny lizard and Clark's spiny lizard?
The crevice spiny lizard relies on a somewhat flattened body to wedge tightly into rock crevices when threatened, while Clark's spiny lizard relies instead on genuine climbing ability, spending considerably more time in trees than most other spiny lizards, a behavioural difference that reflects two different solutions to avoiding predators within similar Southwestern canyon habitat.
Which of these two lizards is the better climber?
Clark's spiny lizard is the notably better climber of the two, regularly scaling tree trunks within its canyon and woodland habitat, while the crevice spiny lizard stays much closer to rock surfaces and depends on squeezing into narrow crevices rather than climbing to escape danger.
Do the crevice spiny lizard and Clark's spiny lizard live in the same area?
Their ranges overlap broadly across parts of the American Southwest and northern Mexico, both favouring rocky canyon habitat, though the crevice spiny lizard concentrates on rock outcrops and boulder fields while Clark's spiny lizard favours canyons with enough scattered trees, such as oak and sycamore, to support its more arboreal habits.