Head to head
Lesser Earless Lizard vs Keeled Earless Lizard
A lesser earless lizard and a keeled earless lizard share the same missing-ear body plan and sand-diving escape trick, yet the two close relatives have settled into very different corners of the sandy habitat available across the southern United States.
| Lesser Earless Lizard | Keeled Earless Lizard | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Holbrookia maculata | Holbrookia propinqua |
| Scale texture | Smooth | Raised, ridged, keeled |
| Habitat | Inland desert and grassland | Coastal sand dunes and barrier islands |
| Range | Central and southwestern US, Mexico | Southern Texas and northeastern Mexico |
| External ears | Absent | Absent |
| Escape strategy | Diving into loose sand | Diving into loose sand |
| Colouration | Matches local soil colour | Pale, matching coastal sand |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Lesser Earless Lizard vs Keeled Earless Lizard: common questions
What is the main physical difference between these two earless lizards?
The keeled earless lizard has distinctly raised, ridged scales giving it a rougher texture, while the lesser earless lizard has smoother scales, a difference that, combined with their different habitats, is the most reliable way to tell the two closely related species apart.
Why do neither of these lizards have visible ears?
Both the lesser earless lizard and the keeled earless lizard lack any visible external ear opening, an adaptation shared across the group that helps keep sand out of the ear canal while the lizards dive into loose sand to escape predators or extreme heat.
Do these two lizards live in the same places?
Not generally — the lesser earless lizard occupies inland desert and grassland across a broad range of the central and southwestern United States, while the keeled earless lizard is restricted specifically to coastal sand dunes and barrier islands of southern Texas, meaning their ranges only marginally overlap.