Lesser Earless Lizard

Holbrookia maculata

Earless lizards are well suited for life on and below sand. They have no ear openings to get plugged up with sand, and their heads push easily into the sand for burrowing. They bask early in the morning and begin to forage for grasshoppers, wasps, and beetles when their body temperature reaches about 95° F. When the soil temperature reaches 104° F, the lizards disappear underground. They reappear in late afternoon after the temperature has fallen and bask in the sun again.

Look For : A small gray to brown lizard with two black spots behind front leg. No ear openings; no black bars on underside of tail.

Length : 4-5".

Habitat : Prairies, deserts, sand dunes, dry woodlands, farms.

Range : Southern South Dakota through the Great Plains to central Texas, west through most of New Mexico and Arizona and into Mexico.