Eastern Fence Lizard

Sceloporus undulatus

This spiny-scaled lizard is fond of bright, sunny habitats, where it basks on wood fences, tree stumps, and rocks. If you get too close, this lizard will dart to the opposite side of a nearby tree, and if you try to follow, will circle higher and higher. The Eastern Fence Lizard is a member of a genus, called spiny lizards, with 16 species in the United States.

Look For : A lizard with a backward pointing spine on each of the scales on its back. Males have blue patches on the sides of the throat and sides of the belly.

Length : 4-7 1/2".

Habitat : Open pine woods, grassy dunes, brushlands, prairies, rocky hillsides, abandoned buildings.

Range : Delaware to Florida and west to New Mexico and Arizona.