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Chuckwalla
Sauromalus ater
Description:
Plump lizard with loose folds of skin around neck and body. Thick tail
with blunt tip. Males up to 18" in length and up to 2 pounds.
Females are smaller. males have a black head, foreleg, and upper trunk
with tan towards the rear. Females are a less showy gray or brown.
Range: Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona to Sonora and Baja, Mexico.
Habitat: Open flat and rocky areas, often near large rocks.
Diet: Fruit, leaves, buds and flowers, with a occasional insect.
Habits: Diurnal. When in danger, they will go between rocks into a narrow crevice and inflate itself, making it very difficult for predators to get them out.
Reproduction: Breeding occurs between April and July. Five to ten eggs are laid in June to August.
General information: The scientific name means: sauros = lizard, omalus = flat, ater = black. The Shoshone name is “caxwal”