The Mojave Black-collared lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores) is a large-headed and long-bodied reptile in the Crotaphytidae (iguana) family. Their average snout-to-vent length is approximately 10 cm while their average body (head to end of tail) length is 28 cm. They can be identified by two black collars separated by a white ribbon along their neck line (Cossel 1997). Female heads and bodies are tan with white and light brown speckles that overlap varying brown or tan stripes. Male heads and bodies are tan, teal, yellow, orange or light brown with varying colored stripes and speckles. Females may also have these colors but in a much smaller amount. Both males and females have off-white or very pale underbellies (Brennan 2008). Crotaphytus bicinctores is highly adapted for speed, so its bright coloring, although maybe not ideal for adapting to a desert landscape, does not threaten its survival. This adaptive coloration of males is beneficial for mating purposes (Macedonia, et al 2002).
Crotaphytus bicinctores is native to parts of the western United States. As its name suggests, it can be found in the Mojave Desert of southern California, southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona, as well as the Great Basin of eastern California, Nevada, and western Utah and the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. It is also occasionally found in coniferous woodlands (Brennan 2008) and populations of these lizards range as far north as eastern Oregon (Idaho Department of Fish and Game 2005). They commonly dwell in small, rocky outcrops at elevations lower than 2.3 kmin sagebrush or grassland habitats (Hamilton 2004).
These adept lizards feast on arthropods such as scorpions, other smaller lizards, and plants found in the desert-like climates they inhabit (Hamilton 2004). Crotaphytus bicinctores is territorially aggressive, however is shy in nature. When the lizards are young, they use their tails to prod small insects, quickly snatch and eat them (Rosamond Gifford Zoo 2006). The Crotaphytus bicinctores has a relentless bite. It hibernates in winter, but during spring, summer, and fall it can often be found warming itself on rocks during the day.
The oviparous Crotaphytus bicinctores mates in May and June. The females lay eggs between these months in sandy burrows or rocky under-crops. Egg distribution varies per state, but on average the lizard lays 5-8 eggs per clutch. A single female can lay two to three clutches every three to four weeks during mating season. The eggs hatch 60-65 days after they are laid. Females can mate within their first year of life (Rosamond Gifford Zoo 2006).
The Great Basin collared lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores), also known commonly as the desert collared lizard or the Mojave black-collared lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Crotaphytidae. The species is endemic to the Western United States.
C. bicinctores is very similar to the common collared lizard, Crotaphytus collaris, in shape and size, but it lacks the bright extravagant colors. Males can be brown to orange and some red or pink on the belly. Females are more black or dark brown. C. bicintores has elongated scales near the claws, and the tail is more triangular in shape than round as with C. collaris.[3]
C. bicinctores has a broad head, large hind legs, and derives its specific name from the pair of black bands on the neck. Males have broader heads than females, with a dark-colored throat and more pronounced orange crossbands on the body. Adults range in size from 2.5 to 4.5 in (6.4 to 11.4 cm) in snout-to-vent length (SVL), with a thick tail that is often twice as long as the body.[4]
The Great Basin collared lizard is endemic to the Western United States, and is found in California, most of Nevada, southeastern Oregon, southern Idaho, and the western regions of Utah and Arizona. It is usually found in rocky regions of arid deserts, and is most common in desert scrub and desert wash habitats. It is widely distributed throughout the Mojave, Sonoran, and southeastern Great Basin deserts.[3][4]
C. bicinctores eats primarily arthropods, but will also use its powerful jaws to eat small vertebrates including lizards, snakes, and rodents. It has been known to occasionally consume plant matter.[4][5]
Desert collared lizard The Great Basin collared lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores), also known commonly as the desert collared lizard or the Mojave black-collared lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Crotaphytidae. The species is endemic to the Western United States.
