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Habitat, San Diego County
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Habitat, San Diego County |
Habitat, San Diego County |
| Description |
| Size |
| Up to 5 inches (126 mm) SVL. |
| Appearance |
A large lizard with a big triangular head, wider than the neck, which contains folds on the sides. The nose is elongated slightly.
Color is dark gray to light or dark brown, overlaid with large paired dark spots separated by cream colored bars. The dark spots connect on the tail to become dark crossbands separated by cream bars. The ground color lightens considerably as the lizard's body temperature increases. Females develop red or orange coloring when gravid. |
| Behavior |
| Diurnal, emerging in the morning to bask. Sometimes found basking on rocks and road berms. Instead of running away, sometimes flattens the body to rely on cryptic coloring to hide from a predator. |
| Diet |
| Eats lizards and arthropods, which are caught by ambush, or sitting and waiting for the prey to pass by closely. |
| Reproduction |
| Breeds from April to July. Eggs are probably laid in the Summer. |
| Range |
| In California, ccurs only in the extreme southwest part of the state around Cameron Corners, Campo, and the Potrero Grade. Ranges south throughout much of Baja California. |
| Habitat |
| In California, inhabits coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and oak woodland. Prefers flat areas with open space for running, avoiding densely vegetated areas. |
| Taxonomic Notes |
| Formerly considered a subspecies of Gambelia wislizenii. |
| Conservation Issues (Conservation Status) |
| None. |
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Taxonomy |
| Family |
Crotaphytidae |
Collared and Leopard Lizards |
| Genus |
Gambelia |
Leopard Lizards |
Species
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copei |
Cope's Leopard Lizard |
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Original Description |
Gambelia wislizenii copeii - (Yarrow, 1882) - Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus., Vol. 5, p. 441
from Original Description Citations for the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America © Ellin Beltz
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Meaning of the Scientific Name |
Gambelia - honors Gambel, William
copei - honors Cope, Edward Drinker
from Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America - Explained © Ellin Beltz
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Alternate Names |
None
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Related or Similar California Lizards |
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard - Gambelia wislizenii
Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard - Gambelia sila
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More Information and References |
Natureserve Explorer
California Dept. of Fish and Game
San Diego Natural History Museum
Stebbins, Robert C. A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians. 3rd Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.
Behler, John L., & F. Wayne King. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
Smith, Hobart M. Handbook of Lizards, Lizards of the United States and of Canada. Cornell University Press, 1946.
Grismer, L. Lee. Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California, Including Its Pacific Islands and the Islands in the Sea of Cortés. The University of California Press, 2002.
McPeak, Ron H. Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California. Sea Challengers, 2000.
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The following status listings come from the Special Animals List which is published several times each year by the California Department of Fish and Game.
There are no significant conservation concerns for this animal in California.
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Organization
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Status Listing
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| U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) |
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| California Endangered Species Act (CESA) |
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| California Department of Fish and Game |
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| Bureau of Land Management |
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| USDA Forest Service |
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| Natureserve Global Conservation Status Ranks |
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World Conservation Union - IUCN Red List
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