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Home/Species/ Zebra-tailed Lizard

Callisaurus draconoides

Blainville, 1835

Zebra-tailed Lizard

G5Secure Found in 35 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100815
Element CodeARACF02010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyPhrynosomatidae
GenusCallisaurus
Other Common Names
zebra-tailed lizard (EN) Zebratail Lizard (EN)
Concept Reference
de Queiroz K. 1989. Morphological and biochemical evolution in the sand lizards. PhD Dissertation. Berkeley: University of California. 491 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Three subspecies are recognized: C. d. myurus (Northern Zebra-tailed Lizard), C. d. rhodostictus (Western Zebra-tailed Lizard), and C. d. ventralis (Eastern Zebra-tailed Lizard).
Conservation Status
Review Date2005-06-24
Change Date1996-10-28
Edition Date2005-06-24
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Range Extent Comments
This lizard ranges from northwestern Nevada and extreme southwestern Utah south through southeastern California, Arizona, and extreme southwestern New Mexico to southern Sinaloa and tip of Baja California, including islas Magdalena and Santa Margarita along the Pacific coast of Baja Calfornia and several islands in Gulf of California (Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003). Elevational range extends from sea level in desert sinks to about 1,520 meters (5,000 feet)(Stebbins 2003).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of viable occurrences that are well distributed throughout the range.
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats have been identified. Locally, the species has been detrimentally affectd by habitat destruction and degradation as a result of conversion of land to human uses (e.g., agriculture, residential and commercial development).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This lizard is usually found in sparsely vegetated desert areas on open sandy washes, dunes (e.g., Vizcaino Desert), floodplains, beaches, or desert pavement (Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003); at higher elevations, it sometimes occurs on rocky, relatively shady, leaf-litter substrates (Grismer 2002). Eggs are laid probably underground or under rocks.

Reproduction

Eggs laid mainly May-August in most areas. Clutch size averages about 4 in Arizona, 5 in Nevada. Produces multiple clutches per year, more in south than in north. Sexually mature as yearling (Smith et al. 1987).
Terrestrial Habitats
Desert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS5Yes
New MexicoS2Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
ArizonaS5Yes
UtahS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial development——High (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areas——High (continuing)
1.2 - Commercial & industrial areas——High (continuing)
2 - Agriculture & aquaculture——High (continuing)
2.1 - Annual & perennial non-timber crops——High (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (35)
Arizona (11)
AreaForestAcres
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
Middle Romero WSRCoronado National Forest60
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
Upper Romero WsrCoronado National Forest150
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
California (14)
AreaForestAcres
Benton RangeInyo National Forest9,637
Boundary Peak (CA)Inyo National Forest210,884
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
Circle MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,375
City CreekSan Bernardino National Forest9,997
Deep CreekSan Bernardino National Forest23,869
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Glass MountainInyo National Forest52,867
PaiuteInyo National Forest58,712
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Pyramid Peak BSan Bernardino National Forest7,194
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
South SierraInyo National Forest41,853
Nevada (6)
AreaForestAcres
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
Pine Grove NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,749
Pine Grove SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest88,945
PotosiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,145
Rough CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,476
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Utah (3)
AreaForestAcres
Cedar BenchDixie National Forest8,915
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
References (19)
  1. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  2. Blaine, R. A. 2008. Biogeography of the North American southwest sand lizards. PhD Dissertation, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. 202 pp.
  3. Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. 3rd ed. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular No. 19. 41 pp.
  4. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Sixth edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular 37:1-84. Online with updates at: http://www.ssarherps.org/pages/comm_names/Index.php
  5. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2012. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 7th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 39:1-92.
  6. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  7. Crother, B. I., J. Boundy, J. A. Campbell, K. de Quieroz, D. Frost, D. M. Green, R. Highton, J. B. Iverson, R. W. McDiarmid, P. A. Meylan, T. W. Reeder, M. E. Seidel, J. W. Sites, Jr., S. G. Tilley, and D. B. Wake. 2003. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico: update. Herpetological Review 34:198-203.
  8. Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price. 1996. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. xix + 431 pp.
  9. de Queiroz K. 1989. Morphological and biochemical evolution in the sand lizards. PhD Dissertation. Berkeley: University of California. 491 pp.
  10. Gottscho, A. D. 2015. Lineage diversification of lizards (Phrynosomatidae) in southwestern North America: integrating genomics and geology. 2015. Dissertation, San Diego State University. 254 pp.
  11. Grismer, L. L. 2002. Amphibians and reptiles of Baja California including its Pacific islands and islands in the Sea of Cortes. University of California Press, Berkeley. xiii + 399 pp.
  12. Lindell, J., F. R. Mendez-de la Cruz, and R. W. Murphy. 2005. Deep genealogical history without population differentiation: discordance between mtDNA and allozyme divergence in the zebra-tailed lizard (<i>Callisaurus draconoides</i>). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 36:682-694.
  13. Nicholson, K. E. (ed.). 2025. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Ninth Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 87 pp. Online database available at: https://cnah.org/SSARnames.aspx
  14. Pianka, E. R., and W. S. Parker. 1972. Ecology of the iguanid lizard <i>Callisaurus draconoides</i>. Copeia 1972:493-508.
  15. Smith, D. D., P. A. Medica, and S. R. Sanborn. 1987. Ecological comparison of sympatric populations of sand lizards (<i>Cophosaurus texanus</i> and <i>Callisaurus draconoides</i>). Great Basin Nat. 47:175-185.
  16. Stebbins, R. C. 1954a. Amphibians and reptiles of western North America. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
  17. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  18. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  19. Tanner, W. W., and J. E. Krogh. 1975. Ecology of the zebra-tailed lizard <i>Callisaurus draconoides</i> at the Nevada Test Site. Herpetologica 31:302-316.