Species profile
Common Chuckwalla
Sauromalus ater
Identify Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) from a photo: try it free in your browser, or get unlimited IDs, no sign-up, with the CatchRules iPhone app. Plus current fishing rules across 1 jurisdiction.
At a glance
Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) is an IUCN Least Concern reptile with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.
Confirmed by 8,575 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with California, Arizona, and Nevada the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- When threatened, it inflates its body inside a rock crevice to make extraction nearly impossible.
- Strictly herbivorous, feeding on flowers, leaves, and fruit of desert plants.
- Adults can reach up to 16 inches in length and weigh nearly 2 pounds.
- Males develop bright orange or red coloration on their backs during the breeding season.
- Can live more than 15 years in the wild.
Where Common Chuckwalla are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Common Chuckwalla
Background
Sauromalus ater (common chuckwalla) is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. It inhabits the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Its range extends from eastern California, Utah, and Nevada south to Baja California and Sonora.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Common Chuckwalla article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other reptiles on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is Common Chuckwalla?
Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) is an IUCN Least Concern reptile with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.
What is the scientific name for Common Chuckwalla?
Common Chuckwalla is Sauromalus ater.
Is Common Chuckwalla regulated for fishing?
Yes — Common Chuckwalla has fishing regulations in 1 U.S. state and/or Canadian province tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.
How can I identify Common Chuckwalla?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Common Chuckwalla along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.