Species profile
Ornate Tree Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus
Identify Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app.
At a glance
Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) is an IUCN Least Concern reptile with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.
Confirmed by 17,030 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Arizona, Texas, and Utah the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Males sport throat patches of blue, orange, or yellow used in territorial displays.
- Commonly seen sprinting up rough-barked trees and rocky canyon walls.
- Insectivores that consume large quantities of ants, beetles, and grasshoppers daily.
- Adults measure about 4–6 inches in total length.
- Thrives from sea level to over 9,000 feet elevation across the American Southwest.
Where Ornate Tree Lizard are seen
Background
Urosaurus ornatus, commonly known as the ornate tree lizard, is a species of lizard native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The species, which formerly was commonly called simply the "tree lizard", has been used to study physiological changes during the fight-or-flight response as related to stress and aggressive competition. Also, its life history and costs of…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Ornate Tree Lizard article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other reptiles on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is Ornate Tree Lizard?
Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) 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 Ornate Tree Lizard?
Ornate Tree Lizard is Urosaurus ornatus.
Are there fishing rules for Ornate Tree Lizard?
Ornate Tree Lizard does not currently have published fishing rules in CatchRules' curated jurisdictions. Identification, range, and habitat are still tracked above.
How can I identify Ornate Tree Lizard?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Ornate Tree Lizard 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.