Western Fence Lizard

At a glance

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is an IUCN Least Concern reptile with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.

Confirmed by 176,218 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with California, Oregon, and Nevada the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• Nicknamed 'blue-belly' for the vivid blue patches on the abdomen and throat of males.
• A protein in its blood kills the Lyme disease bacterium inside feeding ticks, reducing transmission.
• Performs rapid push-up displays to defend territory and signal rivals.
• Typically 6–9 inches in total length including the tail.
• Found from sea level up to approximately 10,500 feet elevation across the Pacific Coast states.

Where Western Fence Lizard are seen

• California163,928 iNat obs
• Oregon6,447 iNat obs
• Nevada2,814 iNat obs
• Idaho1,463 iNat obs
• Washington1,187 iNat obs
• Utah365 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Western Fence Lizard

• CaliforniaUnited States · official source

Background

The western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is a common lizard of Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Northern Mexico, and the surrounding area. As the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Western Fence Lizard article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Other reptiles on CatchRules

• Pond SliderTrachemys scripta
• Painted TurtleChrysemys picta
• North American RacerColuber constrictor
• Ring-Necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus