Eastern fence lizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eastern fence lizard |
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| Eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus), Amelia Court House, VA | |
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| The ranges of different S. undulatus subspecies are indicated by color. |
The eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) is a medium-sized lizard. It belongs to the family called Phrynosomatidae. You can find this lizard in the eastern United States. They often live along forest edges, near rock piles, or on old logs and tree stumps. People sometimes call them by other names. These include the prairie lizard, fence swift, gray lizard, northern fence lizard, or pine lizard.
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What's in a Name?
The scientific name for the eastern fence lizard is Sceloporus undulatus. The first part, Sceloporus, comes from two old words. "Skelos" is Greek for "leg". "Porus" is Latin for "hole". This name points to special pores found on the legs of these lizards.
The second part, undulatus, is a Latin word meaning "wave". This refers to the wavy, dark stripes you can see across the backs of these lizards.
Where Do They Live?
The eastern fence lizard lives in many parts of the eastern and central United States. You can find them in states like Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. They also live in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Their range extends to Missouri, Mississippi, Delaware, and even parts of New York.
What Do They Look Like?
Eastern fence lizards can grow to be about 4 to 7.5 inches (10 to 19 cm) long. This measurement includes their tail. They are usually gray or brown in color. Their scales are rough, like a keel on a boat. They also have a dark line that runs along the back of their thighs.
Female lizards are often gray. They have several dark, wavy lines across their backs. Their bellies are white with small black spots. They might have some pale blue on their throats and bellies.
Male lizards are usually brown. In the summer, they show more greenish-blue and black colors. These bright colors are on the sides of their bellies and throats. Young lizards look similar to females, but their colors are darker and not as bright.
These lizards look a lot like the western fence lizard. However, they have slightly different colors. They also live in different areas and habitats.
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How Do They Mate?
Eastern fence lizards mate in the spring. In late spring or early summer, the female lays her eggs. She can lay anywhere from 3 to 16 eggs at a time. The baby lizards hatch from these eggs in the summer and fall.
Male fence lizards have a special way to attract mates. They also do it to warn other males to stay away from their area. They often do "push-ups" by bobbing their heads and bodies up and down!
Images for kids
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Lizard at Douthat State Park camouflaging on wood
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On a fence post
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Underside of a male showing the turquoise markings
