| Species | Uta stansburiana Baird and Girard |
| Family | Iguanidae (Iguanids) |
| Status | none |
| State Rank | S3 |
| Global Rank | G5 |
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This is a small (maximum size 55 mm snout-vent length) brown or gray lizard with a mottling of black, brown and light colored markings on the dorsal surface. There is a black blotch on the body behind each forelimb. The belly is light colored with no obvious markings. A gular fold is present on the throat. Mature males have small, light blue spots on the back and an orange tinge to the neck, sides, forelimbs and tail. See Photos Page.
The Side-Blotched Lizard is the only Washington lizard with a gular fold and a dark blotch on the body behind each forelimb. See Key Features Page.
Activity starts in early to mid-March and continues into October. Egg laying probably takes place in May. Hatchlings start to appear in mid-July.
In Washington, the historical range is the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion. See Distribution Map.
For information on the complete range of this species, see NatureServe Explorer.
Side-blotched Lizards are associated with arid areas that support shrub-steppe habitat. They are most common in areas with bare ground interspersed with shrubs and other vegetation. They also occupy dry washes, rocky canyons and road edges. They tend to be common to abundant where they occur. Typically, individuals can be seen on the ground at the edge of shrubs or other vegetation that provide cover from predators. During the middle of the day, they retreat under ground or move under cover objects such as rocks and woody debris. They are not active on rainy days or on cool cloudy days.
The majority of observation reports, submitted to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife over the last decade, have been limited to Gingko State Park (Kittitas Co.), the Hanford Site (Franklin, Grant and Benton cos.), Yakima Firing Center Military Reservation (Kittitas Co.), Babcock Bench (Grant Co.) and a few sites near Beverly (Grant Co.). The species is common to abundant in these areas. Three observations reports were submitted for new sites in 2002-2005 including Crow Butte State Park (Benton Co.), Jasper Canyon (Grant Co.) and Bowers Spring area (Grant Co.) based on the observation of 1-2 individual lizards. Little is known about the current status of the Side-blotched Lizard in other areas of the state. Many of the historical records were collected before 1960 and conversion to agriculture or urban use has been extensive in many of the areas.
Occurrence information is needed from areas where the Side-blotched Lizard has not been reported to occur in over 20 years and also from areas where they have not been previously documented.
Conversion of shrub-steppe habitat to agriculture is the main threat to Side-blotched Lizards. Activities that promote the invasion of cheat grass (Bromus tectorum) are also likely detrimental to this species.
The Natural Heritage Program (L. Hallock) under a challenge-cost share contract from the Bureau of Land Management, has been surveying historical Side-blotched Lizard locations and conducting surveys at other sites in the Columbia Basin to determine the current distribution and status of this species. These surveys will continue in 2005.
Dvornich et al. (1997), Nussbaum et al. (1983), Stebbins (1985), Storm and Leonard (1995).
Hallock, L.A. and McAllister, K.R. 2005. Side-blotched Lizard. Washington Herp Atlas. http://www1.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/herp/
Last updated: February 2005