A Little Dinosaur: The Common Collared Lizard

Collage of four photos of a common collared lizard in a trail of Palo Duro Canyon.
Encounter with a collared lizard while hiking in Palo Duro Canyon. 

We crossed paths in the trail. The little fella remained still for a while allowing for some photos. They are called eastern collared to differentiate from the western cousin, the Great Basin collared lizard or desert collared lizard. The main difference is in the colors. The eastern has more vivid tones. But one can confuse them because temperatures and the season influence over their skin color. They remind dinosaurs when running on their hind legs - check the first photo. This one is a male. Males have well-defined orange bands across the body. These lizards became Oklahoma's state reptile since 1969. Old pioneers called them "mountain boomers" because they believed that they were the source of loud sounds that came from the mountains. Common collared lizards are brave. If you put two males in a cage they will fight to death. Don't do it!

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