Eastern Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus collaris

 

DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Crotaphytus collaris occurs throughout central and northwestern Texas, then westward throughout much of New Mexico, Arizona, and into southeastern Utah.

LEGAL STATUS: No Listings

MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Crotaphytus collaris (Say – 1823)
Genus: Crotaphytus Greek – krotaphos = side or temple of the head – ref. presence of small polygonal plates on the whole surface of the head
Species: collaris, Latin = collared — Baird and Girard, 1853: “allusion to the very striking feature of bearing a double black sub-crescentic band on the sides of the neck.”
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jaeger 1962

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