Sceloporus occidentalis

This species occurs in the western United States and northwestern Mexico. Its range extends from Washington and southwestern Idaho south through Oregon, California, Nevada, and western Utah to northwestern Baja California (Bell and Price 1996, Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003), and disjunctly south to Isla de Cedros of the Pacific coast of Baja California (Grismer and Mellink, 1994). Its elevational range extends from sea level to about 3,353 m (11,000 feet) (Bell and Price 1996, Stebbins 2003).

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)) The range extends from Washington and southeastern Idaho south through Oregon, California, Nevada, and western Utah to northwestern Baja California (Bell and Price 1996, Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003), and disjunctly south to Isla de Cedros (Grismer and Mellink, 1994, J. Herpetol. 28:120-126). Elevational range extends from sea level to about 11,000 feet (3,353 meters) (Bell and Price 1996, Stebbins 2003).

Continent: Middle-America North-America
Distribution: USA (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, W Utah),  Mexico (N Baja California Norte, Isla de Cedros)  becki:
Type locality: San Miguel Island, Gulf of California, Mexico.  biseriatus: S Idaho, southwest through Nevada and W Utah into California and the San Pedro Mártir Range in Baja California.
Type locality: Borders of El Paso Creek and Tejon Valley. Restricted to El Paso Creek by SMITH & TAYLOR 1950. (El Paso Creek is in Kern Co., about ten miles  northeast of Ft. Tejon).  bocourti: USA (California).
Type locality: Restricted by Bell (1954), through lectotype designation, to Santa Cruz, Santa  Cruz Co., California.  longipes:
Type locality: Fort Tejon, California [Kern County].  taylori:
Type locality: Half-way between Merced Lake and Sunrise Trail (Echo Creek Basin), elevation 7500 feet, Yosemite National Park, California.   
Type locality: “California and probably Oregon”; restricted to “Benicia, Solano County, California” by GRINNEL & CAMP 1917

Length: 24 cm

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

Comments: This lizard occupies various habitats, including grassland, sagebrush, woodland, open coniferous forest, rocky canyons, talus slopes, fence rows, etc. (Stebbins 2003). This species is not found in severe desert areas, but it comes close on mountain slopes (Stebbins 2003). Usually it is on the ground or on low perches (e.g., logs, fences), but sometimes climbs well up into taller bushes or trees. Eggs are buried in loose soil.

Non-Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species do not make significant seasonal migrations. Juvenile dispersal is not considered a migration.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Comments: Eats mainly insects (e.g. beetles, flies, caterpillars, and ants) and spiders.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: > 300

Comments: This species is represented by hundreds of collection sites (e.g., see Nussbaum et al. 1983, Bell and Price 1996).

100,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Comments: Total adult population size is unknown but certainly exceeds 100,000.

Adult males defend home range during breeding season. Seasonal home range generally much less than 0.01 ha in central California (Davis and Ford 1983). Predators: predatory birds and snakes.

When individuals on tree trunks are approached closely, they often move to the other side of the trunk.

Comments: These lizards are generally inactive during cold weather. Duration of the inactive period varies with local climate. Emergence from hibernacula occurs in late winter or early spring, depending on local conditions.

Courtship and mating generally occur in spring. Egg laying extends from April or May to June or July in most areas. Eggs are buried in loose soil or secluded in old logs or under rocks. Clutch size in different areas ranges from 3 to 17; clutch size tends to increase with female size, latitude, and elevation. Eggs hatch in about 2 months, mostly in August or September in many areas. Individuals first breed in the spring of their second year (Nussbaum et al. 1983, Stebbins 1985).

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There are 2 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 2
Specimens with Barcodes: 3
Species With Barcodes: 1

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Justification

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Intrinsic Vulnerability: Moderately vulnerable

Population

Population Trend

Global Short Term Trend: Relatively stable (=10% change)

Comments: Extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, and population size are large and probably relatively stable (or slowly declining).

Global Long Term Trend: Increase of 10-25% to decline of 30%

Degree of Threat: Medium

Comments: No major threats have been identified. Locally, conversion of habitat to intensive human uses have eliminated or reduced some populations.

Major Threats

Conservation Actions

Global Protection: Very many (>40) occurrences appropriately protected and managed

Comments: This species occurs in many national parks, monuments, and similarly well-protected areas.