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Sceloporus magister

Hallowell, 1854

Desert Spiny Lizard

G5Secure Found in 44 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1167751
Element CodeARACF14230
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyPhrynosomatidae
GenusSceloporus
Other Common Names
desert spiny lizard (EN)
Concept Reference
Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
Taxonomic Comments
Sceloporus magister is currently recognized as a full species (see Crother 2017 and Lazcano et al. 2019). Leaché and Mulcahy (2007) found evidence of asymmetrical gene flow between S. magister and both S. bimaculosus and S. uniformis, with S. magister acting as a genetic "sink". Because these lineages show evidence of both separation (with divergence) and ongoing asymmetrical gene flow, they can be considered partially separated species. Leaché and Mulcahy (2007) also identified a fourth potentially separate lineage in northeastern Baja California (currently unnamed). Schulte et al. (2006) recognized the subspecies S. m. magister and S. m. cephaloflavus because their single sample from the Colorado Plateau (assumed to represent the subspecies S. m. cephaloflavus) was inferred to be the sister group of the samples representing S. m. magister. Leaché and Mulcahy (2007), however, found that specimens from closer to the type locality of S. m. cephaloflavus were part of S. uniformis rather than S. magister; consequently, Crother (2017) have not recognized subspecies within S. magister.
Conservation Status
Review Date2005-07-20
Change Date1996-10-28
Edition Date2005-07-20
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Range Extent Comments
The range extends from Nevada to southwestern Colorado, south to northern Baja California, Sinaloa, and Coahuila; west to west of the Central Valley in California, east to western Texas (Parker 1982, Nussbaum et al. 1983, Degenhardt et al. 1996, Hammerson 1999, Dixon 2000, Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003). Elevational range extends from near sea level to around 5,000 feet (1,520 meters) (Stebbins 2003).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by many hundreds of collection sites (e.g., (Parker 1982, Nussbaum et al. 1983, Degenhardt et al. 1996, Hammerson 1999, Dixon 2000).
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats have been identified.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This lizard inhabits arid and semiarid regions, from plains to lower mountain slopes, including desert shrubland and woodland, mesquite-yucca grassland, juniper and mesquite woodland, shrubby areas along arroyos and playa edges, and cottonwood/willow zones along rivers (Degenhardt et al. 1996, Hammerson 1999, Stebbins 2003). It occurs on trees, rocks, and on the ground near cover. Eggs are laid in soil/underground.

Ecology

Population density estimated at 7.4/ha in Utah (Tinkle 1976).

Reproduction

Clutch size averages about 6 in southern Utah, 8 in far southwestern U.S. Two clutches/year in Utah. Hatchlings appear as early as July in Texas, early August in southern Utah. Sexually mature in about 2 years (Hammerson 1982).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousDesertBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
Navajo NationS4Yes
ArizonaS5Yes
New MexicoS5Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
TexasS5Yes
ColoradoS2Yes
UtahS3Yes
NevadaS5Yes
Roadless Areas (44)
Arizona (15)
AreaForestAcres
Black CanyonPrescott National Forest10,683
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
Grief HillPrescott National Forest12,535
Lime CreekTonto National Forest42,568
Lower RinconCoronado National Forest3,278
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Middle Romero WSRCoronado National Forest60
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
Upper Romero WsrCoronado National Forest150
Willis CanyonKaibab National Forest9,688
California (13)
AreaForestAcres
Benton RangeInyo National Forest9,637
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
Deep CreekSan Bernardino National Forest23,869
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Pyramid Peak BSan Bernardino National Forest7,194
Salt CreekAngeles National Forest11,022
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
TinemahaInyo National Forest27,060
Wheeler RidgeInyo National Forest15,744
Wonoga Pk.Inyo National Forest11,272
Nevada (5)
AreaForestAcres
Angel Peak NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest12,577
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
Charleston - Macks CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,378
PotosiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,145
Ruby - ThompsonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,289
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Utah (10)
AreaForestAcres
Boulder Mtn. / Boulder Top / Deer LakeDixie National Forest110,690
Bull ValleyDixie National Forest10,911
Bunker CreekDixie National Forest7,474
Capital ReefDixie National Forest763
Casto BluffDixie National Forest87,466
Cedar BenchDixie National Forest8,915
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
FishhookDixie National Forest12,959
Long Neck Mesa / Steep Creek / Oak Creek - Steep Creek / OakDixie National Forest55,489
Moody WashDixie National Forest31,835
References (21)
  1. Bartlett, R. D., and P. P. Bartlett. 1999a. A field guide to Texas reptiles & amphibians. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas. xviii + 331 pp.
  2. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  3. Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. 3rd ed. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular No. 19. 41 pp.
  4. Conant, R., and J. T. Collins. 1998. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition, expanded. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 616 pp.
  5. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  6. Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price. 1996. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. xix + 431 pp.
  7. Dixon, J. R. 2000. Amphibians and reptiles of Texas. Second edition. Texas A & M University Press, College Station. 421 pp.
  8. Grismer, L. L. 2002. Amphibians and reptiles of Baja California including its Pacific islands and islands in the Sea of Cortes. University of California Press, Berkeley. xiii + 399 pp.
  9. Grismer, L. L., and J. A. McGuire. 1996. Taxonomy and biogeography of the <i>Sceloporus magister</i> complex (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) in Baja California, Mexico. Herpetologica 52:416-427.
  10. Hammerson, G. A. 1982b. Amphibians and reptiles in Colorado. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Denver. vii + 131 pp.
  11. Hammerson, G. A. 1999. Amphibians and reptiles in Colorado. Second edition. University Press of Colorado, Boulder. xxvi + 484 pp.
  12. Lazcano, D., M. Neva´rez-de los Reyes, E. Garci´a-Padilla, J. D. Johnson, V. Mata-Silva, D. L. DeSantis, and L. D. Wilson. 2019. The herpetofauna of Coahuila, Mexico: composition, distribution, and conservation status. Amphibian &amp; Reptile Conservation 13(2):31-94.
  13. Leaché, A. D., and D. G. Mulcahy. 2007. Phylogeny, divergence times and species limits of spiny lizards (<i>Sceloporus magister</i> species group) in western North American deserts and Baja California. Molecular Ecology 16:5216-5233.
  14. Nussbaum, R.A., E.D. Brodie, Jr., and R.M. Storm. 1983. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Pacific Northwest. University Press of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. 332 pp.
  15. Parker, W. S. 1982. Sceloporus magister. Cat. Am. Amph. Rep. 290.1-290.4.
  16. Schulte II, J.A., R. Macey, and T.J. Papenfuss. 2006. A genetic perspective on the geographic association of taxa among arid North American lizards of <i>the Sceloporus magister</i> complex (Squamata: Iguanidae: Phrynosomatinae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39:873-880.
  17. Sites, J. W., Jr., J.W. Archie, C.J. Cole and O. Flores-Villela. 1992. A review of phylogenetic hypotheses for lizards of the genus <i>Sceleporus</i> (Phrynosomatidae): implications for ecological and evolutionary studies. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. (213):1-110.
  18. Smith, H. M. 1946. Handbook of lizards. Lizards of the United States and Canada. Cornell univ. Press, Ithaca. xxi + 557 pp.
  19. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  20. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  21. Tinkle, D. W. 1976. Comparative data on the population ecology of the desert spiny lizard, Sceloporus magister. Herpetologica 32:1-6.