Vivariums;reptiles;Sceloporus magister

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6- Sceloporus magister - the desert spiny lizard :

This is a desertscrub species now widely distributed throughout much of the lower elevations of the Southwest. Van Devender and Worthington (1977) indicated that it is expectable in the vicinity of Howell's Ridge Cave at present.

Fig. 1. Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister). Photograph by Carl S. Lieb.

Sites. :

Late Blancan/Irvingtonian: Vallecito Creek, Anza-Borrego Desert (Cassiliano 1999).

?Late Irvingtonian/Rancholabrean: Emery Borrow Pit (Jefferson 1991a).

Mid Wisconsin: Papago Springs Cave (Czaplewski and Mead et al. 1999: cf.).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Rancho La Brea (Brattstrom 1953).

Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Deadman Cave (Mead et al. 1984: cf.); Howell's Ridge Cave (Van Devender and Worthington 1977); Kokoweef Cave (Reynolds, Reynolds, et al. 1991).

Literature.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sceloporus magister, also known as the desert spiny lizard, is a lizard species of the subfamily Phrynosomatinae, native to the Chihuahuan Desert and Sonoran Desert of North America

Desert spiny lizard

Scientific classification :

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Reptilia

Order:Squamata

Suborder:Iguania

Family:Iguanidae

Subfamily:Phrynosomatinae

Genus:Sceloporus

Species:S. magister

Binomial name :

Sceloporus magister
Hallowell, 1854[1]

Geographic range :

In the United States it is found in the states of Arizona, California, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. It is also found in the Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango.[2]

Description :

An adult male desert spiny lizard usually have conspicuous blue/violet patches on the belly and throat, and a green/blue color on their tails and sides (“Lizards “28. Science Reference Center). Females and juveniles have large combined dark spots on their back and belly areas, and the blue/violet and green/blue coloring is absent. Both sexes have brownish/yellow triangular spots on their shoulders. A female Desert Spiny Lizard will lay anywhere from 4 to 24 eggs during the summertime (“Lizards “28. Science Reference Center).

A fully grown desert spiny lizard will reach a body length of up to 5.6 inches. Besides their bright colors, the desert spiny lizard changes to darker colors during the winter to allow them to absorb more heat from the sun, and become lighter during the summer to reflect the sun's radiation. It is frequently seen doing push-ups, pushing its body up and down, as a form of territorial display.

Distribution :

The Desert Spiny Lizard ranges across the deserts of southwestern Arizona and the northeastern plateaus at elevations ranging from near sea level along the Colorado River to about 5,000'.

Behavior :

Like many desert lizards, desert spiny lizards adjust their internal temperature by changing color so they are darker during cool times, which allows them to absorb more heat from the sun, and become lighter during warm times so they reflect more solar radiation. The desert spiny lizard also uses camouflage so it is not so easily seen by predators.

Usually, during the morning hours, it will be out basking in the sun on rocks or any hard surface that is in direct sunlight, but like many desert reptiles, it will seek shelter, usually underground in burrows or any suitable cover that provides shade, during the hottest part of the day in the summertime, as shade provides cooler temperatures than on the ground's surface. It hibernates in late fall and during the cold months of winter before re-emerging in spring.

Habitat :

Biotic communities including Sonoran Desertscrub, Great Basin Desertscrub, Semidesert Grassland, Interior Chaparral, and woodlands are home to this lizard. It is usually encountered on lower slopes, bajadas, plains, and low valleys, often in the branches of trees or in the vicinity of ground cover such as wood piles, rock piles, and packrat nests.

Vivid ventral coloring of male Sceloporus magister

Diet :

The Desert Spiny Lizard feeds on a variety of insects including ants, beetles, and caterpillars. It also feeds on spiders, centipedes, and small lizards.

Reproduction :

It is often encountered in male-female pairs. Mating takes place in spring and summer and one or two clutches of eggs are laid in spring and summer. Clutch size ranges from 2 to 12 eggs. Hatchlings may appear as early as late May but usually begin to emerge in July.

Subspecies :

Four subspecies of Sceloporus magister, including the nominate race, are recognized.

-S. m. bimaculosus Phelan & Brattstrom, 1955

-S. m. cephaloflavus W. Tanner, 1955

-S. m. magister Hallowell, 1854

-S. m. transversus Phelan & Brattstrom, 1955[2]

Sceloporus magister monserratensis (Van Denburgh & Slevin, 1921) was elevated to a species (Sceloporus monserratensis')' by herpetologist Ernest A. Liner in 1994.

Sceloporus magister uniformis was elevated to species status in 2006 (Sceloporus uniformis), when genetic analysis revealed that it is sufficiently distinct to merit classification as its own species.[3]

For the external links , refrences click here to read the full wikipedia article

Sceloporus magister

Care Articles :

1- Desert Spiny Lizard :

courtesy to : www.oocities.org/midy/desertcare.htm

Scientific Name: Sceloporus magister uniformis
Distribution: Southwest U.S.A.
Size: 7" - 12"

Natural Habitat:

This spiny lizard occupies rocky areas of the semi- desert habitats in the Southwestern United States. Adults require a 30 gallon enclosure when kept in captivity.

Behavior:

Most will become tame with regular handling. Docile and friendly, easy to handle.

Captive Eviornment:

Use full spectrum lighting 12-14 hours per day. Provide a basking area with access to a cooler zone. Provide rocky basking areas, likes crevices and caves.

Temperature:

Day temperature should be gradient from 80-95 degrees F. Maintain night temperature range between 70-75 degrees F. Use reptile heating pads under tank for 24-hour heat.

Humidity:

This species requires only low levels of humidity.

Water Requirements:

Use only a small water bowl for drinking. Mist once per week.

Nutitional Requirements:

This carnivore (meat eater) will readily accept insects and arthropods in diet. Offer variety for proper nutrition. Eats variety of larger worms (earthworms, meal/wax worms). Dust food with calcium and vitamins.

2- Sceloporus magister

Desert Spiny Swift

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Shipping Weight: 1.00 pounds

Desert Spiny Swift (Sceloporus magister)

A.K.A. Desert Spiny Lizard Description:

Desert Spiny Swifts are stocky lizards with pointy overlapping scales. They are primarily brown, but males have bright blue-green patches on their bellies and throats. They will grow up to 6 inches from snout to vent. These lizards can live up to 10 years if taken care of properly.

Habitat and Tank Requirements:

This species is native to the deserts of Western North America.These lizards do well with sand or sand/gravel mix as a substrate. Be sure to put enough rocks and wood in the tank for your lizard to hide in and climb on.Desert Spiny Swifts need at least a 20 gallon tank for a pair (two males should not be kept together, as they may fight). A screen cover is recommended for your tank, as it allows better airflow and heating.A comfortable temperature for these lizards is around 70-80º F during the day and nighttime temperatures between 60-70º F. LEDs or other low-wattage light bulbs work best for maintaining these temperatures.In addition to UV light, these lizards need a hotter basking area from 95-100º F. You can use either a ceramic heat emitter or a reptile basking light for this. Heat rocks are not recommended as they can burn your animal.Your tank should have a small, shallow bowl of water that is cleaned daily. This is for your lizard to drink from as well as wade in. Some lizards won’t drink from a bowl. In this case some sort of dropper is recommended.

Diet:

Desert Spiny Swifts will feed on small crickets, fruit flies, mealworms, wax worms, and any other insect small enough for them to ingest. It is recommended that food be dusted with calcium to prevent bone softening.

Handling:

Allow your lizard time to become accustomed to its new home before handling them extensively. Handling them little by little over a period of time lets the animal get used to you and reduces stress.

Other websites :

- www.californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/s.magister.html

- www.wildherps.com/species/S.magister.html

- www.werc.usgs.gov/oldsitedata/fieldguide/scma.htm

- www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Blue-Spiny-Lizard-Care-Sheet/

- www.iucnredlist.org/details/64123/0

- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Sceloporus&species=magister

- www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/43627

- www.google.ae/search?q=sceloporus+magister&ei=6l6QWbG-O8TWwQLZioKABA&start=20&sa=N&biw=1366&bih=589

- animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sceloporus_magister/classification/

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