60: Desert Spiny Lizard
I write to you from Arapahoe, Ute, and Cheyenne land. I am interested in learning about the different animals that live in the place where I was born. Before we start with today’s animal, I want to emphasize that biological classification as understood by western society has its roots in racism, sexism, and transphobia – here’s a good explainer about why.
Today’s animal only lives in the far southwestern corner of Colorado, in the red desert environment found around Four Corners. The Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister) likes to live near arroyos or flowing streams, and will perch on rocks, shrubs, or even the lower branches of trees. Like many Colorado lizards, they hunt by waiting and watching, and eat arthropods, smaller lizards, and plant matter.
The coloration of this species is notable. Males have brilliant blue and green markings, as in the photo below. Like many desert lizards, they are also capable of changing their color in order to change their temperature – darkening when they want to get warm and vice versa. Also like many desert lizards, the males do “push ups” as territorial displays.
Desert Spiny Lizards are more common south and west of Colorado in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, where Native people like the O’odham and Comáac (Seri) people have many songs and jokes about them.
