Callisaurus draconoides
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The zebra-tailed lizard (Callisaurus draconoides) is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to the Southwestern United States and adjacent northwestern Mexico. There are nine recognized subspecies.
Zebra-tailed lizards live in open desert with hard-packed soil, scattered vegetation, and scattered rocks, typically flats, washes, and plains. Zebra-tailed lizards range in size from 2.5 to 4 inches (64 to 102 mm) in snout-to-vent length (SVL). These lizards are grey to sandy brown, usually with a series of paired dark gray spots down the back, becoming black crossbands on the tail. The underside of the tail is white with black crossbars. Males have a pair of black blotches on their sides, extending to blue patches on their bellies. Females have no blue patches, and the black bars are either faint or completely absent.
Zebra-tailed lizards are diurnal and alert. They rise early and are active in all but the hottest weather. During the hottest times of day, lizards may stand alternately on two legs, switching to the opposite two as needed in a kind of dance. When threatened, they run swiftly with their toes... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prague Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 2 | Rákosův pavilon | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 3 | Velemlokárium | 🇨🇿 Czechia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Zebra-tailed Lizard sighting in Las Vegas on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 12th most-seen of the 15 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Zebra-tailed Lizard in Las Vegas on a given day, against under 5% in July–August and October–March, the lowest months. That is one of Las Vegas's driest months, with almost no rain against 25 mm in February.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Zebra-tailed Lizard sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Zebra-tailed Lizard sightings, Las Vegas ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Mesa (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Phrynosomatidae
The closest relatives of the Zebra-tailed Lizard that you can see in Las Vegas (family Phrynosomatidae, Phrynosomatid Lizards) are Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard (about 20%), Common Side-blotched Lizard (about 20%) and Desert Spiny Lizard (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Zebra-tailed Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Las Vegas (8 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
