Sceloporus chrysostictus
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
Sceloporus chrysostictus, the yellow-spotted spiny lizard or Yucatán spiny lizard, is a species of phrynosomatid lizard. It is most commonly found in the Yucatán Peninsula. It also ranges through Guatemala and Northern Belize.
Species Sceloporus chrysostictus at The Reptile Database Cope, E.D. 1866. Fourth contribution to the herpetology of tropical America. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 18:123-132. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calakmul Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 47 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 15 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in October, the lowest month. That is one of Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve's wettest months, with about 150 mm of rain against 20 mm in February.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Yellow-spotted Spiny 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 parks where we can rate Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard sightings, Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve ranks 2nd at about 40%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 40%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (47 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
