Sceloporus tristichus
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The plateau fence lizard (Sceloporus tristichus) is a species of spiny lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. At up to 80 millimetres (3.1 in) from snout to vent, the plateau fence lizard is a grayish, brownish, or greenish lizard. The upper side of its body has keeled scales and there is a series of narrow dark brown cross-bands on both sides of the midline. An elongated metallic blue patch can be found on each side of the belly and each side of the throat.
Males are typically smaller than females, as with many squamates, with males and females in Montezuma County, Colorado measuring 63 mm (2.5 in) and 67 mm (2.6 in), respectively. The plateau fence lizard is generally found in central Arizona, southwestern Utah, western Colorado, and the San Luis Valley. It can also be found in parts of New Mexico and Wyoming. The plateau fence lizard generally dwells in rocky and wooded areas, making use of canyon walls, boulder-strewn hillsides, fallen tree trunks, and other debris and vantage points.
The plateau fence lizard is inactive during cold periods and the hottest part of the day in summer. The lizard consumes mainly insects... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aquatis | 🇨🇭 Switzerland |
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Plateau Fence Lizard sighting in Zion National Park on a given day, based on 707 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 21 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August to October
In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Plateau Fence Lizard in Zion National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, the lowest month.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Plateau Fence 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.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Plateau Fence Lizard sightings, Zion National Park has the highest daily chance: about 80%. Next come Grand Canyon National Park (United States, about 60%).
Same genus: Sceloporus
The closest relatives of the Plateau Fence Lizard that you can see in Zion National Park (genus Sceloporus, Spiny Lizards) are Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard (about 70%), Sagebrush Lizard (about 50%) and Desert Spiny Lizard (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Plateau Fence Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Zion National Park (707 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.
