Sceloporus merriami
| Canyon lizard | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Iguanidae |
| Subfamily: | Phrynosomatinae |
| Genus: | Sceloporus |
| Species: | S. merriami |
| Binomial name | |
|
Sceloporus merriami Stejneger, 1904 |
|
Sceloporus merriami, commonly known as the canyon lizard, is a species of phrynosomatid lizard native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
The specific name, merriami, is in honor of American zoologist Clinton Hart Merriam.
It is found in the United States in the state of Texas, and it is found in Mexico in the states of Coahuila, Durango, and Chihuahua.
Adults may reach 58 mm (2.2 in) snout to vent length. Including the tail, they may reach 162 mm (6.4 in) in total length. The dorsal scales are small, and the lateral scales are granular.
Dorsally, the canyon lizard is gray, tan, or reddish-brown, matching the rocks on which it lives. There are four rows of dark spots on the back, and a vertical black line in front of the front leg. Males have blue and black lines on the throat.
The seven recognized subspecies of S. merriami, including the nominotypical subspecies, are:
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