Herpetofauna: One Life's List

Urosaurus ornatus schmidtii
Big Bend Tree Lizard

Val Verde Co., Texas
May 17, 1999

Normally these small lizards rest vertically, with their heads up, on trees and rock faces.  They have small folds of skin running lengthwise on either side of the body.  These skin folds are a good identifier at a distance, a good thing since they're difficult to get close to.  This one was spotted under an overhanging rock near the Devil's River, and was chased out into the open for a picture.