Sonoran Collared Lizards (Crotaphytus nebrius) are generally less brilliantly colored than their bright green relatives north of the Gila River. They can be standing tall on top of rocks on hillsides and outcrops, even in the heat of an Arizona summer day. When they are startled (which can happen from a disappointingly long distance) they can escape quickly by running on their hind legs. They have powerful jaws and consider about anything small enough to fit in that big head as food, which often includes other lizards. Personally, the image of large, fast, bipedal lizards that hunt other lizards fills that “I wish dinosaurs were still here” void just a little.

We found this one in a desert mountain range near Yuma a couple of years ago. It let us get some photos, then disappeared into the crevice above.