Lizards in Arizona

Over 50 lizard species make their home in the state of Arizona. Arizona contains both dry deserts and temperate forests, allowing for a diverse variety of lizards to live there.

The only poisonous lizard native to the United States – the Gila monster – lives in Arizona. However, it is a slow lizard and is more likely to flee if an encounter with a human takes place.

Lizards of Arizona

Tree Lizards

Long-tailed Brush Lizard
Ornate Tree Lizard

Side-blotched Lizards

Common Side-Blotched Lizard

Spiny Lizards

Clark’s Spiny Lizard
Desert Spiny Lizard
Plateau Fence Lizard
Sagebrush Lizard
Slevin’s Bunchgrass Lizard
Southwestern Fence Lizard
Striped Plateau Lizard
Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard
Yarrow’s Spiny Lizard
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard

Zebra-tailed Lizards

Zebra-tailed Lizard

Horned Lizards

Desert Horned Lizard
Flat-tail Horned Lizard
Greater Short-horned Lizard
Regal Horned Lizard
Roundtail Horned Lizard
Sonoran Horned Lizard
Texas Horned Lizard

Whiptail Lizards

Arizona Striped Whiptail
Canyon Spotted Whiptail
Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail
Desert Grassland Whiptail
Giant Spotted Whiptail
Gila Spotted Whiptail
Little Striped Whiptail
New Mexico Whiptail
Pai Striped Whiptail
Plateau Striped Whiptail
Red-backed Whiptail
Sonoran Spotted Whiptail
Western Whiptail

Gila Monsters

Gila Monster

Greater Earless Lizards

Greater Earless Lizard

Geckoes

Keeled Rock Gecko
Mediterranean House Gecko
Western Banded Gecko

Chuckwallas

Common Chuckwalla

Collared Lizards

Eastern Collared Lizard
Great Basin Collared Lizard
Sonoran Collared Lizard

Western Alligator Lizards

Madrean Alligator Lizard

Iguanas

Desert Iguana
Spiny-tailed Iguana

Leopard Lizards

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard

Elegant Earless Lizards

Elegant Earless Lizard
Lesser Earless Lizard

Fringe-toed Lizards

Mohave Fringe-toed Lizard
Mohawk Dunes Fringe-toed Lizard
Yuman Fringe-toed Lizard

Skinks

Gilbert’s Skink
Great Plains Skink
Many-lined Skink
Mountain Skink
Western Skink

Night Lizards

Arizona Night Lizard
Bezy’s Night Lizard
Desert Night Lizard

Most Common Lizard: Common side-blotched lizard

Large Lizards: Regal horned lizard, Gila monster, common chuckwalla

Small Lizards: Arizona night lizard, sagebrush lizard

FAQs

1. Which Arizona lizards do “push-ups”?

Desert spiny lizards, several tree lizard species, and some iguanas have been observed to engage in behavior like a human doing push-ups. This may be an attempt by the lizard to protect its territory and show off to a potential mate.