Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
Summary 7
The common side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana) is a species of side-blotched lizard found on the Pacific Coast of North America. It is notable for having a unique form of polymorphism wherein each of the three different male morphs utilizes a different strategy in acquiring mates. The three morphs compete against each other following a pattern of rock, paper, scissors, where one morph has advantages over another but is outcompeted by the third.
Range description 8
The geographic range extends from central and northeastern California, central and eastern Oregon, central Washington, southwestern Idaho, Utah, and western Colorado southward to the tip of Baja California, northern Sinaloa, and northern Zacatecas, Mexico, including many islands along the Pacific coast of Baja California and in the Gulf of California (Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003). Elevational range extends from below sea level in desert sinks to about 2,750 m (9,000 feet) (Stebbins 2003).
Sources and Credits
- (c) J. N. Stuart, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/21786539@N03/2543897564
- (c) Nathan Taylor, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Nathan Taylor
- (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould, https://www.flickr.com/photos/anitagould/23209476349/
- (c) Mike Patterson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Patterson
- (c) Mike Patterson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbalame/5851721172/
- (c) lonnyholmes, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by lonnyholmes
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uta_stansburiana
- (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34772556
