It was so hot today that even the lizards wanted to cool down. Here's a young alligator lizard hitching a ride in the pool on a pine needle. He had hold of that pine needle and seemed content to just float around.Alligator lizards are actually good swimmers. They swim with a vigorous undulating motion that resembles a snake in the water.
Once out of the water, the lizard paused before scurrying away. I like this lizard profile because it shows how long their tails are in relation to their bodies. Two years ago one of my first posts was of a young alligator lizard. California Herps says that these lizards lay their eggs in May to July and that the eggs hatch in late summer or early fall. Judging from other alligator lizards I've found around here, this recently hatched reptile will get much bigger and will lose the orange stripe down its back.
2 comments:
Great photos! I saw a track in Hahamongna recently that looked like a snake's, so I quickly made sure the dog was safe. But the track was made by a handsome alligator lizard with a very long tail, and it stayed absolutely still in the sand for ages. I didn't know they could swim.
A good reason to get a pool!
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