Common chuckwalla
A species of Chuckwallas, Also known as Glen canyon chuckwalla Scientific name : Sauromalus ater Genus : Chuckwallas
Common chuckwalla, A species of Chuckwallas
Also known as:
Glen canyon chuckwalla
Scientific name: Sauromalus ater
Genus: Chuckwallas
Content
Description General Info
Description
Sauromalus ater (common chuckwalla) is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. It inhabits the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Its range extends from eastern California, Utah, and Nevada south to Baja California and Sonora.
General Info
Lifespan
15-20 years
Diet
Common chuckwalla's primary diet is herbivorous, revolving mainly around cacti and succulent plants. The species exhibits a notable predilection for Creosote bush leaves, particularly in regions void of cacti.
Appearance
Common chuckwalla is a robust lizard, having a thick-set, oval shaped body covered in rough, bumpy scales. Their skin is commonly a dusty black to brown admixture, but individuals in northern regions are lighter, often exhibiting an orange-yellow hue. Unique collar-like flaps of skin distinguish common chuckwalla among other lizards. There are no significant differences in appearance due to age, gender, or subspecies.
Behavior
Common chuckwalla is a predominantly solitary and diurnal species displaying strong territoriality. Their behavior involves frequent basking in the sun and slow, deliberate movements in search of plant-based nutrition. Notably, they can inflate their bodies dramatically as a defensive response to potential predators in their arid habitats.
Population
Stable
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Reptiles Order
Lizards and snakes Family
Iguanids Genus
Chuckwallas Species
Common chuckwalla 
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