Western Zebra Tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus)

I spotted this lizard on a hike through the Ash Meadow National Wildlife Refuge on 06/08/2012. Facilitated by long legs and a streamlined body, they are probably the fastest lizard in the desert; they can run up to 18 miles per hour standing on just their two back feet. Because I’m used to them running off at amazing speeds, making it nearly impossible to capture a good picture, I was amazed at how long this one stayed posed while my friend and I walked around him capturing pictures. Notice how long its tail is.

Description: The Western Zebra Tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus) is a pale thin lizard with very long legs and a long flat tail with black crossbars. It is 2.5 - 4 inches from snout to vent and up to almost 9 inches including the tail. Scales are granular. Its backside is gray or light brown with light spots and paired dark blotches, which are more distinct on females. As with many lizards, the coloring is darker during lower temperatures, and lighter during very high temperatures. Dark crossbars or bands on the tail become very distinct black and white underneath. This black and white zebra-like pattern is its most distinguishing feature and is what gives this lizard its name. There is pale yellow and orange coloring on the sides and the center of the throat often has a pink or orange spot. Males have two dark bars and develop a patch of blue-green coloring on the sides of the mid belly during the breeding season, which is visible when viewed from the side. Dark belly markings are faint or absent on females. They are very tolerant of high temperatures and are often seen basking on rocks, even on extremely hot afternoons. Sometimes before running away, they may curl the tail up towards the back, exposing the black and white bars, and wag it nervously, then continue this behavior while running and after stopping. This tail display tactic concentrates a predator's attention on the tail, which, if attacked and broken off, can grow back. They diet on small invertebrates such as insects and spiders, small lizards, occasional plant material. It likes open sandy desert washes, desert pavement, and hard pan, with scant widely-spaced vegetation and open areas. It can sometimes be found in wind-blown sand dunes near hard-packed ground. Mostly found in California, it inhabits ranges outside California north into northern Nevada, east into extreme southwest Utah, south through Arizona and extreme southwest New Mexico, to Baja California and the west coast of Mexico.