Eastern Fence Lizard

Scientific Name: Sceloporus undulatus
Size: 3.9 - 7.2 inches (10 - 18.4 cm)
Status: Species of special concern

Habitat:
Open habitats within forest including rock slides, quarry faces, clear cuts, rocky outcrops along water ways.

Descripton:
Gray to brown lizard with keeled scales giving a rough appearance. Females tend to be gray with wavy black marks on back whereas males tend toward a brownish coloration with blue-green patches down their sides.

• The dorsal body color is grayish brown to brown.
• The dorsal pattern is a series of transverse wavy bands that extend across the body. These bands are reddish brown to black with a thin pale posterior border.
• Older males may not have bands.
• Similar bands are found the dorsal surface of the tail and legs.
• A lateral stripe occurred on either side of the body and is similar in color to the dorsal bands.
• The head is covered with variable dark lines and bars associated with the eyes, temporal region and supralabials.
• The ventral of females and young (both males and females) is immaculate beige or off-white. Males have a bright blue to blue-green central blotch on the chin, and a large blue to dark blue with a medial black border on either side of the belly.

• Medium-sized species.
• The legs are well-developed.
• The scales appear matte instead of glossy.
• The body scales are overlapping, strongly keeled and pointed at the posterior edge.

• Similar to adults.

• None

Adult Gallery:

Juvenile Gallery:

• Hulse, C. and McCoy C. J. and Ellen Censky ,1998. Amphibians and Reptiles of Pennsylvania and the Northeast. 248-251pp.

• Tom Diez
• Bob Ferguson