Discussion:
Any Lizard Experts?
(too old to reply)
Jim Thompson
2004-05-25 23:32:46 UTC
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Observed on my hillside this afternoon:

_Fat_ lizard about 2' total length

Body: Steely gray with a rough texture

Tail: The whole tail is a smooth orange color

Whazzit?

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Paul Wylie
2004-05-26 15:01:51 UTC
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Post by Jim Thompson
_Fat_ lizard about 2' total length
Body: Steely gray with a rough texture
Tail: The whole tail is a smooth orange color
Whazzit?
What? No photos?

Did it look like a chuckwalla?

http://www.wildherps.com/species/S.ater.html

Chuckwallas are members of the iguana family (actually, _iguanid_).

--Paul
** Note "removemunged" in email address and remove to reply. **
Jim Thompson
2004-05-26 15:09:50 UTC
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On Wed, 26 May 2004 15:01:51 +0000 (UTC), Paul Wylie
Post by Paul Wylie
Post by Jim Thompson
_Fat_ lizard about 2' total length
Body: Steely gray with a rough texture
Tail: The whole tail is a smooth orange color
Whazzit?
What? No photos?
Too quick for me, but I'll keep a camera handy now.
Post by Paul Wylie
Did it look like a chuckwalla?
http://www.wildherps.com/species/S.ater.html
Looks different. Head is fat, rounded, not tapered as in your
references.
Post by Paul Wylie
Chuckwallas are members of the iguana family (actually, _iguanid_).
--Paul
** Note "removemunged" in email address and remove to reply. **
...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Paul Wylie
2004-05-26 17:46:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jim Thompson
Too quick for me, but I'll keep a camera handy now.
You never know when an opportunity to take a picture will present itself.
Post by Jim Thompson
Looks different. Head is fat, rounded, not tapered as in your
references.
How about this sucker? It's a Sonoran Collared Lizard:

http://www.reptilesofaz.com/Lizards-Subpages/h-c-nebrius.html

Actually, you'll probably want to check out the parent site to see if
anything looks like your specimen.

http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html

BTW: They have the best picture of a Chuckwalla that I've seen--looks
almost exactly like a Chuckwalla I photographed at Usery Mountain a year
ago.

http://www.reptilesofaz.com/Lizards-Subpages/h-s-ater.html

--Paul
** Note "removemunged" in email address and remove to reply. **
Jim Thompson
2004-05-26 18:10:31 UTC
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On Wed, 26 May 2004 17:46:39 +0000 (UTC), Paul Wylie
Post by Paul Wylie
Post by Jim Thompson
Too quick for me, but I'll keep a camera handy now.
You never know when an opportunity to take a picture will present itself.
Post by Jim Thompson
Looks different. Head is fat, rounded, not tapered as in your
references.
http://www.reptilesofaz.com/Lizards-Subpages/h-c-nebrius.html
Actually, you'll probably want to check out the parent site to see if
anything looks like your specimen.
http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html
BTW: They have the best picture of a Chuckwalla that I've seen--looks
almost exactly like a Chuckwalla I photographed at Usery Mountain a year
ago.
http://www.reptilesofaz.com/Lizards-Subpages/h-s-ater.html
--Paul
** Note "removemunged" in email address and remove to reply. **
EXCELLENT references! I'll work my way through until I find a match.
Thanks!

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
h***@oddkarma.com
2004-05-27 16:40:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jim Thompson
_Fat_ lizard about 2' total length
Body: Steely gray with a rough texture
Tail: The whole tail is a smooth orange color
Whazzit?
Your new best friend / lunch.
--
\\ \\ Hosun S. Lee // Vorpal Bunny(TM)
\\-\\ http://www.bluebmw.com
( 0-0) "No quip."
{_^_}
Jim Thompson
2004-05-27 17:05:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by h***@oddkarma.com
Post by Jim Thompson
_Fat_ lizard about 2' total length
Body: Steely gray with a rough texture
Tail: The whole tail is a smooth orange color
Whazzit?
Your new best friend / lunch.
Looks like a Beamer accessory to me ;-)

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Blair P. Houghton
2004-05-30 05:50:10 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jim Thompson
_Fat_ lizard about 2' total length
You mean like the /Sauromalus obesus/, which, as far as my
lack of Latin leads me to infer, means "fat, mean lizard."

http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpeciesSH.asp?curGroupID=7&shapeID=1059&curPageNum=8&recnum=AR0073
Post by Jim Thompson
Body: Steely gray with a rough texture
Tail: The whole tail is a smooth orange color
Whazzit?
Sure sounds like a Chuckwalla. Apparently their coloration
varies. But 2 feet? Chuckwallas are only supposed to
get to 18 inches, and the only kind of American lizard
that gets bigger (3 feet) is the Beaded Lizard, of which
the Gila Monster is the most famous member.

Basically, in Arizona, either you have a beaded lizard (and
beaded skin would be a giveaway) or you have an overgrown
Chuckwalla (lose, wrinkly skin), or someone has dumped
their "exotic pet" on your block and there's no way we'll
be able to figure out what it is.

--Blair
"Oh. I know. Do like the Crocodile
Hunter and offer it your infant. If it's
a chuckwalla, it'll ask for a nice cactus
berry instead. But a beaded lizard will
wonder if its eyes aren't just being bigger
than its stomach, and ask you to pass the
salt."
Jim Thompson
2004-05-30 16:20:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by Blair P. Houghton
Post by Jim Thompson
_Fat_ lizard about 2' total length
You mean like the /Sauromalus obesus/, which, as far as my
lack of Latin leads me to infer, means "fat, mean lizard."
http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpeciesSH.asp?curGroupID=7&shapeID=1059&curPageNum=8&recnum=AR0073
Post by Jim Thompson
Body: Steely gray with a rough texture
Tail: The whole tail is a smooth orange color
Whazzit?
Sure sounds like a Chuckwalla. Apparently their coloration
varies. But 2 feet? Chuckwallas are only supposed to
get to 18 inches, and the only kind of American lizard
that gets bigger (3 feet) is the Beaded Lizard, of which
the Gila Monster is the most famous member.
Basically, in Arizona, either you have a beaded lizard (and
beaded skin would be a giveaway) or you have an overgrown
Chuckwalla (lose, wrinkly skin), or someone has dumped
their "exotic pet" on your block and there's no way we'll
be able to figure out what it is.
--Blair
"Oh. I know. Do like the Crocodile
Hunter and offer it your infant. If it's
a chuckwalla, it'll ask for a nice cactus
berry instead. But a beaded lizard will
wonder if its eyes aren't just being bigger
than its stomach, and ask you to pass the
salt."
This guy is _big_, and the tail is so distinct that it looks
painted... suddenly solid bright orange from base to tip.

He's elusive. I saw him (or a likeness) a few times last year. I'll
try for a photograph.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Blair P. Houghton
2004-05-30 22:33:22 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jim Thompson
This guy is _big_, and the tail is so distinct that it looks
painted... suddenly solid bright orange from base to tip.
I'd say the giveaway would be the loose, wrinkled skin
on the sides of the body behind the front legs.

I'd also say if you could get a picture with something
calibrating in context so you could really know if he's
2 feet or just scary-magnified you might get your name
in some herpetological record book somewhere.

The bright orange tail sounds really familiar, too.
Like I'd read about it only last week. And I think I was
reading about chuckwallas. In fact, I think it was in
Clay Thompson's book, _Valley 101_. Which naturally is
8 inches from my computer. When my computer is at home.
Which it isn't. Because I'm avoiding work at work right
now. On a Sunday. Chasing a futile bug with a futile
debugger.

--Blair
"What I really want to do is get a proper
translation of 'sauromalus'..."
Blair P. Houghton
2004-05-31 01:28:07 UTC
Permalink
Post by Blair P. Houghton
The bright orange tail sounds really familiar, too.
Like I'd read about it only last week. And I think I was
reading about chuckwallas. In fact, I think it was in
Clay Thompson's book, _Valley 101_. Which naturally is
8 inches from my computer. When my computer is at home.
Which it isn't.
Now it is. But the reference isn't in the book. Maybe in
a recent column.

Anyway, Google to the rescue. "Lizard Orange Tail" comes up
with this site in the first couple of links, and it has this
picture which I'm sure will have you going "THAT'S IT!" before
I can even stop typing:

http://chainreaction.asu.edu/desert/digin/chuckwallas.htm

Loading Image...

Cool. The one you saw is unique to our backyard. And you
may have located the biggest Chuckwalla ever, besides.

--Blair
"Get them record books ready, kids."
Jim Thompson
2004-05-31 15:11:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by Blair P. Houghton
Post by Blair P. Houghton
The bright orange tail sounds really familiar, too.
Like I'd read about it only last week. And I think I was
reading about chuckwallas. In fact, I think it was in
Clay Thompson's book, _Valley 101_. Which naturally is
8 inches from my computer. When my computer is at home.
Which it isn't.
Now it is. But the reference isn't in the book. Maybe in
a recent column.
Anyway, Google to the rescue. "Lizard Orange Tail" comes up
with this site in the first couple of links, and it has this
picture which I'm sure will have you going "THAT'S IT!" before
http://chainreaction.asu.edu/desert/digin/chuckwallas.htm
http://chainreaction.asu.edu/desert/digin/images/chucktails.gif
Cool. The one you saw is unique to our backyard. And you
may have located the biggest Chuckwalla ever, besides.
--Blair
"Get them record books ready, kids."
Close but the body doesn't look the same.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Blair P. Houghton
2004-06-02 04:35:54 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jim Thompson
Post by Blair P. Houghton
Post by Blair P. Houghton
The bright orange tail sounds really familiar, too.
Like I'd read about it only last week. And I think I was
reading about chuckwallas. In fact, I think it was in
Clay Thompson's book, _Valley 101_. Which naturally is
8 inches from my computer. When my computer is at home.
Which it isn't.
Now it is. But the reference isn't in the book. Maybe in
a recent column.
Anyway, Google to the rescue. "Lizard Orange Tail" comes up
with this site in the first couple of links, and it has this
picture which I'm sure will have you going "THAT'S IT!" before
http://chainreaction.asu.edu/desert/digin/chuckwallas.htm
http://chainreaction.asu.edu/desert/digin/images/chucktails.gif
Cool. The one you saw is unique to our backyard. And you
may have located the biggest Chuckwalla ever, besides.
"Get them record books ready, kids."
Close but the body doesn't look the same.
Maybe it's a Pontiac using a Chevy mill.

I mean, how many lizards could possibly have bright orange tails?

--Blair
"Maybe it's a gator what fucked a chuck."
James J. Lippard
2004-07-04 15:26:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jim Thompson
Post by Blair P. Houghton
Post by Blair P. Houghton
The bright orange tail sounds really familiar, too.
Like I'd read about it only last week. And I think I was
reading about chuckwallas. In fact, I think it was in
Clay Thompson's book, _Valley 101_. Which naturally is
8 inches from my computer. When my computer is at home.
Which it isn't.
Now it is. But the reference isn't in the book. Maybe in
a recent column.
Anyway, Google to the rescue. "Lizard Orange Tail" comes up
with this site in the first couple of links, and it has this
picture which I'm sure will have you going "THAT'S IT!" before
http://chainreaction.asu.edu/desert/digin/chuckwallas.htm
http://chainreaction.asu.edu/desert/digin/images/chucktails.gif
Cool. The one you saw is unique to our backyard. And you
may have located the biggest Chuckwalla ever, besides.
--Blair
"Get them record books ready, kids."
Close but the body doesn't look the same.
...Jim Thompson
If you want to talk to a local lizard expert, call Dr. Johnson at
University Animal Hospital. http://www.universityvet.com/drjhnsn.html
AZGuy
2004-06-06 18:18:17 UTC
Permalink
Possibly a Gila Monster, which I believe are rather poisonous.

http://www.whozoo.org/anlife2000/jamiebritt/gilaindexrev.html


On Tue, 25 May 2004 16:32:46 -0700, Jim Thompson
Post by Jim Thompson
_Fat_ lizard about 2' total length
Body: Steely gray with a rough texture
Tail: The whole tail is a smooth orange color
Whazzit?
...Jim Thompson
--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789
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