General Distribution
The long-nosed leopard lizard is widely distributed in the Great Basin, Mojave and
Colorado deserts of California, and west at the southern end of the Central Valley into Santa
Barbara Co. and eastern Kern Co. It frequents a variety of desert woodland and scrub
habitats up to 1800 m (5900 ft). It prefers sandy or gravelly flats and plains, and is less
common in rocky areas. The greatest densities have been observed in creosote flats. This
lizard becomes active later in the spring than do other lizards, usually not until mid-April, and
is not found after mid-August (Stebbins 1954, McCoy 1967, Montanucci 1967, Parker and
Pianka 1976, Tollestrup 1979, 1983). Habitat Requirements
This species excavates its own burrows in sandy and friable soils and probably
uses rodent burrows. This lizard occupies desert flats and woodlands with sandy or gravelly
substrates. Reproduction
Courtship occurs in late April to mid-May. Nesting occurs from May to
June and the young appear in August. Average clutch size is 5-6 with a range of 2-11, and
occasionally two clutches are produced (Parker and Pianka 1976, Tollestrup 1983). In those
years when rainfall is inadequate to support plant growth for insects and, indirectly, other
insect-eating lizards, the long-nosed leopard lizard does not reproduce (Tollestrup 1983). Daily/Seasonal Activity
Adults are active from mid-April to mid-August. This lizard is diurnal and
can be active all day when the weather is mild to warm. In hotter weather it is active early and
late in the day, and in the hottest months only in the mornings. It emerges in mid-April and is
active until August. Young emerge in August, when adults are ceasing activity. This may
prevent cannibalism (Tollestrup 1979). Diet and Foraging
This lizard eats insects (grasshoppers, beetles, etc.), lizards (Callisaurus,
Cnemidophorus, Phrynosoma, etc.) and occasionally some plant material (Stebbins 1954,
Dixon 1967, Tollestrup 1979). Territoriality/Home Range
This species has home ranges as Iarge as several ha.
This lizard is not known to defend a territory. Predator-Prey Relations
This lizard is probably preyed upon by Crotalus cerastes, Masticophis, roadrunners
and other avian predators. Loggerhead shrikes take young lizards and an attack by a prairie
falcon has been observed. Literature Cited
Dixon, J. R. 1967. Aspects of the biology of lizards of the White Sands, New Mexico. Los
Angeles Co. Mus. Contrib. Sci. 129:1-22.
McCoy, C. J. 1967. Natural history notes on Crotaphytus wislizenii (Reptilia: Iguanidae) in
Colorado. Am. Midl. Nat. 77:138-146.
Montanucci, R. R. 1967. Further studies on leopard lizards, Crotaphytus wislizenii.
Herpetologica 23:119-126.
Parker, W, S., and E. R. Pianka. 1976. Ecological observations on the leopard lizard
(Crotaphytus wislizenii) in different parts of its range. Herpetologica 32:95-114.
Stebbins, R. C. 1954. Amphibians and reptiles of western North America. McGraw-Hill,
New York. 536pp.
Tollestrup, K. 1979. The ecology, social structure, and foraging behavior of two closely
related species of leopard lizards, Gambelia silus and Gambelia wislizenii. Ph.D.
Thesis, Univ. California, Berkeley. 146pp.
Tollestrup, K. 1983. Growth and reproduction in two closely related species of leopard
lizards, Gambelia silus and Gambelia wislizenii. Am. Midl. Nat. 108:1-20.
Information gathered from California DFG - California Interagency Wildlife Task Group
