The Scrub Lizard: A Florida endemic

The search had not begun as a jaunt to find the Florida scrub lizard, Sceloporus woodi. That wasn't even close to the reason. Rather it had been my hope of finding a little spotted skunk that had brought Jake and me to Okeechobee County.

But spotted skunks (which we failed to find, by the way) are primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, and that left us with many hours of daylight to delve into other pursuits. So, having no real plans. we accessed an eastbound road and our next stop was in some scrub habitat in Martin County.

At that point we both recalled that we would like to update our photos of the scrub lizard, so Sceloporus woodi became our new secondary target.

Restricted to sandy areas from the latitude of Marion County southward, the little scrub lizard is a localized Florida endemic. A smaller adult size (to 6 1/4"), smaller scales, a well defined brown lateral line, and less black pigment on the belly differentiate the scrub lizard from the sympatric fence lizard, Sceloporus undulatus.

And unlike the skunk (that, despite several additional nights of trying we still haven't found), the habitat and locale in which we were then standing proved ideal for the scrub lizards. They were found and photographed, allowing us to consider the trip at least a partial success. And at the price of petrol nowadays, successes on road trips, be they accidental or intended, are evermore appreciated.

More photos under the jump...

Scrub lizards are often seen on the ground where they blend admirably with browned vegetation: A comparison of the belly pattern and color: male southern fence lizard, left; male scrub lizard, right:

Author, photographer, and columnist Richard Bartlett is one of the most prolific writers on herpetological subjects in the 20th century. With hundreds of books and articles to their credit, Richard and his wife Pat have spent over four decades documenting reptiles both in the field and in captivity. For a list of their current titles, please visit their page in our bookstore.