Western Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyPhrynosomatidae (Frinosomàtids)
- GenusSceloporus (Spiny Lizards)
- SpeciesSceloporus occidentalis (Western Fence Lizard)
The western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is a species of lizard native to Arizona, New Mexico, and California, as well as Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Northern Mexico. The species is widely found in its native range and is considered common, often being seen in yards, or as the name implies, on fences. As the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly. Two western fence lizards have been reported with duplicated or forked tails, presumably following an autotomy. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Zion National Park
Plateau Fence Lizard
Sceloporus tristichus
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus uniformis
Sagebrush Lizard
Sceloporus graciosus
Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister
Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
Greater Short-horned Lizard
Phrynosoma hernandesi
Ornate Tree Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus
Desert Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma platyrhinos
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of Western Fence Lizard at Zion National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |