Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus uniformis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyPhrynosomatidae (Frinosomàtids)
- GenusSceloporus (Spiny Lizards)
- SpeciesSceloporus uniformis (Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard)
Sceloporus uniformis, also known as the yellow-backed spiny lizard, is a reptile of the family Phrynosomatidae. It is native to the Mojave, Great Basin, and San Joaquin deserts. Until recently, it was considered to be a subspecies of Sceloporus magister. Wikipedia →
60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard sighting in Zion National Park, based on 287 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Zion National Park
Plateau Fence Lizard
Sceloporus tristichus
Sagebrush Lizard
Sceloporus graciosus
Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister
Western Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis
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
☀️ 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 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard in Zion National Park?
About 63% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard sighting in Zion National Park, based on 287 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard in Zion National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard in Zion National Park in our monthly data.