Herptiles

Sauromalus hispidus

Black Chuckwalla

Sauromalus hispidus (Stejneger, 1891)
Endangered (IUCN)

Basic info

Common names
  • Angel Island Chuckwalla
  • Spiny Chuckwalla
  • Black Chuckwalla
Species nameSauromalus hispidus
Scientific nameSauromalus hispidus Stejneger, 1891
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Squamata
Iguanidae
Sauromalus hispidus
Max SVL 12.5 inch

Further Reading

Temperatures & Season

Day time temperatures

Background summer30 - 35 °F
Background winter25 - 30 °F
Basking spot50 °F

Night time temperatures

Background summer25 - 30 °F
Background winter15 - 20 °F

Season

Winter treatmentcooling
Photoperiod summer13 hours
Photoperiod winter11 hours

Microhabitats

Microhabitats are specific small habitats that an organism inhabits within its broader environment. These can vary greatly depending on the species and can give us insights into the preferred living conditions of each reptile. Understanding these microhabitats can be key to providing the correct care for these animals in captivity.

  • Rocks, crevices or burrows
    Rocks, crevices or burrows

Ferguson Zones

Ferguson Zones are a way to classify the amount of UV light that reptiles are exposed to in their natural habitats. These zones help us understand and replicate their natural light conditions in captivity, promoting the health and wellbeing of the reptiles. Below, we detail the specific Ferguson Zones of the Chinese Water Dragon, along with recommendations for replicating these conditions

The Ferguson Zone in which the Black Chuckwalla has been placed has been chosen based upon an assessment of its typical basking behaviour and likely microhabitat in the wild.

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'Mid-day' open sun baskers
UVI range avarage: 2.6-3.5, UVI max recorded: 4.5-9.5

Recommended lighting methods in captivity

Sunbeam method

This method uses the 'Max UVI Recorded' value as a guide for the upper limit of the UVB gradient in captivity. This maximum should be the highest level which a Black Chuckwalla can obtain at its closest approach to its UVB lamp. The highlighted area in the table below represents this range for the Black Chuckwalla.

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More in-depth information about Ferguson zones can be found here: https://jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150

Community collected distribution (394 occurrences)

Biomes

These are the biomes the Black Chuckwalla was found in. Click here to learn more about terrestrial ecoregions and biomes.

More species to explore

Common Chuckwalla

Sauromalus ater (Duméril, 1856)

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Desert Iguana

Dipsosaurus dorsalis (Baird & Girard, 1852)

Guatemalan Spiny-tailed Iguana

Ctenosaura palearis (Stejneger, 1899)

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References

  1. Baines, F.M., Chattell, J., Dale, J., Garrick, D., Gill, I., Goetz, M., Skelton, T. and Swatman, M. 2016. How much UVB does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research. 4, 1 (Jan. 2016), 42–63. DOI:https://doi.org/10.19227/jzar.v4i1.150.
  2. Sauromalus hispidus Stejneger, 1891 in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org
  3. Stejneger, L. Description of a new North American lizard of the genus Sauromalus.
  4. Blackwell, Publishing & Ltd, & Meiri, Shai. (2008). Evolution and ecology of lizard body sizes. Global Ecology and Biogeography. 17. 724-. 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2008.00414.x.
  5. iNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org
This website is created by Jefrim Keijzer | All species