Herptiles

Sceloporus graciosus

Common Sagebrush Lizard

Sceloporus graciosus (Baird & Girard, 1852)

Basic info

Common names
  • Sagebrush Lizard
  • Mountain Swift [gracilis]
  • Common Sagebrush Lizard
Species nameSceloporus graciosus
Scientific nameSceloporus graciosus Baird & Girard, 1852
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Squamata
Phrynosomatidae
Sceloporus graciosus
Max SVL 3.5 inch

Further Reading

Temperatures & Season

Day time temperatures

Background summer25 - 30 °F
Background winter5 - 10 °F
Basking spot30 - 40 °F

Night time temperatures

Background summer15 - 20 °F
Background winter5 - 10 °F

Season

Winter treatmentbrumation
Photoperiod summer14 hours
Photoperiod winter10 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
  • Foliage or shrubs
    Foliage or shrubs

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 Common Sagebrush Lizard 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 Common Sagebrush Lizard can obtain at its closest approach to its UVB lamp. The highlighted area in the table below represents this range for the Common Sagebrush Lizard.

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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 (23317 occurrences)

Biomes

These are the biomes the Common Sagebrush Lizard was found in. Click here to learn more about terrestrial ecoregions and biomes.

  • Te
    Temperate Coniferous Forests

    Click here for more information

  • Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
    Deserts and Xeric Shrublands

    Click here for more information

More species to explore

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Sceloporus olivaceus (Smith, 1934)

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Texas Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma cornutum (Harlan, 1825)

Eastern Collared Lizard

Crotaphytus collaris (Say, 1822)

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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. Sceloporus graciosus Baird & Girard, 1852 in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org
  3. Baird, S.F. and Girard,C. Characteristics of some new reptiles in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
  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