Long-Nosed Leopard Lizard
Scientific Name:
Gambelia wislizenii
Type:
Reptile
Habitat:
Flat arid and semi arid plains with vegetation such as sagebrush and creosote
Range:
Oregon and Idaho down to Baja California and north-central Mexico
Status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
This species is
NATIVE
to the Truckee Meadows.
Identification:
Long-nosed leopard lizards are moderately-sized lizards. They are between 3 and 6 inches long from snout to the base of their tails. Their tails may be twice as long as their bodies. As their name suggests, these lizards have a leopard-like coloration pattern on their bodies with dark spots on a lighter background. Their noses, however, are not as long as their name suggests. These lizards are called "long-nosed" mostly to distinguish them from blunt-nosed leopard lizards, which of noticeably small snouts.
Fast Facts:
Long-nosed leopard lizards can change colors between lighter cream and darker brown or gray.
These lizards are omnivorous, meaning they will eat both plants and animals. While they typically eat insects or small lizards and rodents, they will also eat berries and leaves.
When long-nosed leopard lizards are threatened, they may hiss along with fleeing to safety.
Sources:
National Parks Service, Long-Nosed Leopard Lizard, 2020, https://www.nps.gov/whsa/learn/nature/long-nosed-leopard-lizard.htm
California Herps, Long-Nosed Leopard Lizard, 2021, http://www.californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/g.wislizenii.html
IUCN Red List, Gambelia wislizenii, 2021, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/64015/12735686
Contributor(s):
Jill Katz (research, content, & photo)
Alex Shahbazi (edits & page design)