Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello all I have a ? was at my local pet store and noticed they had some collareds. They are a very atractive lizard, but do they come in different color morphs.
Thanks for your time Bill

Hi Bill,

Collared lizards ARE one of the most attractive reptiles in the world, and their unique adaptations and behaviors make them especially rewarding to observe in captivity. Although there is much controversy involving the number of species among different authors, 9 are currently recognized. The species that you are most likely to find in the pet trade are (first 2 being most common):

Crotaphytus collaris
Crotaphytus bicinctores

Crotaphytus nebrius
Crotaphytus vestigium
Crotaphytus dickersonae

C. collaris has the largest geographic range and is perhaps the most variable in color. Although some would call them "color morphs," these are mostly diffferences in "locality." Some in this forum would say that they are subspecies, and may give them names such as C. c. auriceps, C. c. fuscus, C. c. collaris, etc... but these names have not been shown to be valid internationally. In any case, the differences in color exist, and you will find that names such as "aquaflame" and "yellow-head" are highly desirable "localities" of C. collaris.

Go to William Wells' Crazy Crotaphytus website to look at some of the differences among the collaris species, as well as others.

http://www.geocities.com/crotaphytus/

Enjoy!
-----
Fabián Aguirre
Zookeeper/ Freshwater Aquarist
Department of Herpetology and Freshwater Biology
The Dallas World Aquarium
(214) 720-2224
fabian@dwazoo.com
www.dwazoo.com