Dipsosaurus dorsalis
May 14, 2022: Kelso Dunes, San Bernardino County, California
This amazing lizard was found during a Vertebrate Biology field trip to the Mojave Desert, at Kelso Dunes. While I was walking not far from the parking area, someone called out “DESERT IGUANA” so I started to head in that direction, all the while yelling back to try and figure out exactly where they’d found the lizard. I caught up with them near the bottom of a rise.
Gorgeous! I’d never seen this species before, and it is a seriously cool lizard. Pretty big – maybe 20 inches long – and beautifully patterned. This had been one of my “wish list” species for this trip, and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest!
Later, I also found some footprints that I was able to identify as Desert Iguana (with the help of some folks online).
Let me know what you think!