About Sauromalus ater Duméril, 1856
The common chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater Duméril, 1856) is a large, flat-bodied lizard with a large rounded belly and a wide-based, blunt-tipped tail. It can reach a total length of 20 inches (51 cm) and a weight of 0.9 kg (2.0 lb). Small scales cover its entire body, while larger scales protect its ear openings. The lizard's coloration varies by geographic location, age, and sex. In adult males, the head, shoulder, and pelvic regions are black, and the midbody is light tan speckled with brown. Adult females are brownish with scattered dark red spots. Young chuckwallas have four or five broad bands across their bodies and three or four bands on their tails. Males lose these bands as they reach adulthood, while females retain them to some degree.
