General Description: With a big head, big powerful jaws, and the ability to run on their hind legs, these are the Velociraptors of the desert. They are easily recognized by the smooth scales and two black neck bands.

Taxonomy: Collared and Leopard Lizard Family (Crotaphytidae).

Technical Description: A moderately large (total length 9 to 11 in.) lizard with a stocky body and a relatively large head. The body color is dark with contrasting light spots and bars, while the color of the tail and limbs is light with contrasting dark spots. This species can be recognized from other species of large lizards by the presence of two black neckbands. The background color varies, and it can be green during the breeding season in the spring. Some other species of lizards in southern Nevada (e.g., Desert Spiny Lizards) have dark marks on the neck, but none has the two complete neck bands seen on Collared Lizards. These lizards have fine, smooth scales that look more like skin than scales. The tail is laterally flattened.

Diet: These lizards are voracious predators that can run on their hind legs to capture prey or escape other predators. They feed on insects, lizards, small rodents, berries, and leaves.

Habitat: Occurs in a variety of habitats including Mojave desert scrub, salt desert scrub, mesquite/catclaw, desert riparian, blackbrush, sagebrush, and pinyon-juniper habitats (Lower Sonoran, Upper Sonoran, and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland habitat types) in rocky terrain: arroyos, hill slopes, washes with sparse vegetative cover up to an elevation of 7,500 ft.

Range: The species occurs throughout the Great Basin and the other southwestern deserts north of Mexico.

Breeding: Breeds in the spring. When gravid, females get orange bars on the sides of the body.

Similar Species: No other species in Nevada has two back neck bands, but in areas to the east, watch for Common Collared Lizards, which are more colorful and have tails that are round in cross section.

Comments: This species formerly was called the Desert Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus insularis), subspecies Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus insularis bicinctores).