Arizona Reptiles

A coiled Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
showing its forked tongue.
Portal, Arizona. Photo courtesy of Matt McCluskey.

On a recent trip to Arizona, Diane and I got to see some fantastic reptiles.  We were with a group visiting the great birding spots in southeastern Arizona and western New Mexico.  While we were looking at birds these cold-blooded creatures kept popping up.

Desert Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola).
Cochise County Arizona.

A Desert Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola) was dashing across a gravel road near the settlement of Portal, Arizona in the Chihuahuan Desert. The Desert Box Turtle is a relative of the Common Box Turtle (Terapenne carolina) that we often see in North Carolina.  Both these turtles have a domed top shell, a hinged bottom shell and fierce yellow-orange eyes.  The coloring of the shell of Desert Box Turtles is more muted than that of the Common Box Turtle so it blends in with its desert environment. We piled out of the van, had a good look at the turtle and than moved it across the road.  The Desert Box Turtle faces a number of threats including habitat loss and over-collection for the pet trade.  It was a pleasure to see this turtle walk away from us and out into the desert.

 

Desert Tortoise (Gopherus morafkai).
Pima County Arizona.

Another turtle of the desert we saw was the Sonoran Desert Tortoise (Gopherus morafkai).  This tortoise also has an eastern counterpart, the Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) of the southeastern United States.  The Sonoran Desert Tortoise has a high domed shell and what is described as elephantine legs.  Their front legs are large and clawed and are used to dig burrows where they can shelter from the heat. Tortoise burrows are shared by a wide variety of other reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates.  Sonoran Desert Tortoises get most of their water from their diet of plants and are most active during the monsoon season in late summer. 

Sonoran Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura macrolopha).
Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, Arizona. 

Lizards were abundant in the desert.  At the famed Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, they have a population of large lizards called Sonoran Spiny-tailed Iguanas (Ctenosaura macrolopha).  This lizard is native to the Sonoran Desert in Mexico and has become established at the Museum.  

Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater). 
Chiricahua Desert Museum, New Mexico.

We saw two other large lizards outside their natural range at the Chiricahua Desert Museum in Rodeo, New Mexico.  A Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) was basking on a boulder in the outdoor exhibits of the Museum. This hulking reptile has wrinkled skin and a blunt tail.  The normal range for the Common Chuckwalla is northwestern Mexico, western Arizona, southeastern California and southern Nevada.  

Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis). 
Chiricahua Desert Museum. New Mexico. 

A second lizard at the Chiricahua Desert Museum was the Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis).  This iguana is as lithe as the Chuckwalla is chunky.  Its range is similar to that of the Common Chuckwalla so it was out of its range in the Chihuahuan desert. The Desert Iguana has a blunt face, spots on the body and rings on its long tail.  

Sonoran Spotted Whiptail (Aspidocelis sonorae).
Santa Cruz County, Arizona. 

Whiptails were the most common lizards we encountered.  A few inches long, they would race across trails and disappear in the brush.  We found a Sonoran Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis sonorae) in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains, part of the Sonoran Desert.     

Clark's Spiny Lizard (Scleroporus clarkii).
Patagonia Lake State Park, Arizona. 

The most spectacular lizard we found was on the shores of Patagonia Lake, Arizona.  This man-made lake was formed by damming Sonoita Creek and is a magnet for wildlife.  A male Clark’s Spiny Lizard (Scleroporus clarkii) was walking along a dead willow branch.  He was trying to attract a mate by showing his iridescent blue belly and throat while doing pushups.  We never saw if he attracted a female but he sure caught our attention.

Elegant Earless Lizard (Holbrookia elegans). 
Patagonia Lake State Park, Arizona.

Another beautiful lizard from Patagonia Lake was the Elegant Earless Lizard (Holbrookia elegans).  As its name suggests this small lizard has no visible ear openings.  This male has bold orange and yellow markings on the side and chevron-shaped markings on the back.  

Some members of our group went out at night looking for rattlesnakes. They found several Western Diamondbacks (Crotalus atrox), a venomous snake that can reach five feet in length.  These impressive snakes hunt small mammals and were easily seen crossing the road.  Western Diamondbacks have large triangular heads that contain heat sensing organs they use to track their warm-blooded prey.  They have black, forked tongues they use to sense chemicals in their environment.  The defining characteristic of rattlesnakes is their rattle.  The rattle is made of keratin, the same protein that makes up the snake's scales.  Rattlesnakes shake their rattle to warn potential predators of their presence. Above the rattle the snake has several black and white bands on the tail.

Western Diamondback showing its large triangular head,
ringed tail and rattle.
Portal, Arizona. Photo courtesy of Matt McCluskey.

We had an outstanding snake encounter in Sabino Canyon near Tucson.  This recreation area is popular with hikers and families.  Just after sunrise, while we were walking among the cactus and acacia, we spotted a Western Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis) crawling down a burrow.  Nearby a Desert Kingsnake (Lampropetlis splendida) was coiled under a mesquite tree.  A half an hour later we passed the same spot again and the kingsnake and patch-nosed snake were locked in mortal combat.  The kingsnake was constricting the patch-nosed snake then the kingsnake began to consume the patch-nosed snake tail first.  The patch-nosed snake pulled its head from the burrow and the kingsnake began to eat it head first.  We left before the kingsnake had fully ingested the patch-nosed snake, but that single meal might last the kingsnake for several months.  

Western Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora lexalepis) entering a burrow. 
Sabino Canyon, Coronado National Forest, Arizona.

Desert Kingsnake (Lamproetlis splendida)
pulling the Western Patch-nosed Snake from a burrow.
Sabino Canyon, Coronado National Forest, Arizona.

The heads of both the Western Patch-nosed Snake and Desert Kingsnake 
are visible as the kingsnake constricts the patch-nosed snake. 
Sabino Canyon, Coronado National Forest, Arizona. 

Reptile diversity is high in the desert and we were privileged to see a generous slice during our travels. While some of these creatures are feared and even hated they are fascinating and essential components of the desert ecosystem. 

 

 

Sea Oats, River Oats

 

Uniola paniculata, Sea Oats grow on the dunes
of the Southeastern United States.
Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina. 

Sea Oats (Uniola paniculata) are spectacular plants of beach dunes in the Southeast.  These grasses can grow to six feet in height and thrive is harsh conditions of sunlight, heat, salt and drought.  The only source of fresh water for Sea Oats is rain and because of the sandy soil of their dune habitat that water drains quickly.  Sea Oats will not wilt until soil moisture reaches about 1% but recover quickly when water returns.  Too much water is harmful to Sea Oats.  If roots are waterlogged, even for a few days will cause the plant to die.  Sea Oats have extensive root systems and they are important plants in stabilizing dunes. The flowers of Sea Oats are born in flat structures called spikelets.  The spikelets give the plant their name because they resemble those made by oats.  Fruits mature in the spikelets and the seeds are carried away on the wind.  Marsh Rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris) that inhabit the dunes eat the fruits. Sea Oats are also a major food source for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis).  This federally endangered rodent is found only on Perdido Key in the panhandle of Florida where Sea Oats are abundant.  Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniecus) are also major consumers of Sea Oats.  

Sea Oats plant with mature fruits.
Palm Beach County, Florida.

Sea Oat fruits.
Palm Beach County, Florida.

River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) resemble Sea Oats.  River Oats are grasses that reach 3-4 feet and make oat-like spikelets bearing flowers.  As their name suggests, River Oats grow along river banks often in the riparian forest understory.  River Oats are very shade tolerant and are popular for landscaping shady areas.  River Oats are found from New York to Florida, from the Midwest to Texas and south into Mexico.   River Oats were once classified in the same genus as Sea Oats and the resemblance is striking, but are now recognized as distinct genus.  Many animals including; White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and the larvae of several moths and butterflies consume River Oat fruits and leaves.   

River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) growing beside a creek.
Rowan County, North Carolina.

River Oat flowers.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Sea oats stand as sentinels on the dunes, protecting the shoreline.  They are often planted during beach restoration and are protected by law in many southeastern states.   While Sea Oats are on the front line of erosion control, River Oats grow in creek-side forests, their seed heads nodding as they watch the river flow.

River Oats.
Rowan County, North Carolina.