Lizards of Canada

All information taken from Canadian Skin & Scales written by Pat Bumstead

Canada has five species of lizards from three different families. Two species are found in the arid prairies, one skink lives in southern Ontario, and two species live in southern British Columbia.

Short-horned Lizard (Iguane à petites cornes) Phrynosoma hernandezi

Colour: Gray, yellowish or reddish brown, with two rows of dark spots on back

Reproduction: 6-30 live young born July or August

Habitat : Arid grasslands and scrub desert of Alberta, Saskatchewan south to Mexico

These amazing lizards have a unique defence of squirting blood from their eyes. Thought to result from a rise in blood pressure when threatened, they can rupture a blood vessel in the corner of their eyes, and squirt it as far as two metres.

• Sometimes called Horned or Horny Toads
• Females are bigger than males
• Body is wide, squat and flattened
• Back, sides and upper legs are covered with small spines, and the head has short, sharp spines projecting backwards
• Can change colour to match rock or sand habitat; nearly invisible if motionless
• Most abundant along south facing ravines
• Active during midday, and burrow into soil at night
• Rely on camouflage rather than speed for defense
• Flatten and tilt their bodies to catch the slanting sun's rays
• Preferred diet is ants, but also eat insects, snails and small snakes
• Threatened by loss of habitat and agricultural development

Northern Alligator Lizard (Lézard-alligator boreal) Elgaria caerulea

The largest lizards in Canada, these animals prefer cooler temperatures and are able to survive at higher elevations. This adaptation probably accounts for their presence in Canada, although they only live in the extreme southern portion.

Colour: Olive, greenish or bluish black, with indistinct blotches or spots

Reproduction: 2-15 live young born after 7-10 weeks

Habitat : Cool moist forest, dry woodland from British Columbia south to California

• Juveniles have a broad, light coloured stripe down the back
• Tail is up to half the body length, and fragile
• Courtship ritual involves neck biting
• Active at different times of day in different habitats
• Usually found under rotten logs, rocks or loose bark
• Exceptionally wary, taking cover at the first sign of danger
• Individuals with shorter tails have slower sprint speeds
• Are carnivorous, eating insects, small mammals, reptiles
• In the same family as legless lizards, or slowworms
• Time of mating varies in different latitudes
• Live in cool, moist forests up to 3,200 metres
• Known lifespan up to eight years

Five-lined Skink (Scinque pentaligne) Eumeces fasciatus

These are the common Blue-tailed Skinks of eastern North America, and the only lizard found in Ontario. They inhabit stable sand dunes and gardens in the Great Lakes region of Canada, and can be found on rocky slopes and under logs.

Colour: Black or brown with blue tail, and five light stripes down back

Reproduction: 10-18 eggs hatch after 1-2 months

Habitat : Moist woodlands and open forest of southern Ontario to the Gulf Coast

• Juveniles have very bright stripes, and a bright blue tail that fades as they age
• Terrestrial and climb only to escape predators or sun themselves on low branches
• Males establish a territory in breeding season, and develop a bright orange chin and jaw during that period
• Track their prey with a keen sense of smell; favourite foods are ants and spiders
• Become active only when full sun reaches their territory
• May overwinter in small groups, and can be found 2.4 metres underground
• Female stays near the nest for a day or so after the eggs hatch, but no parental care is given to the young
• Known lifespan up to six years
• Threatened by loss of habitat and poaching for the pet trade

Prairie Skink (Scinque des prairies) Eumeces septentrionalis

The Canadian population of these skinks has been separated from the one in the USA, which extends in a narrow band down to the Gulf Coast. They are the only lizard in Manitoba, and are limited to an area along the Assiniboine River.

Colour: Brown with four light stripes down the back

Reproduction: 5-18 eggs hatch after 3-4 months

Habitat : Sandy riversides from Manitoba south to Texas

• Breeding males have orange on the sides of the head
• Young have a bright blue tail that fades as they age
• Tail is fragile
• May construct burrows with entrances that form shallow dugouts under rocks
• Active dawn and dusk; shelter under rocks or in burrows during the heat of the day
• Food is mashed with their strong jaws before swallowing
• Inhabit sandy areas always close to water
• Hibernate in groups
• Limited to sandy areas, where loose soil allows them to burrow
• Cannot reproduce until three years of age, and only lay one clutch per year
• Illegal to keep them as pets in Manitoba, or collect them from the wild
• Threatened by loss of habitat and urban development

Western Skink (Scinque de l’ouest) Eumeces skiltonianus

These skinks have been found on islands off the coast of California. It is unknown how they reached the islands, but may have rafted out on mats of floating debris. Reptiles around the world have established island populations this way.

Colour: Brown or black, with four light stripes down the body

Reproduction: 2-6 eggs hatch after 2-3 months

Habitat : Open woodlands, grasslands of southern British Columbia to California

• Tail is longer than the body, and fragile
• Juveniles have a bright blue tail
• Breeding males have red lips and chin, and orange on the tip of the tail
• Scales may come off if the animal is roughly handled
• Extremely wary and agile
• Little is known of their life history
• Inhabit open bushy areas with abundant rocks
• Eat insects and their larvae, spiders and worms
• Active during the day but are rarely seen, spending most of their time under rocks or in rotten logs
• Females guard the eggs until they hatch
• Also found on Vancouver Island, BC
• Known lifespan up to six years
• Threatened by loss of habitat, urban development and a naturally small population in Canada

With over 4,000 species, lizards are the largest living group of reptiles. They may look like salamanders, as most have four limbs and a long tail. However, lizards have dry, scaly skin, clawed feet and external ear openings that the amphibians do not. Like other animals, lizards have been killed by man for centuries for their flesh and eggs.

Habitat -Lizards live in a wide variety of environments: arid deserts and grasslands, warm oceans and forests of all kinds. They are found on the surface, beneath the ground and in trees. There are more species in the tropical areas, and two venomous species in the southern USA and Mexico.

Their body shape is associated with their lifestyle. Those living in dense vegetation or under the sand are long and slender. The slow-moving plant eaters are more heavily built. Some tree-dwelling lizards can glide through the air by extending a flap of skin along each side of their body. Lizards may have four legs, two legs, or no legs at all. The so-called legless lizards look like snakes, but have small remnants of limbs, external ear openings and movable eyelids.

Features -These reptiles cannot open their mouths to eat prey larger than their body. The two halves of their lower jaw are firmly attached, which restricts the size of the items they can eat. Their tongue is attached at the back of the mouth, and can be extended beyond the jaw to capture prey. Most species eat insects, small mammals, birds and other meat. Only 2% of lizard species are plant eaters.

Lizards have a third eyelid, or nictitating membrane, which protects their eyes. It covers the eye but is transparent so they can still see. With their eyes placed on the side of their head, they can see above, ahead and to the side. Sight is the most important sense for those that live on land. Their sense of smell is also essential for many species. They are able to pick up ground vibrations, but with external ears they can also hear airborne sounds.

Most lizards walk by moving one front leg and the opposite hind leg forward at the same time, then do the same with the other side. Some have very muscular hind legs and may walk or run with the front feet raised off the ground. Their legs and feet are adapted to their habitat - desert species have scales on their toes to help them walk on hot sand; climbing lizards have sharp claws or gripping pads on their toes.

Tails are used to store body fat, and for swimming, visual displays and balance. Some species have prehensile (gripping) tails. Lizards possess fragile tails, which means they are able to drop a portion of the tail if caught by a predator. Their tails have fracture points where they break off, and the muscles will contract and neatly separate. They are able to do this more than once, but each re-growth is smaller and lighter than the original tail.

Colour is very important for these animals. Some species blend almost perfectly into their environment, and some have bright flash colours on their undersides. In most species the males are more colourful, while the females are better camouflaged and more drab. Blending into their environment is the most important method of defence. They may also use sitting still, running, inflating their body and pushing up and down with their legs, jaw gaping, or weaving their tail and head around.

Family Life -Most species have a courtship display of ritual fighting among males. They threaten each other with head bobbing, loud noises, changing colour or displaying crests and throat fans. They may lunge forward and act as if they are going to bite. At the start of breeding season, males increase the number of displays to scare other males off their territory. The courtship only progresses to mating if the female is receptive.

There is little or no parental care of the young, but some species guard the eggs until they hatch. Very few species help the hatchlings emerge from the egg, or defend the newborns from predators.