Almost every type of lizard is technically a rock lizard. Since lizards are cold-blooded, they typically bask on warm rocks to regulate their body temperature. Lizards also often use the crevices in rocks as hiding places and eat vegetation that grows on rocks. There is a specific group of lizard species known as rock lizards that live around the world, including the California, banded, Mearn’s, Baja blue and Iberian rock lizard.
Most rock lizards are small and have square scales on their bellies and smaller bead-like scales on their heads, legs, and back. Their tails are usually as long as or longer than their bodies. They are typically plant-eaters, consuming flowers, fruits, and blossoms. Some rock lizards also eat insects and insect larvae.
The California rock lizard, also known as the banded rock lizard, lives in the eastern deserts of California in the United States. This tiny lizard customarily flattens itself against large boulders in order to scuttle easily around their large curved surfaces. These lizards are reported to be curious and allow people to approach close enough to see them clearly. Once startled, these rock lizards disappear into a crevice for safety.
The Mearn’s rock lizard is closely related to California rock lizards but lives closer to the border of Mexico. Baja blue rock lizards inhabit Baja, California, and rocky areas along Mexico’s western coast. These lizards often stand out with their vibrantly-colored blue heads, orange or red eye rings, yellow necks with blue spots, and gray backs and tails.
Aran rock lizards are only found in a tiny area of the Pyrenees, a mountainous area between Spain and France. These reptiles are small, with adults typically growing to only about 7 inches (180 mm) long. Two-thirds of their length is in their tail. Arans have dark brown heads and sides with lighter brown backs and yellow or green bellies. They are listed as critically endangered because of habitat loss due to grazing land and ski resorts.
Iberian rock lizards have a variety of habitats, both in the mountains and at sea level. Two separate species of Iberian rock lizard inhabit Spain and Portugal, mostly in places where large boulders exist near scrub and trees. These lizards typically have the characteristic spread-eagle, flattened bodies with long legs and tails of other rock lizards. Males, at about 8 inches (20.32 cm), are generally larger than females and have bright green and blue spots, while females have light brown bodies with light green bellies. These lizards hibernate from November to March to avoid their seasonally cold climates.