strange lizard..

[Arandani]

I think that I have asked more questions than answered.. But that's okay. Now it's time for yet another question of mine. Back at my home in California, I was constantly tormented by this strange lizard; and I can't tell you how many times I have poured myself over lizard species books, and herp identification books of all sorts. Time and time again when I would go herping out in the desert behind my house, I would see it and of course try to catch it or at least get a decent picture but it would run so unbelivably fast. Any who I was wondering if anyone here has ever seen a lizard like this before: It is green like a juvinile iguana, but with no markings of any sort on it's body. Much like that of an anole, but was about the size of a year old iggy.Infact that's what I thought it was at first, that was until I noticed that it had red eyes. I'm guessing that it was someones pet at one point and time until it somehow escaped or was set loose, because northern cali, is no place for a bright green lizard. Any ideas??

[JJFeldner]

Before you mentioned red eyes, I was about to give you my opinion that the animal in question is a baby Ctenosaur. There have been cases here in AZ of Ctenosaur young being spotted and actually captured over and above the bunch that live at the ASDM. Now, you say Desert in Northern California? Funny, but in my experience, desert does not extend to Northern California. Could you please be a bit more specific about the location. In any case, I have never heard of a lizard of any sort with red eyes. Unless, he had a hangover.

[Arandani]

The type of desert in wich I am speaking lies in and around a small town called Bishop. It is a high desert, and conditions in wich I am refering to lie at 15000 feet above sea level, reach a temperature High of 105 in the summer, and a low of 15 degrees below zero is not unheard of. If you look at a map of California I am talking about an area known as the owens valley. It's about 100 miles from any large city, and major land marks would include the Mamoth Mountain Ski Resort, Mono Lake, Devils Post Pile, and (the only other thing aside from mule days that we are famous for) Schats Bakery. Small towns to look for include Big Pine, Coso Junction, Lone Pine, Olancha.. Basically follow hwy 395 north and you'll find it.
Any who.. the land is nothing but scrub, sage, and red tufa rock. A herpers paradise for finding rattle snakes, king snakes, horned lizards, bull snakes, glossy snakes, whiptails, coach whips, tarantulas, ring necked lizards, some times rubber boas, and many other varieties of reptiles that locals refere to as the leopard lizard, ghost lizard, sand phantom, and 'that big black one'.
It hardly ever rains, it's almost always one temperature extreme or the other, and it was the last place that I would ever expect to see a bright green lizard. Especially since there is hardly a spot of green any where, and there are plenty of lizard eating birds about.

[JJFeldner]

although I would hardly call Bishop Northern CA. Nor am I prone to believe that Bishop is 15,000 ft in eleveation, especially since Mt Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous 48, is not very far away and it is under 15,000 feet high. I am familiar with everything you mentioned except "ring necked lizards." Having lived in CA most of my life, I am quite familiar with the herps there and a "ring necked lizard" ain't one of them. Please go to http://www.reptilesofaz.com, look at Collared Lizards (Crotaphytus bicinctores) and Desert Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus magister ssp) and tell us which one is the lizard in question.
Another site you can look at is http://www.californiaherps.com for a true ID of your lizard.
Personally, if I were you and you can't catch the strange red-eyed lizard, I would say just shoot it with .22 shot. Then, freeze it and get it to a university lab for ID.

[Arandani]

sceloporus magister. You lived in Cali? Where? And why do I get the impression that you are patronizing me? Read my prof., take not of the age, and take into consideration that I am no expert in herps, and don't pretend to be. Rather, as a kid I spent most of my time wandering the desert of the inyo and mono counties alone; herping. All I know are common names, and basic descriptions of lizards in that area. And seeing as how I no longer live there, I find it hard to shoot the hung over lizard from here.

[Arandani]

* note
But thanx for the advise any way.

[Donna]

FYI. Bishop California sits in Owens Valley at 4200 feet however peaks above the town itself rise to over 14000.

[Arandani]

Thank you for correcting me; I was estimateing the elevation of the town. And I'm actually quite surprised to see that there are quite a few people that know anything about my little spot on the map. Normally when I mention the owens valley everyone gets this twisted confused expression on their faces, and tell me that they don't know what on earth I'm talking about.