The California rock lizards are a genus (Petrosaurus) of New World lizards in the family Phrynosomatidae.Smith, H.M. and E.D. Brodie, Jr. 1982. Reptiles of North America, A Guide to Field Identification. Golden Press. New York. pp. 110-111.
Geographic range They are endemic to southern California, United States, and Baja California and Baja California Sur, Mexico.Stejneger, Leonhard and Thomas Barbour. 1917. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts. pp. 50-52.
Habitat This lizard species lives almost exclusively on rock outcrops, boulder piles, and canyon walls, where it shelters under rocks. Their habitat consists of arid and semiarid foothills and canyons along the western margin of the Colorado Desert.
Reproduction The courtship begins shortly after emergence in early spring. The eggs are laid around June and July.
Predators The few predators that could pursue this lizard are collared lizards and avian predators, such as hawks, ravens, and roadrunners.
Species The genus Petrosaurus contains four species. Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Petrosaurus mearnsi (Stejneger, 1894) banded rock lizard southern California, United States, and Baja California, Mexico Petrosaurus repens (Van Denburgh, 1895) Baja California and Baja California Sur, Mexico Petrosaurus slevini (Van Denburgh, 1922) banded rock lizard Baja California, Mexico Petrosaurus thalassinus (Cope, 1863) Baja blue rock lizardThe Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. Baja California Sur, Mexico
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