What Is a Leopard Lizard?
There are three generally-accepted species of leopard lizard — the long-nosed, or Gambelia wislizenii; the blunt-nosed, also known as Gambelia sila, and Cope’s, or Gambelia copeii. The long-nosed variety is mainly found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, though it is sometimes found in southeast Oregon and Idaho. The blunt-nosed type is typically seen only in the deserts of Central California, while Cope’s leopard lizard may be found in southern California and in the part of Mexico known as Baja California. Lizards of the genus Gambelia are characterized by a gray, yellow, or brown body covered with a pattern of spots and crossbars. They also typically have a light-colored underbody and gray markings on the underside of the neck. They can range from about 3 to a little more than 5 in (7.6 to 14.6 cm) long, not including the tail.
