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5 2 BULLETIN CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 32
homologous. However, a survey of the ventrolateral
coloration over the entire activity season has not
been completed for each species and an assessment
of homology is not possible.
Breeding male Crotaphyfics insularis are charac-
terized by olive green ventrolateral coloration that
contrasts strongly with their brown dorsal colora-
tion. Coloration that is identical in appearance oc-
curs in C. vestigiurn males from the northern part
of their range (north of Bahia de San Luis Gonzaga,
Baja California, Mexico). Between Bahia de San Luis
Gonzaga and Bahia de Los Angeles (a distance of
approximately 120 km), a shift in ventrolateral col-
oration from olive green to golden orange occurs.
The golden orange coloration is present in C. ses-
tigium at least from Bahia de Los Angeles south-
ward. In C. nebrius, coloration similar to that ob-
served in southern C. vestigium may be present. This
coloration has been observed in specimens from the
Mohawk Mountains (Yuma County, Arizona), the
Tucson Mountains (Pima County, Arizona), and
66.6 mi W Sonoita along Mexican Highway 2, and
suggests that orange ventrolateral breeding colora-
tion is characteristic of the species. Crotaphyfus
dickersonae and some C. collaris (those with tur-
quoise or green dorsal coloration) may have bluish
ventrolateral coloration.
Ventrolateral coloration was coded as an unor-
dered multistate character with the absence of ven-
trolateral coloration coded as state 0, the presence
of olive green coloration coded as state 1, the pres-
ence of orange coloration coded as state 2, and the
presence of bluish coloration as state 3. Crotaphyfus
vestigium is polymorphic for this feature with states
1 and 2 present; C. nebrius is assigned state 2; C.
dickersonae is assigned state 3; and C. collaris is
assigned states 0 and 3. All other Crotaphytus and
Gambelia are assigned state 0. No attempt was made
to polarize this character.
Dorsal Coloration (Character 85; Fig. 30-32; some
character states are not observable in preserved
specimens).-The dorsal coloration of adult male
Crotaphytus is characterized by much interspecific
variation. Crotaphytus reticulatus has a dorsal col-
oration of golden tan, while C. nebritts has a similar
straw yellow coloration that lacks the golden hue of
C. reticulatrts. Crotaphytrrs dickersonae is unique
among Crotaphytus in that its coloration ranges from
aquamarine to cobalt blue. The coloration of this
species is generally dissimilar to that of C. collaris,
although the aquamarine phase of C. dickersonae is
occasionally approached by C. collaris. Crotapli)~ttrs
bicinctores, C. antiquus, C. grismeri, C. insularis,
and C. vestigium have a brown dorsal coloration.
Crotaphyfus collaris is extremely variable geograph-
ically, with some populations characterized by a tur-
quoise body pattern with a yellow head (eastern Ar-
izona, eastern Utah, western Colorado, western New
Mexico, as well as some Great Plains populations,
for example Altus, Oklahoma, and Flint Hills, Kan-
sas), others by a bright green coloration (many east-
em populations), others by a pale to dark brown
coloration (Chihuahuan Desert populations in
southern New Mexico, western Texas, and Chihua-
hua, Mexico), and still others by a combination of
olive green and/or gray (Coahuila, Durango, Zaca-
tecas). Most populations of Gambelia are off-white
to tan in coloration. However, G. copei may range
from golden tan to dark brown. An unordered mul-
tistate character was coded with the off-white to tan
coloration of most Gambelia represented by state
0, the golden tan of C. reticulatus by state 1, the
straw yellow coloration of C. nebrius by state 2, the
blue coloration of C. dickersonae and some C. col-
laris by state 3, a brown coloration by state 4, and
green and/or gray coloration by state 5. Crotaphyircs
collaris is considered polymorphic with states 3, 4,
and 5 present, as is G. copei with states 0 and 4.
This character was not polarized.
BEHAVIORAL
CHARA~ERS
Saxicoly (Character 86). - Gambelia and Crota-
phytus reticulatus generally occur in flatland desert
habitats and have a generalized terrestrial lifestyle.
Montanucci (1965, 1967, 1969, 197 1) performed
ecological investigations of Gambelia silus, G. wis-
lizenii, and C. reticulatus and concluded that they
are virtually ecological equivalents. Although each
will utilize rocks as perching points when they are
available, they often are found in areas quite re-
moved from any rocky habitat. Also consistent with
the assumption that the terrestrial lifestyles of Gam-
belia and C. reticulatus are homologous is the com-
mon utilization of "freeze behavior" in G. wislizenii
(McCoy, 1967), G. copei, and C. reticulatus. Mon-
tanucci (1 967) described a similar behavior in young
G. silus, although he later suggested that this be-
havior is rare in this species (Montanucci, 1978).
When disturbed, these species often take refuge be-
neath a nearby bush and remain motionless, ap-
parently relying on crypsis to avoid detection. In
many cases, the lizard can be approached within
one or two meters without causing it to flee. In con-
trast with the terrestrial lifestyles of Gambelia and
C. reticulatus, the remaining species of Crotaphytus
are saxicolous such that they appear to be extremely