#408 Western Fence Lizard #408
by William Lum
Title
#408 Western Fence Lizard #408
Artist
William Lum
Medium
Painting - Watercolor
Description
This my watercolor painting of a Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), which is a common lizard of Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Northern Mexico, and the surrounding area. This particular lizard was in my backyard in Roseville, California. As the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly. Males defend their territory and try to attract females with head-bobbing and a push-up display that exposes the blue throat and ventral colors. Territories are ultimately defended by physical combat with other males.
These lizards like all reptiles are ectothermic (cold blooded) and need to sun themselves at every opportunity in prominent places like rocks and fence posts making them easy prey for birds and snakes; as a result the lizards have developed fast reflexes. Sceloporus occidentalis lives up to five or six years, but because of predators they typically live only one year.
In California, western black-legged ticks (deer ticks) are the primary carriers of Lyme disease. Very tiny nymphal deer ticks are more likely to carry the disease than adults. A protein in the blood of Western Fence Lizards kills the bacterium in these nymphal ticks when they attach themselves to a lizard and ingest the lizard's blood. This could explain why Lyme disease is less common in California than it is in some areas such as the Northeastern states, where it is epidemic.
This 15” X 22” watercolor was done on Arches, 140 lb, rough paper.
Uploaded
November 15th, 2019
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