Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Gambelia sila (Gambelia sila), recorded as Endangered
Gambelia sila (Gambelia sila). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Gambelia sila

Gambelia sila

Gambelia sila is a lizard or snake in the family Crotaphytidae, recorded as Endangered and tied to United States.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Gambelia sila
Recorded from
United States
Taxonomy
Squamata · Crotaphytidae · Gambelia

Appearance

It has a long, regenerative tail. Long, powerful hind limbs, and a short, blunt snout. Although the blunt-nosed leopard lizard is darker than other leopard lizards, it exhibits tremendous variation in dorsal color and pattern. The background color ranges from yellowish or light gray-brown to dark brown, depending on the surrounding soil color and vegetation.

Adult males are slightly larger than females, ranging in size from 3.4 to 4.7 inches (86 to 119 mm) in length, excluding tail.

Range and habitat

Gambelia sila is found only in Southern California. It used to be found in the San Joaquin Valley and adjacent foothills ranging from Stanislaus County, in the south, to the northern tip of Santa Barbara County. Even so, it is only found in elevations of 800 meters (2,600 feet) and below.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Diet and breeding

The diet of Gambelia sila mainly consists of an assortment of invertebrates and other lizards. It is an agile predator, with the ability to leap 60 centimetres (2 feet), making it very easy for it to catch its prey.

In G. Sila the breeding season is initiated in April and lasts into or through June. During the breeding season, females are recognized by the bright red-orange markings on the sides of the head and body and the undersides of the thighs and tail.

In crisis

Gambelia sila, also known as the blunt-nosed leopard lizard, is listed as a federal endangered species and is listed by the State of California as an endangered species and fully protected species.

Gambelia sila is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Gambelia sila, Wikidata item Q3019109. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Also in this catalog

Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii
Photograph of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

Quick answers

What is Gambelia sila?
Gambelia sila is a lizard or snake in the family Crotaphytidae.
What is the conservation status of Gambelia sila?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Gambelia sila. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Gambelia sila live?
In the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley it can be found in Pixley National Wildlife Refuge, Liberty Farm, Allensworth, Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Antelope Plain, Buttonwillow, Elk Hills, Lost Hills, and Tupman Essential Habitat Areas. On the Carrizo and Elkhorn Plains; north of Bakersfield around Poso Creek; in western Kern County in the area around the towns of Maricopa, McKittrick, and Taft; at the Kern Front Oil Field; at the base of the Tehachapi Mountains on the Tejon Ranch, and just west of the California Aqueduct on the Tejon Ranch and Rancho San Emidio.
Why is Gambelia sila in crisis?
Gambelia sila, also known as the blunt-nosed leopard lizard, is listed as a federal endangered species and is listed by the State of California as an endangered species and fully protected species.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Gambelia sila?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Gambelia sila a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.