On Thursday morning Kathryn and Amanda surprised me with a lethargic lizard wrapped in a garden glove. They found it lodged between the building and the flower bed they were cleaning up. It looks suspiciously like the one we released near the same spot three years earlier. I have seen it several times in the vicinity.
That was first period. We kept it overnight for observation. Below is my 7th period Taste of Science class on a mission to return it to where it was found.
This lizard is appropriately named. Its scales lay down flat when you rub them from head to tail. Rub it the opposite way and your skin will catch on the points of the scales. Spiny indeed.
Texas spiny lizards are common in Oklahoma and northeastern Mexico. The grow from 7 1/2 to 11 inches long. They are active during the day and are avid tree and fence climbers.
The dark lines on its upper legs indicate that its a female. Males have blues markings down the underside along the abdomen.
Her diet will consist of insects. Small has suffered numerous spikes in the cricket population. We often find them in the building even on the third floor. We could use a few more of her kind.
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