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Collared Lizard

Oklahoma State Reptile

Eastern collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris); photo by Laura Gooch on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike).

Official State Reptile of Oklahoma

Oklahoma designated the collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) as the official state reptile symbol in 1969. All State Reptiles

Named "collared lizard" because of prominent black bands behind the head (also called 'mountain boomer' because it was once mistakenly thought to emit a sound that echoed through mountain valleys). A relatively long-lived lizard known to run upright on its hind legs, collared lizards also wave their tails (much like a cat) before grabbing their prey. The collared lizard can grow up to a foot long!

The male collared lizard's body is green and the head may be bright yellow. The male also has a brightly colored throat (blue, green or even orange), and may have blue patches on the belly, with sprinklings of white, yellow or red. Females are generally fawn or gray, taking on red or salmon-colored speckling during breeding season.

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