Blue Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus cyanogenys
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Texas Lizards: Identification Guide With Pictures
Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.
This page lists 51 lizards: all from Herps of Texas, Biodiversity Collections, Dept. of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin's Lizards of Texas.
All 51 lizards
From A to Z.
Broad-headed Skink
Plestiodon laticeps
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- About 6.5 to 12.75 inches in total length. Oklahoma gives about 12 inches for large adults and SREL up to 13 inches. Males are larger than females.
- How to recognize it
- Large, wide head; breeding males have swollen orange-red jowls.
- Smooth, glass-like scales, short legs and a stocky body.
- Upper-lip scales separate it from five-lined skinks: Maryland, Tennessee and North Carolina count five labial scales between the nostril and the eye rather than four. Oklahoma and Missouri count differently, around 8 or 9 in the full lip row.
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Brown Anole
Anolis sagrei
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- About 5 to 8.5 inches (12 to 21 cm) total length (SREL); Alabama DCNR says up to 9 inches, and the tail may be longer than the body.
- How to recognize it
- Males have an orange or red throat fan (dewlap) with a white edge.
- Brown to grayish with whitish or yellowish markings on the back; variable dark spots, half moons, triangles or lines.
- Fairly stout body and a shorter head than the green anole; slightly expanded toe pads.
Canyon Lizard
Sceloporus merriami
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail
Aspidoscelis exsanguis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Coal Skink
Plestiodon anthracinus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Common Checkered Whiptail
Aspidoscelis tesselata
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
No confirmed photo of Common Five-lined Skink
Common Five-lined Skink
Plestiodon fasciatus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- 5 to 8.5 inches
- How to recognize it
- Smooth, shiny scales
- Enlarged middle row of scales under the tail (separates it from the southeastern five-lined skink)
- Tail breaks off easily and twitches to distract predators; it grows back shorter
No confirmed photo of Common House Gecko
Common House Gecko
Hemidactylus frenatus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Common Lesser Earless Lizard
Holbrookia maculata
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
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Crevice Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus poinsettii
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Desert Grassland Whiptail
Aspidoscelis uniparens
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Dunes Sagebrush Lizard
Sceloporus arenicolous
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Eastern Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus collaris
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- Adult total length 8 to 14 inches (Missouri); up to about 14 inches (Colorado). Snout to vent up to 4.65 inches (Arizona).
- How to recognize it
- Large head, long tail about twice the body length, distinct black collar
- Round tail in cross-section, separating it from the Great Basin collared lizard; inside of mouth and throat often black
- Runs on its hind legs at top speed
Eastern Spotted Whiptail
Aspidoscelis gularis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
No confirmed photo of Four-lined Skink
Four-lined Skink
Plestiodon tetragrammus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Graphic Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus grammicus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
No confirmed photo of Gray Checkered Whiptail
Gray Checkered Whiptail
Aspidoscelis dixoni
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
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Great Plains Skink
Plestiodon obsoletus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Greater Earless Lizard
Cophosaurus texanus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Greater Short-horned Lizard
Phrynosoma hernandesi
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
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Green Anole
Anolis carolinensis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- 5 to 8 inches (12.5 to 20 cm) including the tail; the tail can be twice as long as the body.
- How to recognize it
- Males have a pink throat fan (dewlap); TWRA says females have a white throat.
- Sticky toe pads for climbing walls, fences, shrubs and trees.
- Can change color between green and brown.
No confirmed photo of Indo-Pacific Gecko
Indo-Pacific Gecko
Hemidactylus garnotii
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Keeled Earless Lizard
Holbrookia propinqua
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Laredo Striped Whiptail
Aspidoscelis laredoensis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Little Brown Skink
Scincella lateralis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Little Striped Whiptail
Aspidoscelis inornata
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
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Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
Gambelia wislizenii
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Many-lined Skink
Plestiodon multivirgatus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Marbled Whiptail
Aspidoscelis marmorata
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Mediterranean House Gecko
Hemidactylus turcicus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- Adults about 4 to 5 inches long in total (Missouri gives 3.9 to 5.0 inches); up to 2.4 inches from snout to vent.
- How to recognize it
- Warty skin, large bulging eyes with vertical pupils, and wide toe pads for climbing.
- Large eyes without eyelids, covered by a clear scale.
- Unlike any native lizard in Georgia and South Carolina, geckos have sticky toe pads, vertical pupils and lidless eyes.
No confirmed photo of Mexican Plateau Spotted Whiptail
Mexican Plateau Spotted Whiptail
Aspidoscelis septemvittata
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
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New Mexico Whiptail
Aspidoscelis neomexicana
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Ornate Tree Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
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Prairie Lizard
Sceloporus undulatus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- About 4 to 7.25 inches total length (SREL, Ohio DNR); Illinois gives up to about 19 cm (7.5 in).
- How to recognize it
- Rough, spiny, keeled scales: the only native lizard in North Carolina (and in Georgia and South Carolina) that looks rough or spiny
- Often on fences, trees, logs, stumps, rocks and buildings; dashes up a tree and keeps to the far side when approached
Prairie Skink
Plestiodon septentrionalis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
No confirmed photo of Reticulate Banded Gecko
Reticulate Banded Gecko
Coleonyx reticulatus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Reticulate Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus reticulatus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Rose-bellied Lizard
Sceloporus variabilis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Rough-tailed Gecko
Cyrtopodion scabrum
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Round-tailed Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma modestum
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Six-lined Racerunner
Aspidoscelis sexlineata
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
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Slender Glass Lizard
Ophisaurus attenuatus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
No confirmed photo of Spot-tailed Earless Lizard
Spot-tailed Earless Lizard
Holbrookia lacerata
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Texas Alligator Lizard
Gerrhonotus infernalis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Texas Banded Gecko
Coleonyx brevis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Texas Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma cornutum
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Conservation
- The Texas horned lizard currently is listed as a threatened species in Texas (federal category C2). (TPWD fact sheet tx-tpwd-fs-thlizard)
Texas Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus olivaceus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Western Spiny-tailed Iguana
Ctenosaura pectinata
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Lizards people confuse
Mediterranean house gecko or Indo-Pacific gecko?
Mediterranean house gecko Not stated
No confirmed photo of Indo-Pacific gecko
Indo-Pacific gecko Not stated
The Mediterranean gecko has bumpy or warty skin; that is the easiest way to tell it from the similar Indo-Pacific gecko.
Green anole or Brown anole?
Green anole Not stated
Brown anole Not stated
Brown anoles are brown to grayish, usually with whitish or yellowish patterns on the back. Males have an orange or red throat fan with a white edge. The green anole is green or lightly patterned brown and has a pinkish throat fan. The brown anole also has a shorter snout and is more often on the ground or in low plants.
Brown anole or Green anole?
Brown anole Not stated
Green anole Not stated
The native green anole is green or lightly patterned brown, has a pinkish throat fan and a longer snout, and is generally arboreal (lives in trees), while brown anoles are usually on the ground or in low vegetation. The brown anole is brown to gray with back markings, and males have an orange or red throat fan with a white edge.
Common Five-lined Skink or Broad-headed Skink?
No confirmed photo of Common Five-lined Skink
Common Five-lined Skink Not stated
Broad-headed Skink Not stated
NCWRC: broadhead skinks reach a much larger size. ODWC: juveniles can be told apart by counting the upper lip scales (five-lined: seven, with two post-labials; broad-headed: nine, with no post-labials).
Broad-headed skink or Great Plains skink?
Broad-headed skink Not stated
Great Plains skink Not stated
Oklahoma: its background color is tan to yellow, each scale bordered with black, giving the look of eleven irregular narrow stripes.
Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.
When lizards are active in Texas
Records of lizards in Texas peak in April to July and September. They show when people record lizards, not how many there are (about month bars).
How to report
Aquatic invasive species: email [email protected] (TPWD). TPWD general phone: (512) 389-4800 or (800) 792-1112. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
About this list
The species list comes from Lizards of Texas (Herps of Texas checklist, UT Austin) (Herps of Texas, Biodiversity Collections, Dept. of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 2020-04-28 (archive capture date; site says distributions based on Dixon 2013 and range extensions through Dec 2012)).
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
Want a paper copy? Print the Texas lizards ID chart.
Sources
- Mission & Philosophy. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
- Herps of Texas: Lizards of Texas. Herps of Texas, Biodiversity Collections, Dept. of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin. 2020-04-28 (archive capture date; checked November 3, 2026.
- TPWD Wildlife Fact Sheet: Aquatic Invasive Species. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“For information or to report sightings of aquatic invasive species, email [email protected].”
- GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.