Posing for the Camera
It's become a force of habit to always look up when I'm exploring new places, but looking down towards to ground introduced me to a colorful photo opportunity in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. These lizards are a common sight both on and off heavily used trails. This particular lizard wandered up to the rocks by my feet while I was taking a short break from a hike.
The common side-blotched lizard is a species of side-blotched lizard found on the Pacific Coast of North America. It is notable for having a unique form of polymorphism wherein each of the three different male morphs utilizes a different strategy in acquiring mates. The three morphs compete against each other following a pattern of rock, paper, scissors, where one morph has advantages over another but is outcompeted by the third.
