Spiny Lizard

Very robust and colorful lizard. Living in my backyard... fun to step out and take these images with a cup of hot coffee.
A large (up to about 142 mm or 5.6" from snout to vent), stocky lizard with large, pointed, keeled, overlapping scales. Base coloration is gray, tan, or brown. In the southern subspecies (S. m. magister) males often have a large longitudinal purple patch or bar on the mid-dorsum.