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Sphenacodon — Chuckwalla

Published: 2010-05-19 21:07:57 +0000 UTC; Views: 579; Favourites: 4; Downloads: 22
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Description You haven't lived until you've scrambled down a Mojave desert slope in pursuit of a chuckwalla. Who would have known those plump lizards could move so fast?

The price of this photo came down to a skinned hand and elbow, holes in my jeans, and a potentially irreversibly damaged camera. Totally worth it, though. Besides, as the token biologist/paleontologist of the group, it was my duty to go for small animals (large ones too). True story.

2010 Geology of the Southwest Field Trip
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Comments: 11

thomastapir [2010-05-24 06:46:56 +0000 UTC]

How many wallas would a chuckwalla chuck, if a chuckwalla could chuck wallas?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Sphenacodon In reply to thomastapir [2011-03-14 18:50:17 +0000 UTC]

He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, if a chuckwalla could chuck in Walla Walla.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

thomastapir In reply to Sphenacodon [2011-03-14 23:48:53 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

commander-salamander [2010-05-19 21:33:14 +0000 UTC]

It's so well camouflaged that it is difficult to see even in the full size photo. Lol, chuckwalla!

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Sphenacodon In reply to commander-salamander [2010-05-19 21:35:37 +0000 UTC]

I didn't see it until it started skittering away from me. You'd think a honking big lizard like that would be easier to see, but when it's motionless, it's practically invisible.

Chasing lizards in the desert is a bad, bad idea. They're all already pumped up on sunlight.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

commander-salamander In reply to Sphenacodon [2010-05-20 01:54:42 +0000 UTC]

You know I read that and thought of this ... [link]

I suppose it keeps them safe from hawks and coyotes.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Sphenacodon In reply to commander-salamander [2011-03-14 18:51:31 +0000 UTC]

Ahahaha! That is one pugnacious lizard. I kinda wish mine did that too.

Chuckwalla is absorbing sunlight!...
Chuckwalla used SolarBeam!

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commander-salamander In reply to Sphenacodon [2011-03-15 01:16:26 +0000 UTC]

Chuckwalla BURNANATE?

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Sphenacodon In reply to commander-salamander [2011-04-03 21:55:01 +0000 UTC]

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raygungoth [2010-05-19 21:10:50 +0000 UTC]

I've always tried to chase them towards rocks, especially ones that could be easily pried open by human hands. Then they puff up and think they're safe, and you can get a better look, but then, a puffed-up chuckwalla trapped in a rock might not have made a good photo...

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Sphenacodon In reply to raygungoth [2010-05-19 21:25:24 +0000 UTC]

I was actually trying to do that, but the slope was incredibly loose and slippery. Right after I took this photo, I lost my balance, not to mention sight of the chuckwalla. It could have gone anywhere, and that's where I gave up.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0