spiny lizard

noun

1. any of numerous iguanid lizards of the genus Sceloporus, common in North and Central America, usually having keeled scales that may end in a sharp point.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spiny lizard¹

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

They surveyed populations of the Yarrow's spiny lizard in 18 mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and analyzed the rate of climate-related extinction over time.

From Science Daily

McGee, a herpetologist, studies the habitat and behavior of Yarrow’s spiny lizard, a reptile native to the Southwestern United States.

From Science Magazine

I believe it is now thought that the spider of the Scriptures was a kind of spiny lizard called the Gecko.

From Project Gutenberg

The Yarrow's spiny lizard native to the southwestern U.S. and western Mexico can be spotted in oak and pine forests in 18 of Arizona's Sky Islands mountain ranges.

From Science Daily