By: Nicole Danbury
INTRODUCTION Hello Desert Explorers! I would like to introduce you to the Fringe-Toed Lizard. One of the coolest things about my little friend is that his body is the perfect shape for diving head first into the soft sand of the dunes he lives in. He actually swims in the sand quite often! The sand protects him from predators and the hot temperatures of the desert. Keep on reading to learn more about the Fringe-Toed Lizard!
WHO AM I?
HI! I am the Fringe-Toed Lizard! I get my name from the long scales on my toes that give me the extra traction I need to speed through the loose surface of the sand. I am most active during the daylight hours and I escape the summer heat by burrowing beneath the sand.  WHERE DO I LIVE?
I prefer low desert areas where fine, loose sand blows free. You can usually find me running across the sands of the Southeast regions of California and the Southwest of Arizona.  Well...I like to feast on small insects. Ants, beetles and bees are my favorites. I sometimes also feed on leaves, buds or seeds from native plants that grow in the Coachella Valley.  I am a highly specialized lizard! You could say I have adapted for life in the sandy deserts that I call home. My body is built to prevent sand particles from entering my body as I run or "swim" through the sand! My upper jaw overlaps my bottom, flaps cover my ears and I can close my nostrils at will. I grow to be 6 to 9 inches long, so I'm about the size of a banana! I have a whitish or sand-colored back and belly with a light pattern of eye-like markings.
HOW DO I REPRODUCE? I breed in late April through mid-August and I keep the location and timing of my egg laying a secret. I lay anywhere from 1 to 5 eggs in each of my clutches and my hatchlings appear in late June to early September. When my desert home experiences drought conditions, my reproduction is dramatically reduced.
FUN FACT ABOUT ME?
Ready for some cool information? My special feet allow me to run through the desert up to 20 mph and I "swim" down into the sand to protect myself from the HOT summer sun and any predators that may be stalking me.
 ACTIVITY TIME
Thanks for taking the time to learn about me today! Now that you know some things about me, I would like for you to create a short, picture story about me. Your book should be 5 to 7 pages long and be centered around things you think I do during my day. To get started, you can use the internet to find some pictures of me doing things like running through the desert or burrowing in the sand or you can even draw your own pictures. Once your illustrations are complete, create a story around those pictures. Each page should have 2 to 4 sentences on it and you should definitely use your imagination when creating this story. The title of your book will be the same as your classmates, please title it "A Day in the Life of...FRINGEY!" WHERE DID YOU FIND INFORMATION ABOUT ME?
Information:
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