Mojave Black-Collared Lizard = awesome

[ElaineMonster]

Ed and I went on a hike yesterday and came across a Mojave Black-Collared Lizard. The lizard is [censored] awesome! Here's a pic I found of one:


another photo I found online:



The one we saw was an adult male. The females have yellow/orange stripes:
another nice photo

Pregnant lizards get darker orange strips:
nice photo

So, you ask, besides these gorgeous photos, what makes these lizards so cool?
They are very predatory carnivores that will eat other lizards and when running fast, do so on two legs (bipedal), a rarity in lizards.

Also, the one we saw yesterday let me pet him. I approached really slowly and pet him multiple times on his back [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] He didn't run away until I suggested to Ed that he try to pet the lizard [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Tron]

Which picture did the lizard you saw look the most like? (Obviously the lizard in the first picture is the most awesome)

[illeagle]

You should be glad you're better at petting the lizard than Ed is.