Editing Side-blotched lizard (section)

{{Short description|Genus of lizards}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Side-blotched lizards
| image = Uta3.jpg
| image_upright = 1.2
| image_caption = Male [[Common Side-blotched Lizard|common side-blotched lizard]]<br />''Uta stansburiana''
| taxon = Uta
| authority = [[Spencer Fullerton Baird|Baird]] & [[Charles Frédéric Girard|Girard]], 1852
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = Several, see text
}}

'''Side-blotched lizards''' are [[lizard]]s of the [[genus]] '''''Uta'''''. They are some of the most abundant and commonly observed lizards in the [[desert]]s of western [[North America]], known for cycling between three colorized breeding patterns<ref name="Sinervo">Sinervo, B.; C.M. Lively (1996). "The rock–paper–scissors game and the evolution of alternative male strategies". Nature 380 (6571): 240–243. doi:10.1038/380240a0.</ref> and best described by the [[common side-blotched lizard]]. They commonly grow to 6 inches including the tail, with the males normally being the larger sex. Males often have bright throat colors.

These lizards are prey for many desert species. [[Snake]]s, larger [[lizard]]s, and [[bird]]s all make formidable [[predator]]s to side-blotched lizards. Larger lizard species, such as collared, [[leopard lizard|leopard]], and spiny lizards, and [[roadrunner]]s are the main predators. In turn, the side-blotched lizards eat [[arthropods]], such as [[insect]]s, [[spider]]s, and occasionally [[scorpion]]s.

As a result of their high predation rate, these lizards are very prolific breeders. From April to June, they breed, with the young emerging as early as late May. These inch-long young appear all through the summer, and into September.

The [[diploid]] [[chromosome]] number in most if not all species is 34, consisting of 12 macro- and 22 [[microchromosome]]s.<ref>Pennock ''et al.'' (1968)</ref>