A Colorful Collar!

Need help solving this crossword? Learn more about the Collared Lizard as Professor Barry Mins studies kinds that may have been on the Ark.

Male Collared Lizard, Dakota L., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

1. These lizards are well-adapted to their ______ homes.
2. It can be found in _______ and Mexico.
3. When it gets too hot, they spend most of their day sheltering in rocks, _______, and under plants.
4. Some males have colorful rings or “_______” on their necks.
5. This kind of lizard is quite _____, with the larger species just over a foot in length.
6. Some of these lizards run at ____ speeds.
7. To hit top speeds, they will sometimes run on their ____ legs only.
8. This kind likes to ____ up to start its day.
9. Running fast helps these lizards to catch ____.
10. As these lizards warm up, their _____ rate increases and they breathe faster.
11. Males in this kind are very ___________.
12. The males are often more colorful than the females, making them more vulnerable to _________.

Word Bank