What is a distinguishing feature of female Northern Fence Lizards?

The distinguishing feature of female Northern Fence Lizards is the more evident dark, wavy crossbars on their bodies. This characteristic serves as an important visual cue that can help differentiate females from their male counterparts, who typically display brighter colors and less pronounced markings. The wavy crossbars provide camouflage and can aid in the lizard's ability to blend into their natural surroundings, which is especially useful for avoiding predators during their reproductive period.

In contrast, brighter colors in lizards are usually seen in males as part of their display to attract mates. Longer tails and smaller body sizes are not specific traits used to distinguish females of this species either; the tail length does not significantly differ between males and females, and both genders can vary in body size based on individual health and environmental factors rather than being an inherent difference.