Are you keeping it as a pet? It looks cute, but I've not seen a similar one here or in Palm Springs or Arizona, and so I cannot help with ID. I've seen a lot of lizards in Death Valley, Anza Borrego, and Joshua Tree, but none of them look like what you have shown.

How many of these have you seen? I found a camelion in my back yard, not native to here but often kept as pets, and so you could consider this lizard as an escapee, perhaps, especially if it is tame.

I believe that it's a western fence lizard... i have many in my yard

Thanks!

Very cute indeed, Lars! I should be glad it didn't occur to my kids to keep him as a pet. It was unusually calm and posed on a kid's arm (fuzzy bathrobe photo background) for inspection and then we put it in the vegetable garden.

We haven't seen this species in the yard before but we do have alligator lizards. I can't imagine an alligator lizard sitting around for photos. :)

If we found a chameleon, I think we'd have to keep it!

I’ll bet that you’ll see the blue if you bring in a female. They turn blue to attract a mate.

Love my fence lizards. Had so many young ones last year. Wish i could cling to sides of walls like they do.