1. A large, stocky lizard native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, known for hiding in rock crevices by inflating its body.
Usage: Also spelled chuckwalla.; Common in desert regions.

Examples

• The chuckawalla is a common sight in the deserts of Arizona and California.
• When threatened, a chuckawalla wedges itself into a rock crevice and inflates its body to avoid being pulled out.
• Hikers in the Southwest often spot chuckawallas basking on warm rocks.
• The chuckawalla can grow up to 16 inches long and weigh several pounds.
• Native peoples of the desert have traditionally hunted chuckawallas for food.