Most of the lizards found in the Sonoran Desert have a a variety of behaviors that they use to communicate. Some of the behaviors of Sonoran Desert lizards listed below may be used within a species in the act of courtship (generally males courting females).
Some of the behaviors that are listed can occur bewteen different types of lizard species. For example, an aggressive display usually occurs between males of the same or different species, and is a social behavior that lizards use to communicate. In some species aggressive female to female interaction occurs as well.
An inventory of a species social behavior may include:
| Social Behavior | Description |
| Gape | an open-mouth display |
| Lunge | movement briefly and rapidly toward another animal |
| Chase | Rapid pursuit of another lizard |
| Bite | Using the mouth to grasp another animal (used in aggression and during mating) |
| Inflate | puff up body or throat |
| Arch (back) | raise the back vertically, often accompanied by a sucking in of the sides of the body; both of these make the animal appear larger than they truly are |
| Head-bob | up and down bobbing of the head |
| Pushup | up and down bobbing of the body (can be with all four legs or front legs only) |
| Dewlap | extend a gular flap (piece of skin under the throat) downwards |
| Shudder or shuddering nod | several nods of head or slight bobs of the entire body |
| Tail raise | female raises base of or entire tail, generally indicates receptiveness to mating |
