California Lizards |
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This is a complete llst of lizards that occur naturally in California, including introduced species with well-established populations. Lizards are listed by scientific name and sorted by family, and below that, by common name only on a second list. The blue links lead to an information page for each type of lizard found in California. Follow the links for information about each animal along with pictures of animals and their habitat and some videos. This list is based on the lists published by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. |
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| A Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of California |
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| Scientific Name |
Common Name | Original Description | Former or Other Name |
| Squamata | Lizards | ||
| Anguidae | Alligator Lizards and Allies | ||
| Elgaria | Western Alligator Lizards | Gray, 1838 | |
| Elgaria coerulea | Northern Alligator Lizard | Wiegmann, 1828 | |
| Elgaria coerulea coerulea | San Francisco Alligator Lizard | Wiegmann, 1828 | |
| Elgaria coerulea palmeri | Sierra Alligator Lizard | Stejneger, 1893 | |
| Elgaria coerulea principis | Northwestern Alligator Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Elgaria coerulea shastensis | Shasta Alligator Lizard | Fitch, 1934 | |
| Elgaria multicarinata | Southern Alligator Lizard | Blainville, 1835 | |
| Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata | California Alligator Lizard | Blainville, 1835 | |
| Elgaria multicarinata scincicauda | Oregon Alligator Lizard | Skilton, 1849 | |
| Elgaria multicarinata webbii | San Diego Alligator Lizard | Baird, 1859 “1858” | |
| Elgaria panamintina | Panamint Alligator Lizard | Stebbins, 1958 | |
| Anniellidae | North American Legless lizards | ||
| Anniella | North American Legless Lizards | Gray, 1852 | |
| Anniella pulchra | California Legless Lizard |
Gray, 1852 | Anniella pulchra nigra - Black Legless Lizard Anniella pulchra pulchra - Silvery Legess Lizard |
| Crotaphytidae | Collared and Leopard Lizards | ||
| Crotaphytus | Collared Lizards | Holbrook, 1842 | |
| Crotaphytus bicinctores | Great Basin Collared Lizard | Smith and Tanner, 1972 | |
| Crotaphytus vestigium | Baja California Collared Lizard | Smith and Tanner, 1972 | |
| Gambelia | Leopard Lizards | Baird 1859 “1858” | |
| Gambelia copeii | Cope's Leopard Lizard | Yarrow, 1882 | |
| Gambelia sila | Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard | Stejneger, 1890 | |
| Gambelia wislizenii | Long-nosed Leopard Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Gekkonidae | Geckos | ||
| Coleonyx | Banded Geckos | Gray, 1845 | |
| Coleonyx switaki | Switak's Banded Gecko | Murphy, 1974 | |
| Coleonyx switaki switaki | Peninsular Banded Gecko | Murphy, 1974 | |
| Coleonyx variegatus | Western Banded Gecko | Baird, 1859 “1858” | |
| Coleonyx variegatus abbotti | San Diego Banded Gecko | Klauber, 1945 | |
| Coleonyx variegatus variegatus | Desert Banded Gecko | Baird, 1859 | |
| Phyllodactylus | Leaf-toed Geckos | Gray, 1828 | |
| Phyllodactylus nocticolus | Peninsular Leaf-toed Gecko | Dixon, 1964 | |
| Hemidactylus | House Geckos | ||
| Hemidactylus turcicus I | Mediterranean House Gecko | Linnaeus 1758 | |
| Tarentola | Wall Geckos | Gray, 1825 | |
| Tarentola mauritanica I | Moorish Gecko | Linnaeus 1758 | |
| Helodermatidae | Venomous Lizards | ||
| Heloderma | Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards | Wiegmann, 1829 | |
| Heloderma suspectum | Gila Monster | Cope, 1869 | |
| Heloderma suspectum cinctum | Banded Gila Monster | Bogert and Martín del Campo, 1956 | |
| Iguanidae | Iguanian Lizards | ||
| Dipsosaurus | Desert Iguanas | Hallowell, 1854 | |
| Dipsosaurus dorsalis | Desert Iguana | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis | Northern Desert Iguana | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Sauromalus | Chuckwallas | Duméril, 1856 | |
| Sauromalus ater | Common Chuckwalla | Duméril, 1856 | |
| Phrynosomatidae | Zebra-tailed, Earless, Fringe-toed, Spiny, Tree, Side-blotched, and Horned Lizards | ||
| Callisaurus | Zebra-tailed Lizards | Blainville, 1835 | |
| Callisaurus draconoides | Zebra-tailed Lizard | Blainville, 1835 | |
| Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus | Western Zebra-tailed Lizard | Cope, 1896 | |
| Petrosaurus | California Rock Lizards | Boulenger, 1885 | |
| Petrosaurus mearnsi | Banded Rock Lizard | Stejneger, 1894 | |
| Petrosaurus mearnsi mearnsi | Mearns' Rock Lizard | Stejneger, 1894 | |
| Phrynosoma | Horned Lizards | Wiegmann, 1828 | |
| Phrynosoma blainvillii | Blainville's Horned Lizard | Gray, 1839 | Coast Horned Lizard - Phrynosoma coronatum Anota blainvillii |
| Phrynosoma douglasii | Pygmy Short-horned Lizard | Bell, 1829 | Tapaja douglasii |
| Phrynosoma mcallii | Flat-tail Horned Lizard | Hallowell, 1852 | Anota mcallii |
| Phrynosoma platyrhinos | Desert Horned Lizard | Girard, 1852 | Doliosaurus platyrhinos |
| Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum | Southern Desert Horned Lizard | Cope, 1896 | Doliosaurus platyrhinos calidiarum |
| Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos | Northern Desert Horned Lizard | Girard, 1852 | Doliosaurus platyrhinos platyrhinos |
| Sceloporus | Spiny Lizards | Wiegmann, 1828 | |
| Sceloporus graciosus | Common Sagebrush Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Sceloporus graciosus gracilis | Western Sagebrush Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Sceloporus graciosus graciosus | Northern Sagebrush Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus | Southern Sagebrush Lizard | Cope, 1896 | |
| Sceloporus magister | Desert Spiny Lizard | Hallowell, 1854 | |
| Sceloporus occidentalis | Western Fence Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Sceloporus occidentalis becki | Island Fence Lizard | Van Denburgh, 1905 | |
| Sceloporus occidentalis biseriatus | San Joaquin Fence Lizard | Hallowell, 1854 | |
| Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii | Coast Range Fence Lizard | Boulenger, 1885 | |
| Sceloporus occidentalis longipes | Great Basin Fence Lizard | Baird, 1859 “1858” | |
| Sceloporus occidentalis occidentalis | Northwestern Fence Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Sceloporus occidentalis taylori | Sierra Fence Lizard | Camp, 1916 | |
| Sceloporus orcutti | Granite Spiny Lizard | Stejneger, 1893 | |
| Sceloporus uniformis | Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard | Phelan and Brattstrom, 1955 | |
| Uma | Fringe-toed Lizards | Baird, 1859 “1858” | |
| Uma inornata | Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard | Cope, 1895 | |
| Uma notata | Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard | Baird, 1859 “1858” | |
| Uma scoparia | Mohave Fringe-toed Lizard | Cope, 1894 | |
| Urosaurus | Tree and Bush Lizards | Hallowell, 1854 | |
| Urosaurus graciosus | Long-tailed Brush Lizard | Hallowell, 1854 | |
| Urosaurus nigricaudus | Baja California Brush Lizard | Cope, 1864 | |
| Urosaurus ornatus | Ornate Tree Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Urosaurus ornatus symmetricus | Colorado River Tree Lizard | Baird, 1859 “1858” | |
| Uta | Side-blotched Lizards | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Uta stansburiana | Common Side-blotched Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 | |
| Uta stansburiana elegans | Western Side-blotched Lizard | Yarrow, 1882 | |
| Uta stansburiana nevadensis | Nevada Side-blotched Lizard | Ruthven, 1913 | |
| Scincidae | Skinks | ||
| Plestiodon | Toothy Skinks | Duméril and Bibron, 1839 | Eumeces |
| "Plestiodon gilberti" | Gilbert's Skink | Van Denburgh, 1896 | Eumeces gilberti |
| Plestiodon gilberti cancellosus | Variegated Skink | Rodgers and Fitch, 1947 | Eumeces gilberti cancellosus |
| Plestiodon gilberti gilberti | Greater Brown Skink | Van Denburgh, 1896 | Eumeces gilberti gilberti |
| Plestiodon gilberti placerensis | Northern Brown Skink | Rodgers, 1944 | Eumeces gilberti placerensis |
| Plestiodon gilberti rubricaudatus | Western Red-tailed Skink | Taylor, 1935 | Eumeces gilberti rubricaudatus |
| Plestiodon skiltonianus | Western Skink | Baird and Girard, 1852 | Eumeces skiltonianus |
| Plestiodon skiltonianus interparietalis | Coronado Skink | Tanner, 1958 “1957” | Eumeces skiltonianus interparietalis |
| Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus | Skilton's Skink | Baird and Girard, 1852 | Eumeces skiltonianus skiltonianus |
| Teiidae | Whiptails and Racerunners | ||
| Aspidoscelis | Whiptails | Fitzinger, 1843 | Cnemidophorus |
| Aspidoscelis hyperythra | Orange-throated Whiptail | Cope, 1863 | Cnemidophorus hyperythrus |
| Aspidoscelis hyperythra beldingi | Belding's Orange-throated Whiptail | Stejneger, 1894 | Cnemidophorus hyperythrus beldingi |
| Aspidoscelis tigris | Tiger Whiptail | Baird and Girard, 1852 | Cnemidophorus tigris |
| Aspidoscelis tigris munda | California Whiptail | Camp, 1916 | Cnemidophorus tigris munda |
| Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri | Coastal Whiptail | Van Denburgh, 1894 | Cnemidophorus tigris stejnegeri |
| Aspidoscelis tigris tigris | Great Basin Whiptail | Baird and Girard, 1852 | Cnemidophorus tigris tigris |
| Xantusiidae | Night Lizards | ||
| Xantusia | Night Lizards | Baird, 1859 “1858” | |
| Xantusia gracilis | Sandstone Night Lizard | Grismer and Galvan, 1986 | |
| Xantusia henshawi | Granite Night Lizard | Stejneger, 1893 | |
| Xantusia riversiana | Island Night Lizard | Cope, 1883 | |
| Xantusia riversiana reticulata | San Clemente Night Lizard | Smith, 1946 | |
| Xantusia riversiana riversiana | San Nicolas Night Lizard | Cope, 1883 | |
| Xantusia sierrae | Sierra Night Lizard | Bezy, 1967 | |
| Xantusia vigilis | Desert Night Lizard | Baird, 1859 “1858” | |
| Xantusia wigginsi | Baja California Night Lizard | Savage, 1952 | |
| Chamaeleonidae | Chameleons | ||
| Chamaeleo | Chameleons | Laurenti, 1768 | |
| Chamaeleo jacksonii | Jackson's Chameleon | Boulanger, 1896 | |
| Chamaeleo jacksonii xantholophus I | Yellow-crested Jackson's Chameleon | Eason, Ferguson & Hebrard, 1988 | |
| Lacertidae | Wall Lizards | ||
| Podarcis | Wall Lizard | Wagler, 1830 | |
| Podarcis siculus | Italian Wall Lizard | Rafinesque, 1810 | |
| Podarcis siculus siculus I | Southern Italian Wall Lizard | ||
| Polychrotidae | Anoles | ||
| Anolis | Anoles | ||
| Anolis carolinensis I | Green Anole | ||
| I = An established Alien species introduced into California | |||
| Organized By Common Name | |||
| Alligator Lizards | |||
| Northern Alligator Lizards | |||
| Northwestern Alligator Lizard | |||
| San Francisco Alligator Lizard | |||
| Shasta Alligator Lizard | |||
| Sierra Alligator Lizard | |||
| Southern Alligator Lizards | |||
| California Alligator Lizard | |||
| Oregon Alligator Lizard | |||
| San Diego Alligator Lizard | |||
| Panamint Alligator Lizard | |||
| Brush Lizard | |||
| Long-tailed Brush Lizard | |||
| Chameleons | |||
| Jackson's Chameleon I | |||
| Chuckwallas | |||
| Common Chuckwalla | |||
| Collared Lizards | |||
| Baja California Collared Lizard | |||
| Great Basin Collared Lizard | |||
| Western Fence Lizards (Blue-bellies, Swifts) |
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| Coast Range Fence Lizard | |||
| Great Basin Fence Lizard | |||
| Island Fence Lizard | |||
| Northwestern Fence Lizard | |||
| San Joaquin Fence Lizard | |||
| Sierra Fence Lizard | |||
| Fringe-toed Lizards | |||
| Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard | |||
| Mohave Fringe-toed Lizard | |||
| Sonoran Fringe-toed Lizard | |||
| Geckos | |||
| Desert Banded Gecko | |||
| Mediterranean House Gecko I | |||
| Moorish Wall Gecko I | |||
| Peninsular Banded Gecko | |||
| Peninsular Leaf-toed Gecko | |||
| San Diego Banded Gecko | |||
| Gila Monster | |||
| Banded Gila Monster | |||
| Horned Lizards | |||
| Blainville's (Coast) Horned Lizard | |||
| Flat-tailed Horned Lizard | |||
| Northern Desert Horned Lizard | |||
| Pygmy Short-horned Lizard | |||
| Southern Desert Horned Lizard | |||
| Iguanas | |||
| Northern Desert Iguana | |||
| Legless Lizards | |||
| California Legless Lizard | |||
| Leopard Lizards | |||
| Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard | |||
| Long-nosed Leopard Lizard | |||
| Night Lizards | |||
| Baja California Night Lizard | |||
| Granite Night Lizard | |||
| Sandstone Night Lizard | |||
| Island Night Lizard | |||
| San Clemente Night Lizard | |||
| San Nicolas Night Lizard | |||
| Desert Night Lizard | |||
| Sierra Night Lizard | |||
| Yucca Night Lizard | |||
| Rock Lizards | |||
| Mearns' Rock Lizard | |||
| Sagebrush Lizards | |||
| Western Sagebrush Lizard | |||
| Northern Sagebrush Lizard | |||
| Southern Sagebrush Lizard | |||
| Side-blotched Lizards | |||
| Nevada Side-blotched Lizard | |||
| Western Side-blotched Lizard | |||
| Skinks |
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| Gilbert's Skinks | |||
| Variegated Skink | |||
| Greater Brown Skink | |||
| Northern Brown Skink | |||
| Western Red-tailed Skink | |||
| Western Skinks | |||
| Coronado Skink | |||
| Skilton's Skink | |||
| Spiny Lizards | |||
| Desert Spiny Lizards | |||
| Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard | |||
| Barred Spiny Lizard | |||
| Granite Spiny Lizard | |||
| Tree Lizards | |||
| Baja California Brush Lizard | |||
| Colorado River Tree Lizard | |||
| Whiptails | |||
| Belding's Orange Throated Whiptail | |||
| California Whiptail | |||
| Coastal Whiptail | |||
| Great Basin Whiptail | |||
| Zebra-tailed Lizards | |||
| Western Zebra-tailed Lizard | |||
| Wall Lizards (aka Ruin Lizards) | |||
| Southern Italian Wall Lizard I | |||
| I = An established Alien species introduced into California | |||
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