California Lizards

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. Below, they are listed by common name.
Follow the links for information and pictures illustrating each animal and its habitat.

This list is based on the lists published by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

Listed by Scientific Names

Squamata - Lizards

Anguidae - Alligator Lizards & Allies

Elgaria - Western Alligator Lizards

E. coerulea - Northern Alligator Lizard

E. c. coerulea - San Francisco Alligator Lizard

E. c. palmeri - Sierra Alligator Lizard

E. c. shastensis - Shasta Alligator Lizard

E. c. principis - Northwestern Alligator Lizard

E. multicarinata - Southern Alligator Lizard

E. m. multicarinata - California Alligator Lizard

E. m. scincicauda - Oregon Alligator Lizard

E. m. webbii - San Diego Alligator Lizard

E. panamintina - Panamint Alligator Lizard

Anniellidae - North American Legless lizards

Anniella - North American Legless Lizards

A. pulchra - California Legless Lizard

Crotaphytidae - Collared and Leopard Lizards

Crotaphytus - Collared Lizards

C. bicinctores - Great Basin Collared Lizard

C. vestigium - Baja California Collared Lizard

Gambelia - Leopard Lizards

G. copeii - Cope's Leopard Lizard

G. sila - Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard

G. wislizenii - Long-nosed Leopard Lizard

Gekkonidae - Geckos

Coleonyx - Banded Geckos

C. switaki - Switak's Banded Gecko

C. s. switaki - Peninsular Banded Gecko

C. variegatus - Western Banded Gecko

C. v. abbotti - San Diego Banded Gecko

C. v. variegatus - Desert Banded Gecko

Phyllodactylus - Leaf-toed Geckos

P. nocticolus - Peninsular Leaf-toed Gecko

Hemidactylus - House Geckos

H. turcicus - Mediterranean House Gecko I

Tarentola - Wall Geckos

T. mauritanica - Moorish Wall Gecko I

Helodermatidae - Venomous Lizards

Heloderma - Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards

H. suspectum - Gila Monster

H. s. cinctum - Banded Gila Monster

Iguanidae - Iguanian Lizards

Dipsosaurus - Desert Iguanas

D. dorsalis - Desert Iguana

D. d. dorsalis - Northern Desert Iguana

Sauromalus - Chuckwallas

S. ater - Common Chuckwalla

Phrynosomatidae - Zebra-tailed, Earless, Fringe-toed, Spiny, Tree, Side-blotched, and Horned Lizards

Callisaurus - Zebra-tailed Lizards

C. draconoides - Zebra-tailed Lizard

C. d. rhodostictus - Western Zebra-tailed Lizard

Petrosaurus - California Rock Lizards

P. mearnsi - Banded Rock Lizard

P. m. mearnsi - Mearns' Rock Lizard

Phrynosoma - Horned Lizards

P. blainvillii (=Anota coronatum)- Blainville's (Coast) Horned Lizard

P. (=Tapaja) douglasii - Pygmy Short-horned Lizard

P. (=Anota) mcallii - Flat-tail Horned Lizard

P. platyrhinos - Desert Horned Lizard

P. (=Doliosaurus) p. calidiarum - Southern Desert Horned Lizard

P. (=Doliosaurus) p. platyrhinos - Northern Desert Horned Lizard

Sceloporus - Spiny Lizards

S. graciosus - Common Sagebrush Lizard

S. g. gracilis - Western Sagebrush Lizard

S. g. graciosus - Northern Sagebrush Lizard

S. g. vandenburgianus - Southern Sagebrush Lizard

S. magister - Desert Spiny Lizard

S. m. uniformis - Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard

S. m. transversus - Barred Spiny Lizard

S. occidentalis - Western Fence Lizard

S. o. becki - Island Fence Lizard

S. o. biseriatus - San Joaquin Fence Lizard

S. o. bocourtii - Coast Range Fence Lizard

S. o. longipes - Great Basin Fence Lizard

S. o. occidentalis - Northwestern Fence Lizard

S. o. taylori - Sierra Fence Lizard

S. orcutti - Granite Spiny Lizard

Uma - Fringe-toed Lizards

U. inornata - Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard

U. notata - Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard

U. scoparia - Mohave Fringe-toed Lizard

Urosaurus - Tree & Bush Lizards

U. graciosus - Long-tailed Brush Lizard

U. nigricaudus - Baja California Brush Lizard

U. ornatus - Ornate Tree Lizard

U. o. symmetricus - Colorado River Tree Lizard

Uta - Side-blotched Lizards

U. stansburiana - Common Side-blotched Lizard

U. s. elegans - Western Side-blotched Lizard

U. s. nevadensis - Nevada Side-blotched Lizard

Scincidae - Skinks

Plestiodon - Toothy Skinks (formerly Eumeces)

P. "gilberti"- Gilbert's Skink

P. g. cancellosus - Variegated Skink

P. g. gilberti - Greater Brown Skink

P. g. placerensis - Northern Brown Skink

P. g. rubricaudatus - Western Red-tailed Skink

P. skiltonianus - Western Skink

P. s. interparietalis - Coronado Skink

P. s. skiltonianus - Skilton's Skink

Teiidae - Whiptails & Racerunners

Aspidoscelis - Whiptails (formerly Cnemidophorus)

A. hyperythra - Orange-throated Whiptail

A. h. beldingi - Belding's Orange-throated Whiptail

A. tigris - Tiger Whiptail

A. t. stejnegeri - Coastal Whiptail

A. t. munda - California Whiptail

A. t. tigris - Great Basin Whiptail

Xantusiidae - Night Lizards

Xantusia - Night Lizards

X. gracilis - Sandstone Night Lizard

X. henshawi - Granite Night Lizard

Xantusia riversiana - Island Night Lizard

X. r. reticulata - San Clemente Night Lizard

X. r. riversiana - San Nicolas Night Lizard

X. sierrae - Sierra Night Lizard

X. vigilis - Desert Night Lizard

X. wigginsi - Baja California Night Lizard

Chamaeleonidae - Chameleons

Chamaeleo - Chameleons

C. jacksonii - Jackson's Chameleon

C. j. xantholophus - Yellow-crested Jackson's Chameleon I

I = Introduced - not native to California

F = Formerly present, now probably extinct in California

Listed by Common Names

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

Fence Lizards (Blue-bellies, Swifts)

Western Fence Lizard

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

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

I = Introduced

F = Formerly present, now probably extinct in California

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