California Lizards



Scientific Names Common Names
 
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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