A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California

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California Desert Lizards

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Distribution of California Deserts Covered Here

Most lizards in the California deserts are active during warm and sunny weather, typically from late February through October, and remain underground at other times.They become active later at higher elevations, and go underground sooner. They are most often seen during daylight sunning themselves on rocks, branches, fences, or walls, or running on the ground.


Adult	Juvenile © Jay Keller
Southern Alligator Lizard Elgaria multicarinata		Panamint Alligator Lizard Elgaria panamintina	Long-nosed Leopard Lizard Gambelia wislizenii

		© William Flaxington
San Diegan Legless Lizard Anniella stebbinsi	Northern Legless Lizard Anniella pulchra	Big Spring Legless Lizard Anniella campi	Great Basin Collared Lizard Crotaphytus bicinctores

	Adult	Hatchling © Jeff Nordland
Baja California Collared Lizard Crotaphytus vestigium	Peninsula Banded Gecko Coleonyx switaki		Peninsula Leaf-toed Gecko Phyllodactylus nocticolus

		© Stuart Young	Juvenile
Desert Banded Gecko - Coleonyx variegatus variegatus

		Adult © Adam Clause	Juvenile © Jeremiah Easter
Banded Gila Monster Heloderma suspectum cinctum	Northern Desert Iguana Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis	Common Chuckwalla Sauromalus ater

Western Zebra-tailed Lizard Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus	Mearns's Rock Lizard Petrosaurus mearnsi mearnsi	Southern Desert Horned Lizard Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum	Northern Desert Horned Lizard Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos

Flat-tailed Horned Lizard Phrynosoma mcallii	Northern Sagebrush Lizard Sceloporus graciosus graciosus	Desert Spiny Lizard Sceloporus magister	Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard Sceloporus uniformis

Female	Male
Granite Spiny Lizard Sceloporus orcutti		Great Basin Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis longipes	Small-scaled Lizard Urosaurus microscutatus

Coachella Fringe-toed Lizard Uma inornata	Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard Uma notata	Mohave Fringe-toed Lizard Uma scoparia	Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard Urosaurus graciosus graciosus

Colorado River Tree Lizard Urosaurus ornatus symmetricus	Western Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana elegans	Nevada Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana nevadensis	Great Basin Whiptail Aspidoscelis tigris tigris

Adult	Juvenile	Blue-tailed Juvenile - Desert Mountains © Jeremiah Easter
Western Red-tailed Skink Plestiodon gilberti rubricaudatus			Skilton's Skink Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus

Dark phase	Light phase
Granite Night Lizard Xantusia henshawi		Sandstone Night Lizard Xantusia gracilis	Desert Night Lizard Xantusia vigilis

Wiggins' Night Lizard Xantusia wigginsi

Non-Native Species

Female	Male	Male Displahing Ornge Dewlap
Brown Anole Anolis sagrei			Mediterranean Gecko Hemidactylus turcicus

© Elliot Jaramillo
Rough-tailed Gecko Cyrtopodion scabrum

Woodland (San Diego) Alligator Lizard
Elgaria multicarinata webbii

Video

Dark Blue: Range of Woodland Alligator Lizard

Juvenile © Jay Keller

Adults are about 3 to 7 inches long, not including the tail, and can be up to 16 inches long including the tail.

An elongated lizard with large scales, a large head, short legs, and a fold along the bottoms of the sides. The tail can be very long, but often it is re-grown and stubby.

Brown, grey, or yellowish above, often with orange or red coloring on the middle of the back. Usually there are dark bands on the back, sides, and tail.

Juveniles are long and thin and a copper color with no dark markings on the back. They are sometimes mistaken for a small ground skink (which does not occur in this area.)

Diurnal.

Common.

Found in grassland, open forest, chaparral, oak woodlands. Typically prefers drier areas than the San Francisco Alligator lizard.

Eats a variety of small bugs, slugs, snails, and worms, and sometimes small lizards and mammals and birds and their eggs.

Females lay eggs from May to July which hatch in late summer and early fall.

Typically seen moving on the ground or basking on rocks or fallen branches.

Moves with a snake-like undulating motion.

Panamint Alligator Lizard
Elgaria panamintina

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
Gambelia wislizenii

Legless Lizards
Genus Anniella

Three species of Legless Lizards can be found at the edges of the deserts:
Big Spring Legless Lizard - Anniella campi
Northern Legless Lizard - Anniella pulchra
San Diegan Legless Lizard - Anniella stebbinsi

Video

Red: Northern Legless Lizard
Orange: San Diegan Legless Lizard
Bright Pink: Big Spring Legless Lizard

Adults are about 5 to 7 inches long.

A small slender lizard a shovel-shaped snout, smooth shiny scales, a blunt tail, and no legs. Often thought to be a small snake.

Color varies from metallic silver, beige, dark brown, to black. Usually there is a dark line along the back and several thin stripes on the sides.

Diurnal.

Often common, but secretive - rarely seen.

Found in beach dunes, chaparral, mixed woodlands, sandy washes and stream terraces where there is moist warm loose soil with plant cover.

Eats mostly insect larvae, beetles, termites, and spiders.

Young are born live September to November.

Typically found in suburban gardens under leaf litter or loose soil under shrubs.

Great Basin Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus bicinctores

Baja California Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus vestigium

Peninsula Banded Gecko
Coleonyx switaki

Peninsula Leaf-toed Gecko
Phyllodactylus nocticolus

Desert Banded Gecko
Coleonlyx variegatus variegatus

Videos

Red: Range of Desert Banded Gecko

2 to 3 inches long.

A small lizard with eyelids and vertical pupils, and smooth skin.

Pale yellow, pink, or light gray with tan or brown bands on the body and tail.

Diurnal.

Uncommon.

Found in rocky areas in coastal sage and chaparral.

Eats a variety of small invertebrates.

Females lay eggs from May to September which hatch in 45 days.

Typically found underneath rocks or other surface debris.

Banded Gila Monster
Heloderma suspectum cinctum

Northern Desert Iguana
Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis

Common Chuckwalla
Sauromalus ater

Western Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus

Mearns's Rock Lizard
Petrosaurus mearnsi mearnsi

Southern Desert Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum

Northern Desert Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos

Flat-tailed Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma mcallii

Northern Sagebrush Lizard
Sceloporus graciosus

Video

Red: Range of Northern Sagebrush Lizard

Adults are about 2 to 3.5 inches long not including the tail.

A small lizard with small keeled scales.

Gray or brown in color with dark blotches or irregular bands on the body and tail and light stripes along the sides and upper sides at the edge of the back. There is usually a bar of black on the shoulder and rusy coloring on the armpits

Males show blue coloring on the throat and sides of the belly. Females develop orange coloring on the throat and sides when they are gravid.

Diurnal.

Common and conspicuous where found.

Found in the transverse and peninsular mountains in shrublands such as chaparral, manzanita and ceanothus, and in open pine and Douglas Fir forests where there are open areas that get a lot of sun.

In our area, found at higher elevations, typically 4,500 ft. and higher.

Eats small bugs including ants, termites, grasshoppers, flies, spiders, and beetles.

Females lay eggs from June to August that hatch in August and September.

Typically seen basking on rocks or fallen branches or running on the ground inbetween rocks.

Recognizing differences between Fence Lizards and Sagebrush Lizards.

Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister

Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus uniformis

Granite Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus orcutti

Videos

Red: Range of Granite Spiny Lizard

Adults are about 3 to 5 inches long, not including the tail, and up to 11 inches with the tail.

A large, dark lizard with large pointed scales, a dark wedge of color on the sides of the neck, and dark bands across the body.

Dark rusty coppery brown to black in color. Sometimes lizards appear to be solid black before they have warmed up. Males, when warmed up in the sun, have a vivid blue-green sheen with a wide purple stripe on the back and yellow on the sides.

Diurnal.

Common.

Found in areas with large boulders and granite outcrops or cliffs with mixed vegetation, including chaparral, mesquite, pine and oak, and palms. From near sea level to about 7,000 ft.

Eats small invertebrates, small lizards, and occasionally fruits and flowers.

Females lay eggs from May to July, which hatch from July to October.

Typically seen crawling on large rocks. Very wary and quick to run back into cracks in the rocks when approached.

Great Basin Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis longipes

Orange: Range of Great Basin Fence Lizard

Video

Adults are about 2.5 to 3.5 inches long, not including the tail.

A fairly small lizard with keeled scales.

Brown, gray, or black with dark blotches on the back. Sometimes light markings on the sides of the back form vague stripes.

Recognizing differences between Fence Lizards and Sagebrush Lizards.

Diurnal.

The most common and conspicuous lizard in our area.

Found in many different open, sunny areas, including woodlands, grasslands, chaparral, waterways, pond edges, houses and fences.

Eats small bugs including crickets, spiders, ticks, scorpions, and even tiny lizards.

Females lay eggs that hatch July to September, when very tiny lizards can be seen running around.

Typically seen basking in the sun on rocks, fences, walls, and fallen branches.

Small-scaled Lizard
Urosaurus microscutatus

Coachella Fringe-toed Lizard
Uma inornata

Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard
Uma notata

Mohave Fringe-toed Lizard
Uma scoparia

Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard
Urosaurus graciosus graciosus

Colorado River Tree Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus symmetricus

Western Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana elegans

Red: Range of Western Side-blotched Lizard

Video

Adults are 1.5 to 2.5 inches long, not including the tail. A small lizard with smooth scales and a large dark marking, or blotch, on the sides, just behind the front limbs, which is not easily seen at a distance.

Brown, black, gray, or yellowish in color with dark blotches, spots, and sometimes stripes, on the back. Sometimes there is a double row of dark wedge-shaped markings on the back, edged with white. Males have blue speckles on the back and can be very colorful.

Diurnal.

Common and conspicuous.

Found in open rocky areas with scattered vegetation, including sandy washes, vegetated with chaparral, scattered trees, grass, and shrubs.

Eats small bugs including beetles, grasshoppers, ants, spiders, scorpions, and ticks.

Females lay eggs from March to August which hatch from June to September.

Typically seen basking on rocks or fallen branches or running on the ground inbetween rocks.

Nevada Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana nevadensis

Dark Blue: Range of Nevada Side-blotched Lizard

Video

Diurnal.

Common and conspicuous.

Found in open rocky areas with scattered vegetation, including sandy washes, vegetated with chaparral, scattered trees, grass, and shrubs.

Great Basin Whiptail
Aspidoscelis tigris tigris

Video

Red: Range of Great Basin Whiptail

Adults are about 3 to 5 inches long, not including the tail.

A long slim lizard with a long thin tail, a thin snout, and large plates on the head.

The back and sides are grey, tan, or brown, marked with dark spots or bars or mottling, which is often very sharply defined. Dark marks on the side don't form vertical bars. Usually 8 poorly-defined light brown stripes are present, but stripes on the side are less well-defined. The throat is pale with with large black spots. Juveniles have distinct stripes and bright blue tails.

Diurnal.

Common and conspicuous, but not found in most of our area.

Found in hot, dry, open areas with sparse vegetation, including woodland, chaparral, and riparian areas.

Eats small bugs including spiders, scorpions, centipedes, and termites. Also known to eat small lizards.

Females lay eggs from April to August.

Very active, moving quickly on the ground with abrupt starts and stops.

Western Red-tailed Skink
Plestiodon gilberti rubricaudatus

Video

Red: Range of Western Red-tailed Skink

Adults are 2.5 to 4.5 inches long, not including the tail, and up to about 13 inches long including the tail.

A large lizard with a heavy body, small head and thick neck, small legs, and smooth shiny scales.

Olive or brown in color with some dark markings on the back that begin as dark stripes and fade with age. Young skinks have distinct light and dark stripes and a reddish or pink tail.

Males develop red coloring on the throat during the breeding sason.

Diurnal.

Secretive and not commonly seen moving around.

Found in grassland, chaparral, woodlands, and pine forests, typically where there is moisture nearby.

Eats small bugs.

Females lay eggs in the summer.

Rarely seen moving on the ground. Typically found underneath rocks or other surface debris.

Typically found underneath rocks, logs, and other surface debris.

Skilton's Skink
Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus

Video

Red: Range of Skilton's Skink

Adults are about 2 - 3 inches long, not including the tail. Typically 7.5 inches long with the tail.

A small lizard with a slim body, a small head with a thick neck, small legs, and smooth shiny scales.

Dark brown on the head and back with two light stripes on the edge of the back, dark stripes down the sides, and light strips on the edge of the belly. Juveniles have a bright blue tail that fades as they age. Old adults often have no blue on the tail. Adults develop red or orange coloring on the head and throat during the breeding season.

Diurnal.

Common but secretive and not often seen moving around.

Found in grassland, woodlands, forests, sagebrush, chaparral, especially in rocky areas near streams and open sunny areas.

Sometimes, when this lizard moves quickly through leaf litter or short grass, only the blue tail is seen, and this is often mistaken to be a small blue snake.

Eats small bugs, including spiders and sow bugs.

Females lay eggs in June and July which hatch in July and August.

Found in the Northern part of coastal Southern California, mostly north of San Diego County.

Typically found underneath rocks, logs, and other surface debris.

Granite Night Lizard
Xantusia henshawi

Videos

Red: Range of Granite Night Lizard

2 to 2.75 inches long not including the tail.

A small lizard with a flattened body and head, smooth skin, lidless eyes with vertical pupils, a long thin tail.

Seen in a light phase - white or yellowsh with large dark brown spots on the upper body, and a dark phase - dark brown with a pale white or yellow network on the upper body.

Nocturnal, but may be active diurnally in shade.

Found in rocky canyons and hillsides in semiarid regions, typically with massive boulders and rock outcrops with expfoliated granite in the shadier parts of canyons.

Eats small invertebrates, including spiders, scorpions, beetles, ants, and centipedes.

Young are born live in the fall.

Typically seen underneath rocks, in cracks in rock outcrops, or on the surface of rocks at night. Sometimes seen on walls at night in areas near large rock outcrops.

Sandstone Night Lizard
Xantusia gracilis

Desert Night Lizard
Xantusia vigilis

Wiggins' Night Lizard
Xantusia wigginsi

Non-Native Lizards Established in California

Mediterranean Gecko
Hemidactylus turcicus

Not Native to California

Video

This lizard continues to expand its range in California.
Red coloring on the map indicate some of the areas where it has been found and could be established.

Gecko in light phase

Same gecko in dark phase

1.75 to about 2.5 inches long, not including the tail. 4 to 5 inches long with the tail.

A small, slightly flattened lizard with conspicuous large bumpy tubercles on the skin and large eyes with vertical pupils.

Two color phases. Light phase is pale pinkish white with dark blotching and spotting sometimes forming indistinct bands. Dark phase is dark brown or gray with darker markings and bands. The tail is ringed with dark and light bands.

Nocturnal.

Native to the Mediterranean region.
Has become increasingly common in southern California since the year 2000.Typically spread from place to place in shipments of goods and lumber.

Found living in or near human dwellings, but probably also found in surrounding habitats. Recorded from many locations in Southern California, but probably established in many more areas, and spreading.

Eats a variety of small invertebrates.

Females lay eggs from April to August.

Typically seen on the outside wall of a building at night under a light, where they catch flying insects. May also be seen on walls indoors.

Rough-tailed Gecko
Cyrtopodion scabrum

Peninsular Banded Gecko California Range Map

Brown Anole
Anolis sagrei

Not Native to California

Videos

This lizard continues to expand its range in California.
Red coloring indicates some of the areas where the Brown Anole has been found and could be established.

A small thin lizard with a long head and snout and a long thin tail.

About 2.5 inches long, not including the tail. Up to 8 inches long with the tail.

This lizard varies in appearance. Sometimes there is a crooked white stripe down the middle of the back or other dark pattern, but the ground color is always some shade of brown or tan. This lizard is never green.

Males are territorial and often extend an orange-red dewlap from the throat.

Diurnal.

Native to Cuba.

Not native to California. Known to hitchhike in shipments of exotic plants from Florida. Released or escaped pets are another possible source of their spread.

Found living in plants often in yards and gardens. Currently recorded from a few locations in Southern California, but probably established in more areas, and spreading.

Eats a variety of small invertebrates.

Comparison with Green Anole

Brown Anoles are less arboreal than Green Anoles, tending to stay closer to the ground.
Green Anoles tend to go higher up into trees, although they can also be found lower down.

Brown Anoles are always gray, light brown, or dark brown, never green.
Green Anoles can turn from dark brown to bright green.

Male Brown Anoles have a bright orange-red dewlap with a cream to yellow border.
Male Green Anoles have a pink dewlap.
(Be aware that dewlaps appear different colors when seen in different lights.)

Brown and Green Anoles are about the same size, but Green Anoles have a larger and longer head.

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