California Lizards

A Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of California	California Lizards

This is a complete llst of all of the lizards that occur naturally in California, including non-native species with established populations. California's lizards are listed by scientific name and sorted by family, genus, species, and subspecies if applicable. They are listed by common name below the scientific name list. Follow the blue links to go to a page with information about each kind of lizard along with pictures of them and their habitat and short videos if available. The names used on this list are based mainly on lists published by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. More Lists And Information About California Lizards
Alpha Code	Scientific Name	Common Name	Original Description	Alternate Name	CA Endemic

	Order Squamata	Scaled Reptiles (Lizards)	Oppel, 1811

	Anguidae	Alligator Lizards and Allies	Gray, 1825

	Elgaria	Western Alligator Lizards	Gray, 1838
ELCO	Elgaria coerulea	Northern Alligator Lizard	Wiegmann, 1828
ECCO	Elgaria coerulea coerulea	San Francisco Alligator Lizard	(Wiegmann, 1828)		Endemic
ECPA	Elgaria coerulea palmeri	Sierra Alligator Lizard	(Stejneger, 1893)
ECPR	Elgaria coerulea principis	Northwestern Alligator Lizard	(Baird and Girard, 1852)
ECSH	Elgaria coerulea shastensis	Shasta Alligator Lizard	(Fitch, 1934)
ELMU	Elgaria multicarinata	Southern Alligator Lizard	(Blainville, 1835)
EMMU	Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata	Forest Alligator Lizard (California Alligator Lizard)	(Blainville, 1835)	California Alligator Lizard
EMWE	Elgaria multicarinata webbii	Woodland Alligator Lizard (San Diego Alligator Lizard)	(Baird, 1859 “1858”)	San Diego Alligator Lizard
ELPA	Elgaria panamintina	Panamint Alligator Lizard	(Stebbins, 1958)		Endemic

	Anniellidae	North American Legless lizards	Boulenger 1885

	*Anniella*	North American Legless Lizards	Gray, 1852
ANAL	Anniella alexanderae	Temblor Legless Lizard	Papenfuss & Parham, 2013		Endemic
ANCA	Anniella campi	Big Spring Legless Lizard	Papenfuss & Parham, 2013	Southern Sierra Legless Lizard	Endemic
ANGR	Anniella grinnelli	Bakersfield Legless Lizard	Papenfuss & Parham, 2013		Endemic
ANPU	Anniella pulchra	Northern Legless Lizard	Gray, 1852	Northern California Legless Lizard	Endemic
ANST	Anniella stebbinsi	San Diegan Legless Lizard	Papenfuss & Parham, 2013	Southern Califonria Legless Lizard

	Crotaphytidae	Collared and Leopard Lizards	Smith & Brodie, 1982

	Crotaphytus	Collared Lizards	Holbrook, 1842
CRBI	Crotaphytus bicinctores	Great Basin Collared Lizard	Smith and Tanner, 1972
CRVE	Crotaphytus vestigium	Baja California Collared Lizard	Smith and Tanner, 1972

	Gambelia	Leopard Lizards	Baird 1859 “1858”
GACO	Gambelia copeii	Cope's Leopard Lizard	(Yarrow, 1882)
GASI	Gambelia sila	Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard	(Stejneger, 1890)		Endemic
GAWI	Gambelia wislizenii	Long-nosed Leopard Lizard	(Baird and Girard, 1852)

	Eublepharidae	Eyelid Geckos	Boulenger, 1883

	Coleonyx	Banded Geckos	Gray, 1845
COSW	Coleonyx switaki	Switak's Banded Gecko	(Murphy, 1974)
CSSW	Coleonyx switaki switaki	Peninsula Banded Gecko	(Murphy, 1974)
COVA	Coleonyx variegatus	Western Banded Gecko	(Baird, 1859 “1858”)
CVAB	Coleonyx variegatus abbotti	San Diego Banded Gecko	Klauber, 1945
CVVA	Coleonyx variegatus variegatus	Desert Banded Gecko	(Baird, 1859)

	Helodermatidae	Gila Monsters	Gray, 1837

	Heloderma	Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards	Wiegmann, 1829
HESU	Heloderma suspectum	Gila Monster	Cope, 1869
HSCI	Heloderma suspectum cinctum	Banded Gila Monster	Bogert and Martín del Campo, 1956

	Iguanidae	Iguanas	Oppel, 1811

	Dipsosaurus	Desert Iguanas	Hallowell, 1854
DIDO	Dipsosaurus dorsalis	Desert Iguana	(Baird and Girard, 1852)
DDDO	Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis	Northern Desert Iguana	(Baird and Girard, 1852)

	Sauromalus	Chuckwallas	Duméril, 1856
SAAT	Sauromalus ater	Common Chuckwalla	Duméril, 1856

	Phrynosomatidae	Zebra-tailed, Earless, Fringe-toed, Spiny, Tree, Side-blotched, and Horned Lizards	Fitzinger, 1843

	Callisaurus	Zebra-tailed Lizards	Blainville, 1835
CADR	Callisaurus draconoides	Zebra-tailed Lizard	Blainville, 1835
CDRH	Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus	Western Zebra-tailed Lizard	Cope, 1896

	Petrosaurus	Banded Rock Lizards	Boulenger, 1885
PEME	Petrosaurus mearnsi	Banded Rock Lizard	(Stejneger, 1894)
PMME	Petrosaurus mearnsi mearnsi	Banded Rock Lizard	(Stejneger, 1894)

	Phrynosoma	Horned Lizards	Wiegmann, 1828
PHBL	Phrynosoma blainvillii	Blainville's Horned Lizard	Gray, 1839	Coast Horned Lizard - Phrynosoma coronatum Anota blainvillii
PHDO	Phrynosoma douglasii	Pygmy Short-horned Lizard	Bell, 1829	Tapaja douglasii
PHMC	Phrynosoma mcallii	Flat-tailed Horned Lizard	Hallowell, 1852	Anota mcallii
PHPL	Phrynosoma platyrhinos	Desert Horned Lizard	Girard, 1852	Doliosaurus platyrhinos
PPCA	Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum	Southern Desert Horned Lizard	Cope, 1896	Doliosaurus platyrhinos calidiarum
PPPL	Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos	Northern Desert Horned Lizard	Girard, 1852	Doliosaurus platyrhinos platyrhinos

	Sceloporus	Spiny Lizards	Wiegmann, 1828
SCGR	Sceloporus graciosus	Common Sagebrush Lizard	Baird and Girard, 1852
SGGL *	Sceloporus graciosus gracilis	Western Sagebrush Lizard	Baird and Girard, 1852
SGGO *	Sceloporus graciosus graciosus	Northern Sagebrush Lizard	Baird and Girard, 1852
SGVA	Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus	Southern Sagebrush Lizard	Cope, 1896
SCMA	Sceloporus magister	Desert Spiny Lizard	Hallowell, 1854
SCOC	Sceloporus occidentalis	Western Fence Lizard	Baird and Girard, 1852
SOBE	Sceloporus occidentalis becki	Island Fence Lizard	Van Denburgh, 1905		Endemic
SOBI	Sceloporus occidentalis biseriatus	San Joaquin Fence Lizard	Hallowell, 1854		Endemic
SOBO	Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii	Coast Range Fence Lizard	Boulenger, 1885		Endemic
SOLO	Sceloporus occidentalis longipes	Great Basin Fence Lizard	Baird, 1859 “1858”
SOOC	Sceloporus occidentalis occidentalis	Northwestern Fence Lizard	Baird and Girard, 1852
SOTA	Sceloporus occidentalis taylori	Sierra Fence Lizard	Camp, 1916		Endemic
SCOR	Sceloporus orcutti	Granite Spiny Lizard	Stejneger, 1893
SCUN	Sceloporus uniformis	Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard	Phelan and Brattstrom, 1955

	Uma	Fringe-toed Lizards	Baird, 1859 “1858”
UMIN	Uma inornata	Coachella Fringe-toed Lizard	Cope, 1895		Endemic
UMNO	Uma notata	Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard	Baird, 1859 “1858”
UMSC	Uma scoparia	Mohave Fringe-toed Lizard	Cope, 1894

	*Urosaurus*	Tree and Bush Lizards	Hallowell, 1854
URGR	Urosaurus graciosus	Long-tailed Brush Lizard	Hallowell, 1854
UGGR	Urosaurus graciosus graciosus	Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard	Hallowell, 1854
URMI	Urosaurus microscutatus	Small-scaled Lizard	(Van Denburgh, 1894)	Urosaurus nigricaudus (nigricauda) Baja California Brush Lizard
UROR	Urosaurus ornatus	Ornate Tree Lizard	(Baird and Girard, 1852)
UOSY	Urosaurus ornatus symmetricus	Colorado River Tree Lizard	(Baird, 1859 “1858”)

	Uta	Side-blotched Lizards	Baird and Girard, 1852
UTST	Uta stansburiana	Common Side-blotched Lizard	Baird and Girard, 1852
USEL	Uta stansburiana elegans	Western Side-blotched Lizard	Yarrow, 1882
USNE	Uta stansburiana nevadensis	Nevada Side-blotched Lizard	Ruthven, 1913

	Phyllodactylidae	Leaf-toed Geckos	Gamble, Bauer, Greenbaum, & Jackman 2008

	*Phyllodactylus*	Leaf-toed Geckos	Gray, 1828
PHNO	Phyllodactylus nocticolus	Peninsula Leaf-toed Gecko	Dixon, 1964

	Scincidae	Skinks	Gray, 1825

	Plestiodon	Toothy Skinks	Duméril and Bibron, 1839	Eumeces
PLGI	Plestiodon gilberti	Gilbert's Skink	(Van Denburgh, 1896)	Eumeces gilberti
PGCA	Plestiodon gilberti cancellosus	Variegated Skink	(Rodgers and Fitch, 1947)	Eumeces gilberti cancellosus	Endemic
PGGI	Plestiodon gilberti gilberti	Greater Brown Skink	(Van Denburgh, 1896)	Eumeces gilberti gilberti	Endemic
PGPL	Plestiodon gilberti placerensis	Northern Brown Skink	(Rodgers, 1944)	Eumeces gilberti placerensis	Endemic
PGRU	Plestiodon gilberti rubricaudatus	Western Red-tailed Skink	(Taylor, 1935)	Eumeces gilberti rubricaudatus
PLSK	Plestiodon skiltonianus	Western Skink	Baird and Girard, 1852	Eumeces skiltonianus
PSIN	Plestiodon skiltonianus interparietalis	Coronado Skink	(Tanner, 1958 “1957”)	Eumeces skiltonianus interparietalis
PSSK	Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus	Skilton's Skink	Baird and Girard, 1852	Eumeces skiltonianus skiltonianus

	Teiidae	Whiptails and Racerunners	Gray, 1827

	Aspidoscelis	Whiptails	Fitzinger, 1843	Cnemidophorus
ASHY	Aspidoscelis hyperythra	Orange-throated Whiptail	(Cope, 1863)	Cnemidophorus hyperythrus
AHBE	Aspidoscelis hyperythra beldingi	Belding's Orange-throated Whiptail	(Stejneger, 1894)	Cnemidophorus hyperythrus beldingi
ASTI	Aspidoscelis tigris	Tiger Whiptail	(Baird and Girard, 1852)	Cnemidophorus tigris
ATMU	Aspidoscelis tigris munda	California Whiptail	(Camp, 1916)	Cnemidophorus tigris munda	Endemic
ATST	Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri	San Diegan Tiger Whiptail	(Van Denburgh, 1894)	Cnemidophorus tigris stejnegeri - Coastal Whiptail
ATTI	Aspidoscelis tigris tigris	Great Basin Whiptail	(Baird and Girard, 1852)	Cnemidophorus tigris tigri

	Xantusiidae	Night Lizards	Baird, 1858

	Xantusia	Night Lizards	Baird, 1859 “1858”
XAGR	Xantusia gracilis	Sandstone Night Lizard	Grismer and Galvan, 1986		Endemic
XAHE	Xantusia henshawi	Granite Night Lizard	Stejneger, 1893
XARI	Xantusia riversiana	Island Night Lizard	Cope, 1883
XRRE	Xantusia riversiana reticulata	San Clemente Night Lizard	Smith, 1946		Endemic
XRRI	Xantusia riversiana riversiana	San Nicolas Night Lizard	Cope, 1883		Endemic
XASI	Xantusia sierrae	Sierra Night Lizard	Bezy, 1967		Endemic
XAVI	Xantusia vigilis	Desert Night Lizard	Baird, 1859 “1858”
XAWI	Xantusia wigginsi	Wiggins' Night Lizard	Savage, 1952


Non-Native Species (More information about non-native amphibians and reptiles reported in California)
	Acanthodactylus	Fringe-fingered Lizards, Spiny-toed Lizards, Fringe-toed Lizards	Wiegmann, 1834
ACBO	Acanthodactylus boskianus	Bosc's Fringe-toed Lizard	(Daudin, 1802)

	*Aspidoscelis*	Whiptails	Fitzinger, 1843
ASSO	Aspidoscelis sonorae	Sonoran Spotted Whiptail	(Lowe and Wright, 1964)	Cnemidophorus Formerly described as Hybrids - Aspidoscelis flagellicauda x Aspidoscelis sonorae

	Chamaeleonidae	Chameleons	Gray, 1825

	*Trioceros*	Chameleons	Swainson, 1839	Chamaeleo - Laurenti, 1768
TRJA	Trioceros jacksonii	Jackson's Chameleon	Boulanger, 1896	Chamaeleo jacksonii

	Dactyloidae	Anoles	Fitzinger, 1843

	*Anolis*	Anoles	Daudin, 1802
ANCA	Anolis carolinensis	Green Anole	(Voigt, 1832)
ANSA	Anolis sagrei	Brown Anole	Dumeril and Bibron, 1837

	Gekkonidae	Geckos	Gray, 1825

	*Cyrtopodion*	Bow-fingered Geckos	Fitzinger, 1843
CYSC	Cyrtopodion scabrum	Rough-tailed Gecko	(Heyden, 1827)	Keeled Rock Gecko, Bow-footed Gecko, Rough-tailed Bowfoot Gecko, Rough Bent-toed Gecko, Common Tuberculate Ground Gecko, and Keeled Gecko

	Hemidactylus	House Geckos	Gray, 1825
HEGA	Hemidactylus garnotii	Indo-Pacific Gecko	Dumeril and Bibron, 1836	Fox Gecko, Garnot's House Gecko
HEMA	Hemidactylus mabouia	Tropical House Gecko	(Moreau de Jonnès, 1818)	Wood Slave, African House Gecko, etc.
HETU	Hemidactylus turcicus	Mediterranean Gecko	(Linnaeus, 1758)	Gray, 1825

	Tarentola	Wall Geckos	Gray, 1825
TAAN	Tarentola annularis	Ringed Wall Gecko (White-spotted Wall Gecko)	(Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827)
TAMA	Tarentola mauritanica	Moorish Gecko	(Linnaeus, 1758)

	Lacertidae	Lacertid Lizards	Cope, 1864

	*Podarcis*	Wall Lizard	Wagler, 1830
POSI	Podarcis siculus	Italian Wall Lizard	(Rafinesque, 1810)	= Podarcis sicula

	Skincidae	Skinks
	Chalcides	(Skinks)	Laurenti, 1768
CHOC	Chalcides ocellatus	Ocellated Skink	(Forsskal, 1775)	Ocellated Bronze Skink, Eyed Skink, Gongilo

	Trachylepis	Afro-Malagasy mabuyas	Fitzinger, 1843
TRQU	Trachylepis Quinquetaeniata	African Five-lined Skink	(Lichtenstein, 1823)	Mabuya quinquetaeniata Five-lined Mabuya, Rainbow Mabuya, Rainbow Skink, Rainbow Rock Skink


Common Name

	Alligator Lizards
	Forest Alligator Lizard (California Alligator Lizard)
	Northwestern Alligator Lizard
	San Francisco Alligator Lizard
	Shasta Alligator Lizard
	Sierra Alligator Lizard
	Oregon Alligator Lizard
	Panamint Alligator Lizard
	Woodland Alligator Lizard (San Diego Alligator Lizard)

	Chuckwallas
	Common Chuckwalla

	Collared Lizards
	Baja California Collared Lizard
	Great Basin Collared Lizard

	Fence Lizards (Bluebellies, Swifts)
	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
	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
	Temblor Legless Lizard
	Southern Sierra Legless Lizard
	Bakersfield Legless Lizard
	Northern California Legless Lizard
	Black Legless Lizard
	Southern 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's 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
	Variegated Skink
	Greater Brown Skink
	Northern Brown Skink
	Western Red-tailed Skink
	Coronado Skink
	Skilton's Skink

	Spiny Lizards
	Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
	Desert Spiny Lizard
	Granite Spiny Lizard

	Tree and Brush Lizards
	Small-scaled Lizard
	Colorado River Tree Lizard
	Long-tailed Brush Lizard

	Whiptails
	Belding's Orange Throated Whiptail
	California Whiptail
	Coastal Whiptail
	Great Basin Whiptail

	Zebra-tailed Lizards
	Western Zebra-tailed Lizard


	Non-native Species	(More information about non-native reptiles and amphibians reported in California)

	Fringe-fingered Lizards, Spiny-toed Lizards
	Bosc's Fringe-toed Lizard

	Anoles
	Green Anole
	Brown Anole

	Chameleons
	Jackson's Chameleon

	Geckos
	Indo-Pacific Gecko
	Mediterranean House Gecko
	Moorish Wall Gecko
	Ringed (White-Spotted) Wall Gecko
	Tropical House Gecko
	Rough-tailed Gecko

	Skinks
	African Five-lined Skink

	Wall Lizards
	Italian Wall Lizard

	Whiptails
	Gila Spotted Whiptail x Sonoran Spotted Whiptail

* Using the standard rules to make alpha codes for these names would create duplicates, so a variation of the normal alpha code has been created. This code may not be the same as those used elsewhere.

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