Lizards in California

California is home to a large number of indigenous lizards, including skinks, alligator lizards, night lizards, geckoes, and legless lizards.

A subspecies of the Gila monster, the only poisonous lizard native to the US, can be found in the Golden State. It is extremely rare and is rarely seen close to human habitations.

lizards in California

Lizards of California

Alligator Lizards

  • Northern Alligator Lizard
  • Panamint Alligator Lizard
  • Southern Alligator Lizard

American Legless Lizards

  • Bakersfield Legless Lizard
  • Big Spring Legless Lizard
  • California Legless Lizard
  • San Diego Legless Lizard
  • Temblor Legless Lizard

Anoles

Banded Geckoes

  • Switak’s Banded Gecko 
  • Western Banded Gecko

California Rock Lizards

  • Banded Rock Lizard

Chuckwallas

  • Common Chuckwalla

Collared Lizards

  • Baja California Collared Lizard
  • Great Basin Collared Lizard

Fringe-toed Lizards

  • Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard
  • Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard
  • Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard

Geckoes

Gila Monsters

  • Banded Gila Monster

Horned Lizards

  • Blainville’s Horned Lizard
  • Coast Horned Lizard
  • Desert Horned Lizard
  • Flat-tail Horned Lizard
  • Pygmy Horned Lizard

Iguanas

Leaf-toed Geckoes

  • Peninsula Leaf-toed Gecko

Leopard Lizards

  • Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard
  • Cope’s Leopard Lizard
  • Long-nosed Leopard Lizard

Night Lizards

  • Desert Night Lizard
  • Granite Night Lizard
  • Island Night Lizard
  • Sandstone Night Lizard
  • Sierra Night Lizard
  • Wiggins’ Night Lizard

Side-blotched Lizards

  • Common Side-blotched Lizard

Skinks

  • Gilbert’s Skink
  • Western Skink

Spiny Lizards

  • Desert Spiny Lizard
  • Granite Spiny Lizard
  • Western Fence Lizard
  • Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard

Tree Lizards

  • Baja California Brush Lizard
  • Ornate Tree Lizard
  • Sagebrush Lizard
  • Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard

Wall Lizards

  • Italian Wall Lizard

Whiptail Lizards

  • Orange-throated Whiptail
  • Tiger Whiptail
  • Western Whiptail

Zebra-tailed Lizards

  • Zebra-tailed Lizard

Common Lizards: Southern Alligator Lizard, Western Fence Lizard,Common Side-blotched Lizard

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