Northern Alligator Lizard
Elgaria coerulea
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyAnguidae (Glass and Alligator Lizards)
- GenusElgaria (Western Alligator Lizards)
- SpeciesElgaria coerulea (Northern Alligator Lizard)
About the Northern Alligator Lizard
The northern alligator lizard (Elgaria coerulea) is a species of medium-sized lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is native to the North American west coast. There are four recognized subspecies. The northern alligator lizard was formerly known by the scientific name of Gerrhonotus coeruleus (Wiegmann, 1828), but more recently has been assigned to the genus Elgaria.
Four subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Elgaria coerulea coerulea (Wiegmann, 1828) – San Francisco alligator lizard Elgaria coerulea palmeri (Stejneger, 1893) – Sierra alligator lizard
Elgaria coerulea principis (Baird & Girard, 1852) – Northwestern alligator lizard Elgaria coerulea shastensis (Fitch, 1934) – Shasta alligator lizard A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Elgaria.
The subspecies E. c. principis is one of seven species of lizards in Canada. The subspecific name, palmeri, is in honor of American zoologist Theodore Sherman Palmer. The northern alligator lizard is a medium-sized slender lizard. Adults reach a snout-to... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Northern Alligator Lizard in Yosemite National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Yosemite National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Northern Alligator Lizard in Yosemite National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Alligator Lizard sighting in Yosemite National Park, based on 69 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Northern Alligator Lizard in Yosemite National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Northern Alligator Lizard in Yosemite National Park in our monthly data.