Elgaria multicarinata
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
The southern alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) is a common species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is native to the Pacific coast of North America. It ranges from Baja California to the state of Washington and lives in a variety of habitats including grasslands, chaparral, forests, and even urban areas. In dry climates, it is likely to be found in moist areas or near streams. There are five recognized subspecies.
Elgaria multicarinata ignava (Van Denburgh, 1905) Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata (Blainville, 1835) Elgaria multicarinata nana (Fitch, 1934) Elgaria multicarinata scincicauda (Skilton, 1849) Elgaria multicarinata webbii (Baird, 1859)
The generic name Elgaria is possibly named for an "Elgar" or a pun on "alligator." The specific name multicarinata refers to the keeled scales characteristic of this species. The common name "alligator lizard" is a reference to the fact that the back and belly scales of these lizards are reinforced by bone, as they are in alligators.
The subspecific name webbii is in honor... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Los Angeles Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | California Living Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Lindsay Wildlife Experience | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Alligator Lizard sighting in Los Angeles on a given day, based on 3,828 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 37 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and August
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Alligator Lizard in Los Angeles on a given day, against about 10% in December and January, the lowest months. Those are among Los Angeles's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain a month against 75 mm in February.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Alligator Lizard sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Southern Alligator Lizard sightings, Los Angeles ranks 2nd at about 30%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Tijuana (México, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Alligator Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Los Angeles (3,828 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
