Can somebody identify this lizard for me?

Found it in my backyard i live in los angeles/southern california

Looks like an alligator lizard. I might need some expert verification on that, though.

Thats what my dad told me it probaly was too just wanted to make sure.

Maybe some type of skink?

elgaria multicarinata webbii -San Diego Alligator Lizard.

extremely variable in appearance.

It's definitely a Southern Californian Alligator lizard.

unfortunately, in my experiences, these tend to have a 50/50 rate of taming down.. A tame alligator lizard is one of the best pets you'll own.


Often they just never like you, no matter what. Try to get a hatchling if you can. It totally makes a major difference.

I've found Tx Alligator lizards in their eastern range that have all been easy going, but the ones in the western part of their range are smaller and bite like crazy, could be a locality thing for those too.

Galapoheros said:

I've found Tx Alligator lizards in their eastern range that have all been easy going, but the ones in the western part of their range are smaller and bite like crazy, could be a locality thing for those too.

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It really depends on how stressful their encounter with you was. Some individuals are lucky and have had no unpleasant encounters with large animals, so they're not as defensive..

The alligator lizards in my backyard dont see me as a threat because i dont attempt to capture them. Here's a docile gravid female that always pops out when im in the backyard having a smoke:





She lost part of her tail in the process of escaping from my idiot neighbors.. I heard them all screaming and acting like chimps, "GRAB IT GRAB IT!" and fortunately, they were stupid and grabbed her tail (these neighbors have serious drug problems and think nothing of killing a lizard for "lulz"), and she escaped under the brick wall and into my backyard. She has been there ever since, and is enjoying a small bit of land full of spiders and ample cover. It's really sad because she's really nice, and those morons were gonna hurt her

Anguids are extremely intelligent and remember individual people. I gave her shelter for the night, she was docile and simply was looking for a place to drop her eggs. Was severely dehydrated and weak, a few juicy field crickets and a nice big drink, and she was ready to go the next day. She's quite beautiful, too! She stays in my backyard now, and will allow me to pick her up, but treats everyone else as hostile and bites them.

This is the same species as OP's specimen. They are amazingly variable within even a single brood. You can sometimes see melanistic specimens that are virtually all black, too.

Cool lizard guys, I've seen a couple of alligator lizards here in Prescott, AZ too. I ran across this beauty yesterday and don't know what it is. I was hoping the community could ID him as I've never seen one like this around town before. I've searched through images of lizards in Arizona, but came up empty.
Edit: Looks like it might be the Eastern Collared Lizard, but he's not as wildly colored as google image results.


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Sonoran collared lizard.