Northern alligator lizard
| Northern alligator lizard | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Sauria |
| Infraorder: | Anguimorpha |
| Family: | Anguidae |
| Subfamily: | Gerrhonotinae |
| Genus: | Elgaria |
| Species: | E. coerulea |
| Binomial name | |
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Elgaria coerulea (Wiegmann, 1828) |
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| Synonyms | |
The northern alligator lizard (Elgaria coerulea) is a medium-sized lizard that occurs on the North American west coast.
The northern alligator lizard was formerly known by the scientific name of Gerrhonotus coeruleus Wiegmann, 1828, but is nowadays assigned to the genus Elgaria.
Four subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies:
Nota bene: 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 five species of lizards in Canada.
The subspecific name, palmeri, is in honor of American zoologist Theodore Sherman Palmer.
Sierra alligator lizards are medium-sized slender lizards. Adults reach a snout-to-vent length of about 10 cm (3.9 in) and a total length of roughly 27.5 cm (10.8 in). They have a distinct skin fold on their sides, separating the keeled scales on the back from the smooth ventral scales. This skin varies in color, but can be brown and white or greenish yellow and brown. They are brownish in color and often have dark blotches that sometimes blend together into bands. The throat and mouth area of some young individuals can be yellow. The belly is light gray. The eyes are dark. Their typical diet includes crickets, mealworms, and moths, but they will also take larger prey, such as small lizards, and will even eat small baby mice if given the opportunity.
The Northern Alligator Lizard is live-bearing, producing up to 15 young (typically 4–5), between June and September. During the spring breeding season, a male lizard grabs on to the head of a female with his mouth until she is ready to let him mate with her. They can remain attached this way for many hours, almost oblivious to their surroundings. Besides keeping her from running off to mate with another male, this probably shows her how strong and suitable a mate he is.
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Wikipedia