Elgaria coerulea

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	REPTILIA	SQUAMATA	ANGUIDAE

Scientific Name:

Elgaria coerulea

Species Authority:

(Wiegmann, 1828)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Northern Alligator Lizard

Taxonomic Notes:

Elgaria coerulea formerly was included in genus Gerrhonotus (see Good 1988).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2007
Assessor/s:	Hammerson, G.A.
Reviewer/s:	Cox, N., Chanson, J.S. & Stuart, S.N. (Global Reptile Assessment Coordinating Team)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Listed as Least Concern in view of the wide distribution, large number of populations, the species' tolerance of some forms of habitat disturbance, and the relatively stable population trend.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This lizard occurs in the west of the United States and in southwestern Canada. It ranges from southern British Columbia (including Vancouver Island) southward through western Washington and western Oregon to west-central coastal California and the central Sierra Nevada (including the east side of Lake Tahoe basin) and Washoe County, Nevada (Vindum and Arnold 1997). It also ranges southward in the Rocky Mountains to northern Idaho and western Montana. Disjunct populations occurs in several areas in south-central Oregon, northeastern California, and northwestern Nevada (Stebbins 2003). The western edge of the distribution includes some small coastal islands (Stebbins 2003). The elevational range extends from sea level to around 3,200 m (Stebbins 2003).
Countries:	Native: Canada; United States
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Nussbaum et al. (1983) mapped more than 200 locations where this species has been found. The total adult population size is unknown but surely exceeds 10,000. The species is often fairly common in suitable habitat (St. John 2002). The overall population is probably relatively stable in extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, and abundance.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Habitat includes open areas in coniferous forest, grassy grown-over areas at margins of woodlands, clearcuts, and areas along streams; along coast this lizard sometimes occurs far from trees or major cover; it is associated with rock outcrops and talus in some areas (Lais 1976).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The primary threat may be outright destruction of habitat. The species tolerates some habitat disturbances such as logging. Nussbaum et al. (1983) stated that the introduction of the cinnabar moth for weed (tansy ragweed) control may have adverse effects on northern alligator lizards. The moths are reported to be highly poisonous to the lizards.

Major Threat(s):

The primary threat may be outright destruction of habitat. The species tolerates some habitat disturbances such as logging. Nussbaum et al. (1983) stated that the introduction of the cinnabar moth for weed (tansy ragweed) control may have adverse effects on northern alligator lizards. The moths are reported to be highly poisonous to the lizards.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species occurs in many protected areas.

Conservation Actions:

This species occurs in many protected areas.

Citation:	Hammerson, G.A. 2007. Elgaria coerulea. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2013.
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