Description: The Madrean Alligator Lizard is a large (to 5.5 inches), shiny, long-bodied lizard with relatively small limbs and a long, thick tail. The back and belly are armored with stiff, rectangular, plate-like scales. A soft fold of skin on each side allows the body to expand for breathing. Coloration is gray or tan with chocolate or reddish brown crossbars that have dark posterior edges. Often has crisp white markings on the sides of the face. Young have crisp, nearly black banding on the body and tail and dark coloration on the limbs, feet, and lower sides. Description Credited to Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists

Habitat: Habitats include pine-oak woodlands, riparian areas of canyon floors in mountain ranges, juniper-grassland, chaparral, high dry grassland, oak woodland, open pine-fir forest, and talus; this is primarily a montane species, but it also occurs along major drainages in desert (e.g., creosotebush) and grassland. The lizards hide among logs, rocks, dense vegetation, and leaf litter.

Range: Elgaria kingii is found from southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, United States, southward to Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit, southeastern Zacatecas, and southwestern Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Found in these States: AZ | NM

Diet: Eats mainly insects and scorpions.

Reproduction: Lays a clutch of 9 to 15 eggs June to July.

Status: Listed as Least Concern because of the broad geographic range, large number of populations, wide range of habitats, and lack of evidence suggesting a significant decline in extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, or abundance.

Subspecies: Three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Only one is found in the United States:
   Arizona Alligator Lizard Elgaria kingii nobilis

Taxonomy: