The northern alligator lizard was formerly known by the scientific name of Gerrhonotus coeruleus (Wiegmann, 1828), but more recently has been assigned to the genus Elgaria.

[4] During the spring breeding season, a male lizard grasps the head of a female with his mouth until she is ready to let him mate with her.

As the map shows, the different subspecies have quite different geographic ranges, with E. c. principis being the most widely distributed, whereas E. c. coerulea occurs mainly around the San Francisco area but is also found farther north into Humboldt County.

As winter sets in, colder temperatures force northern alligator lizards to undergo brumation.

[6] Often, western alligator lizards choose to hide under rocks—though logs and burrows are occasionally used—to undergo this process.