[1][2] It ranges from Baja California to the state of Washington and lives in a variety of habitats including grasslands, chaparral, forests, and even urban areas.

[6] The subspecific name webbii is in honor of Thomas Hopkins Webb (1801–1866) who was Secretary of the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey (1848–1855).

[2] The color of this species is variable, and can be brown, gray, green, or yellowish above, often with red blotches on the middle of the back.

[5] The southern alligator lizard is native to the Pacific coast of North America, ranging from the state of Washington to Baja California.

These lizards can be found across many diverse habitats, including grassland, open forest, chaparral, suburban and urban areas, and even into the desert along the Mojave River.

[5][8] This species is particularly common in foothill oak woodlands, and is often found hiding under rocks, logs, or other surface cover.

[9] The southern alligator lizard frequently can be found near human habitation, and is often seen foraging in the mornings and evenings.