Description: E. m. multicarinata ranges from 2 7/8 - 7 inches in snout to vent length and up to aprox. 12 inches in total length. They are characterized by a thick rounded body with short limbs and long tail. Large bony scales, a large head on an elongated body and powerful jaws probably give the lizards their common name. The tail can reach twice the length of its body if it has never been broken off and regenerated. Scales are keeled on the back, sides, and legs, with 14 rows of scales across the back at the middle of the body. (Compare with the 16 rows of scales found on Elgaria coerulea.) The scales of this subspecies are less heavily keeled than E. m. webbii. A band of small granular scales separates the larger bone-reinforced scales on the back and on the belly, creating a fold along each side. These folds allow the body to expand to hold food, eggs, or live young. The fold contracts when the extra capacity is not needed. The head of a male is broader than a female's with a more triangular shape. Color is brown, grey, or yellowish above, with red blotches on the middle of the back. Usually there are 9 - 13 dark bands on the back, sides, and tail, with adjacent white spots. On some lizards these dark bands are very pronounced, on others they are covered with reddish or yellowish color. The head is usually mottled with dark color. The eyes are light yellow around the pupils. (Compare with the darker eyes of a simillar species - the Northern Alligator Lizard - Elgaria coerulea.) Usually there are dark lines or dashes lengthwise on the belly which run through the middle of the scales. Compare with the lines on the belly of the Northern Alligator Lizard - Elgaria coerulea, which run between the scales, along their edges.) Hatchlings are very thin and small, roughly 4 inches long, with smooth shiny skin with a plain tan, light brown, or copper colored back and tail. The sides are darker and sometimes mottled or barred as they are on adults. Juveniles gradually develop the large scales and heavy dark barring found on the back and tails of adults.

Habitat: Grassland, open forest, chaparral. Common in foothill oak woodlands. Commonly found hiding under rocks, logs, boards, trash, other surface cover.

Range: The subspecies Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata ranges from Washington State south along the coast to Monterey Bay and through the northern Central Valley east to the Sierra Nevada south to northern Kern County.

Found in these States: CA | OR

Diet: Eats a variety of small invertebrates. Will also eat small lizards and small mammals. Occasionally feed on bird eggs and young birds.

Reproduction: Mating occurs in Spring, most likely from April to May. Eggs are laid sometime from May to July and they hatch during late summer and early fall. Young hatch fully-formed. During the 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.

Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

Subspecies: None

Taxonomy: