ALLIGATOR LIZARD
Ed and I were hiking the Sunset Trail, and our eyes caught a glimpse of a rapidly wiggling small lizard. I got out the camera, but not really in time to get a good picture. Neither of us had seen this particular lizard before. It had distinctive alternating bands of black and white the whole length of its body (about 4 inches). The next day I was hiking with a nature group about 6 miles west of Sunset Trail, and someone in the party spotted the same species of lizard. Fortunately one of our group recognized it and had an excellent book about Arizona Lizards. He said it was a juvenile Madrean Alligator Lizard, Elgaria kingii to be exact. It was strange after never having noticed the species before, to see two in less than twenty-four hours. I have read that the Alligator Lizard is largely active at night or in the early dawn or late evening. When it matures its appearance changes to something less dramatic. Very likely I have seen an adult Arizona Lizard before, but never a juvenile.