Alligator Lizard

Alligator Lizard

Scales and a flat, wedged-shaped head aren’t the only things this lizard has in common with an alligator. It is also a good swimmer! If water is nearby when an alligator lizard feels threatened, it dives in and swims away! And although they aren’t as big as a gator’s, this lizard’s teeth can give a painful bite.

An alligator lizard’s long tail is slightly prehensile. The reptile uses it to grip branches as it climbs trees to hunt spiders and insects. Its tail is helpful on the ground, too, but in a different way. If a predator tries to grab it, an alligator lizard's tail can break off. The tail wiggles around, distracting the predator while the lizard runs away to hide. The lizard can grow a new tail, but it takes many weeks

Area:
U.S. and Mexico

Habitat:  
Grasslands, chaparral, woodlands, and forests

Food: 
 Insects, spiders, snails, tadpoles, sometimes other lizards

Size:  
3 to 7¼ inches long from nose to base of tail

Babies:  
Hatchlings take care of themselves from the moment they hatch.

(source:googe/http://adminkids.sandiegozoo.org)