Anniella stebbinsi Papenfuss & Parham, 2013

Species Identity

Anniella stebbinsi, commonly called the Southern California legless lizard, is a small, slender legless lizard species.

Distinguishing Physical Features

It has a shovel-shaped snout, smooth shiny scales, a blunt tail, and visible eyelids that distinguish it from snakes.

Coloration

Its upper body is light olive-brown with bright yellow sides, and its underbelly is medium yellow.

Stripe Patterns

A narrow black mid-dorsal stripe, less than one scale wide, runs from the parietal scales to the tail tip, and additional one-scale-wide black stripes extend from the eye to the tail tip.

Holotype Measurements

The adult female holotype measures 132 mm (5.2 in) in snout-to-vent length, and has an 81 mm (3.2 in) regenerated tail.

Range Overview

This species ranges from Southern California in the United States to the northern half of Baja California, Mexico.

North-South Distribution

Its recorded distribution extends north to Bakersfield, California and south to Ensenada, Mexico.

Island Occurrences

It has also been observed on Mexico's Islas de Todos Santos and Islas Coronados.

Inland Distribution

Inland, it occurs in the Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino National Forest, and Cleveland National Forest in Southern California, and reaches as far east as Mexicali, Mexico.

Habitat Breadth

Compared to other members of its genus Anniella, A. stebbinsi occupies a broader variety of habitats.

Common Habitats

It is most commonly found in coastal sand dunes, and also lives in many interior habitats including sandy washes and alluvial fans.

Subterranean Behavior

It is primarily subterranean, burrowing in loose, sandy substrate.

Coastal Habitat Loss

Most of the species' coastal dune habitat, stretching from Ventura County in the north to the Mexico-United States border near Tijuana and San Diego, has been lost to coastal development.

Protected Population

A large protected population still persists in a preserved section of the formerly extensive El Segundo Dunes habitat at Los Angeles International Airport.

Conservation Status

As of March 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has not evaluated this species for the IUCN Red List.