A green emerald alligator lizard among bright green leaves. — Photo: Derek Ramsey, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Emerald Alligator Lizard

Abronia graminea

A teal-green Mexican lizard that lives about 130 feet up in cloud forest treetops among bromeliads.

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About the Emerald Alligator Lizard

Emerald alligator lizards grow up to about 9.8 inches long and are teal blue to deep green, with a yellow ring around each eye. They live in the Mexican states of Veracruz and Puebla, in the humid canopy of cloud forests, often about 130 feet above the ground among bromeliads. They are active by day and eat insects and other small invertebrates.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Abronia graminea^[1]
Size: Up to about 9.8 inches long.^[1]
Lifespan: Up to about 10 years in human care.^[1]
Diet: Insects and other small invertebrates.^[1]
Habitat: Humid cloud forest canopy, among bromeliads.^[1]
Where it lives: Veracruz and Puebla, Mexico.^[1]
Group life: Active by day.^[1]
Babies: 7 to 12 live young after 6 to 8 months.^[1]
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List, assessed 2007).^[2]

Fun facts

They usually live about 130 feet above the forest floor.^[1]
Males are more colorful than females.^[1]
Babies are born live, not hatched from eggs.^[1]

Vocabulary

cloud forest: A mountain forest that is often covered in clouds or mist.
bromeliad: A tropical plant with stiff leaves arranged in a rosette; pineapples are bromeliads.
viviparous: Giving birth to live young instead of laying eggs.
arboreal: Living mostly in trees.
endangered: A conservation label meaning a species faces a very high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Reptile Discovery CenterSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Emerald alligator lizard.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/emerald-alligator-lizard (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Abronia graminea (Terrestrial Arboreal Alligator Lizard).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/63678/12695490 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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