Plestiodon gilberti

Formerly in the genus Eumeces. Smith (2005) and Brandley et al. (2005) formally proposed that all North American species (north of Mexico) be placed in the genus Plestiodon. In a phylogenetic analysis of Eumeces based on morphology, Griffith et al. (2000) proposed splitting Eumeces into multiple genera, based on the apparent paraphyly of Eumeces.

Richmond and Reeder (2002) presented mtDNA evidence that populations previously referred to Plestiodon gilberti represent three lineages that separately evolved large body size and the loss of stripes in late ontogenetic stages. Although they considered those three lineages to merit species recognition, they did not propose specific taxonomic changes, and subsequently Richmond and Jockusch (2007) and Richmond et al. (2011) have treated them as a single species based on extensive introgressive hybridization between two of the forms and the lack of prezygotic isolation between members of all pairs of them. The results of Richmond and Reeder (2002) contradict the recognition of P. g. arizonensis, which is not differentiated from P. g. rubricaudatus and therefore has been eliminated from Crother (2017), and indicate the existence of an unnamed and at least partially separate lineage within P. g. rubricaudatus (their Inyo clade) (Crother 2017).

Future taxonomic revisions will require a reassessment of the conservation status of this and related species.

The geographic range excompasses the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges from central California to northern Baja California (Pacific coast to Sierra San Pedro Martir; Grismer 2002); isolated populations exist in southeastern California, southern Nevada, and west-central Arizona (Stebbins 2003). Elevational range extends from near sea level to about 2,220 meters (7,300 feet) (Stebbins 2003).

Thie lizard is represented by a large number of occurrences or subpopulations. Jones (1985) mapped more than 150 collection sites throughout the range.

In some areas, declines likely have occurred as a result of habitat destruction associated with residential and commercial development. However, the species remains fairly common in many areas.