Uta stansburiana

Upton and Murphy (1997) presented mtDNA evidence for a distant relationship between Uta specimens from Durango versus those from Baja California and surrounding islands (as well as one locality in western Sonora), and they considered the Durango population to constitute a different species, to which they applied the name U. stejnegeri. Corl et al. (2009) presented a phylogenetic tree based on mtDNA that is roughly congruent with previously recognized subspecies within the United States and corroborates the relatively distant relationship of U. s. stejnegeri to specimens from Baja California. Although these two studies are complementary in terms of geographic sampling, significant sampling gaps remain (central and eastern Nevada, northern Baja California, and the southeastern part of the distribution). Crother (2017) have therefore refrained from recognizing U. stejnegeri as a species pending a more comprehensive phylogeographic study.

The geographic range extends from central and northeastern California, central and eastern Oregon, central Washington, southwestern Idaho, Utah, and western Colorado southward to the tip of Baja California, northern Sinaloa, and northern Zacatecas, Mexico, including many islands along the Pacific coast of Baja California and in the Gulf of California (Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003). Elevational range extends from below sea level in desert sinks to about 2,750 meters (9,000 feet) (Stebbins 2003).

DNA data suggest long-established residency on Santa Catalina and San Clemente islands but more recent arrival for the populations on San Nicolas and Santa Cruz Islands, California (Mahoney et al. 2003).

This lizard is represented by a very large number of occurrences or subpopulations.

No major threats have been identified.