Sonoran Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis sonorae

Aspidoscelis sonorae is a small to medium-sized lizard found in the south western US and Mexico
Aspidoscelis sonorae The Sonoran Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis sonorae) is a moderate-sized whiptail (< 93 mm SVL) with a dorsal pattern of 6 distinct light stripes on a brown to chocolate-brown background in both adults and juveniles. The stripes may fade in the oldest individuals but always remain distinct on the neck. In the dark fields between the dorsal stripes are small, light spots that usually do not overlap the stripes; although hatchlings and young juveniles lack spots. Rarely, adults may show blue coloration on the head, neck, limbs, tail, and sides of the body. There are 5-8 scales between the paravertebral light stripes and 74-80 granular dorsal scales around the mid-body. The mesoptychial scales (in the gular region of the throat) and postantebrachial scales (on the central rear surface of the forearm) are distinctly enlarged. Typically there are three (sometimes more) enlarged preanal scales. Throughout life, the long tail is brown or tan, sometimes with faint orange hues, and sometimes with an olive tint towards the tip. The dorsal surface of the hind limbs is mottled or may have dark stripes (but not with small light spots), especially in juveniles. The venter is unmarked and cream-white. The Sonoran Spotted Whiptail is an all-female, parthenogenetic species. Aspidoscelis sonorae,Geotagged,Sonoran Spotted Whiptail,Spring,United States

Appearance

"A small to medium-sized (up to 89 mm or 3.5" from snout to vent), slim, brown to black lizard with a long, thin tail, and a slim, pointed snout. The body is marked with six yellow to cream stripes and relatively few light spots. There area between the two central dorsal stripes usually lacks spots. The tail is olive to brown. The underside is plain and pale. Juveniles lack spots. The scales on the body are small and granular. The scales on the tail are large, keeled, and rectangular. The belly scales are large, smooth, and rectangular. The scales on top of the head are large, smooth, and plate-like."
Whiptail enjoying some fire ants This is an alert, diurnal, fast-moving ground-dweller. It is often encountered foraging or basking in the mid-morning sun. Adults often go into hibernation in late summer. Juveniles remain active until fall. Both adults and juveniles emerge from hibernation in spring. Aspidoscelis sonorae,Geotagged,Sonoran Spotted Whiptail,Spring,United States

Distribution

Arizona into northern Mexico

Habitat

This lizard occurs primarily in upland habitats of oak-woodland and oak-grassland; also riparian woodland, desert-scrub of paloverde and saguaro, and thornscrub (Stebbins 2003). Eggs are laid probably in a nest dug in soil/underground.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/64288/0
http://www.reptilesofaz.org/Lizards-Subpages/h-a-sonorae.html
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyTeiidae
GenusAspidoscelis
SpeciesAspidoscelis sonorae
Photographed in
United States of America