Common checkered whiptail

Common checkered whiptail
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Lacertoidea
Family:	Teiidae
Genus:	Aspidoscelis
Species:	A. tesselata
Binomial name
Aspidoscelis tesselata (Say, 1823)
Synonyms
Ameiva tesselata Say, 1823 Cnemidophorus grahamii Baird & Girard, 1852 Aspidoscelis tesselata Reeder, 2002 Cnemidophorus tesselatus SMitH & BUrGer 1949

Checkered whiptail (Aspidoscelis tesselata) Sierra County, New Mexico

The checkered whiptail (Aspidoscelis tesselatus) is a species of lizard found in the southwestern United States in Colorado, Texas and New Mexico, and in northern Mexico in Chihuahua and Coahuila. Many sources believe that the species originated from the hybridization of the marbled whiptail, Aspidoscelis marmoratus , the plateau spotted whiptail, Aspidoscelis septemvittatus , and possibly the six-lined racerunner, Aspidoscelis sexlineatus . It is one of many lizard species known to be parthenogenic. It is sometimes referred to as the common checkered whiptail to differentiate it from several other species known as checkered whiptails. ^[1]

Description

The checkered whiptail grows to about 4 inches in length. Their pattern and base coloration varies widely, with brown or black blotching, checkering or striping on a pale yellow or white base color. Their rear legs often have dark spotting, and their underside is usually white with dark flecking on the throat area. They are slender bodied, with a long tail.

Behavior

Like other species of whiptail lizard, the checkered whiptail is diurnal and insectivorous. They are wary, energetic, and fast moving, darting for cover if approached. They are found in semi-arid, rocky habitats, normally in canyon lands or hilled regions. They are parthenogenic, laying up to eight unfertilized eggs in mid summer, which hatch in six to eight weeks.

Genetics

The checkered whiptail is a diploid species. Like other unisexual vertebrate organisms, this whiptail originated through a hybridization event between two divergent species– in this case, Aspidoscelis gularis (the paternal ancestor) and Aspidoscelis marmoratus (the maternal ancestor).

References

1. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (12 December 2023). "Common Checkered Whiptail". Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 2024-10-06.

• Genus Aspidoscelis at The Reptile Database
• Herps of Texas: Cnemidophorus tesselatus