Common Checkered Whiptail
Aspidoscelis tesselatus
Adult length 4 inches. Slender body with long tail. Wide variety in coloration and patterning. Typically brown to black blotches on a yellow or white base. Patterns can b…
How to identify
Adult length 4 inches. Slender body with long tail. Wide variety in coloration and patterning. Typically brown to black blotches on a yellow or white base. Patterns can be blotchy, stripes, or checkered. Rear legs often have dark spots and ventral side typically white with dark spots on throat.
Range
Southwestern United States & northern Mexico. Range extends north to Colorado, south into Mexico, east to Texas and west to Arizona.
Habitat
Terrestrial. Deserts, grasslands, shrublands, and forests. Typically found in sparsely vegetated areas.
Similar species
Name and etymology
Genus
Aspidoscelis
Greek for shield (aspido) leg (skelos).
Origin
Sources
- Wagler, 1830. Nat. Syst. Amph., p. 154
Cnemidophorus. Wagler, 1830 - Nat. Syst. Amph., p. 154
Species epithet
tesselatus
Latin for checkered.
Origin
Sources
- (Say, 1823).
Thamnophis proximus. (Say, 1823) -
Explore more names in the etymology index.
At a glance
Range
Southwestern United States & northern Mexico. Range extends north to Colorado, south into Mexico, east to Texas and west to A…
Habitat
Terrestrial. Deserts, grasslands, shrublands, and forests. Typically found in sparsely vegetated areas.
Guide
Reptiles and Amphibians of North America
Range map
Approximate range. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap