# Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail (*Aspidoscelis exsanguis*) The Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail is a colorful lizard that loves to run fast! It has beautiful spots and can be found in warm, sunny places. This little lizard is fun to watch as it scurries around looking for food. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Desert ![Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Aspidoscelis_exsanguis.jpeg&width=800) Photo: Vicente Mata-Silva, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aspidoscelis_exsanguis.jpeg) ## Appearance The Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail is a slender lizard with a very long tail, often twice its body length. It has a dark brown or black background adorned with 6-7 cream or yellow longitudinal stripes that may break into distinct spots, especially on the sides. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Lacertilia - **Family:** Teiidae - **Genus:** Aspidoscelis ## Interesting facts - Every Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail you meet is a female, able to lay eggs alone! - Their super long tail helps them balance perfectly while dashing and digging for food! - These speedy lizards can zigzag quickly through plants to outsmart hungry predators. - They constantly flick their forked tongue to 'taste' the air and find hidden prey. ## Special abilities - **Self-Cloning Queen:** Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail can reproduce without a male because all individuals are female, creating exact copies of themselves. - **Super Sniffer:** Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail has a forked tongue that helps them 'smell' their surroundings to find hidden prey or danger. - **Escape Artist Tail:** Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail can drop its tail if caught, which wiggles to distract predators while the lizard runs to safety. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 20-30 cm - **Weight:** 0.005-0.015 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-8 years - **Speed:** 25 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-5 - **Incubation:** 60-75 days ## Diet & Feeding These speedy lizards primarily hunt and eat small invertebrates like insects and spiders. - **Primary Foods:** ants, termites, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, larvae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Western Diamondback Rattlesnake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-diamondback-rattlesnake) (*Crotalus atrox*) — a common predator in its desert habitat - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — hunts lizards from above in open areas - **Eaten by:** [Coachwhip](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coachwhip) (*Masticophis flagellum*) — a fast snake that actively pursues lizards ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch lizards from a distance and do not try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail? Compare toes, scales, head shape, crests and tail proportions. Many lizards can drop and regrow their tails, so a short tail isn't always a species trait. Lizard Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail? 20-30 cm ### How much does Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail weigh? 0.005-0.015 kg ### How long does Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail live? 3-8 years ### How fast can Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail move? 25 km/h ### What does Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail eat? These speedy lizards primarily hunt and eat small invertebrates like insects and spiders. ### Where is Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail usually found? Desert ### How does Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chihuahuan-desert-nature-center-and-botanical-gardens) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Albuquerque Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albuquerque-aquarium) — New Mexico, US · Zoo - [Bandelier CCC Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bandelier-ccc-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/centennial-museum-and-chihuahuan-desert-gardens) — US · Botanical Garden - [Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chihuahuan-desert-research-institute) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Rio Grande Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rio-grande-botanic-garden) — New Mexico, US · Zoo [View all places to see Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/chihuahuan-spotted-whiptail) ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/chihuahuan-spotted-whiptail)