# Six-lined Racerunner (*Aspidoscelis sexlineatus*) The Six-lined Racerunner is a speedy lizard with six bright stripes down its back. It loves to run fast and can often be seen darting around in the sun, making it a fun creature to spot in nature! - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 22 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Six-lined Racerunner](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Aspidoscelis_sexlineata_%28male%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aspidoscelis_sexlineata_%28male%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Six-lined Racerunner is a slender lizard with a very long tail, often twice its body length. It has a dark brown to black background with six prominent yellowish-green or white stripes running from its head to its tail. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Lacertilia - **Family:** Teiidae - **Genus:** Aspidoscelis ## Interesting facts - A racerunner's tail is super long, often twice the length of its entire body! - They spend most of their day darting through leaves, always searching for a snack. - This speedy lizard can run so fast, it sometimes looks like a blur! - You can find these lizards active even when the ground is too hot for humans to walk barefoot! ## Special abilities - **Breakaway Tail:** Six-lined Racerunner can detach its tail to distract predators, allowing it to escape harm and grow a new one. - **Supersonic Sprint:** Six-lined Racerunner has incredible speed that helps them quickly outrun most predators and chase down prey. - **Sun-Powered Scout:** Six-lined Racerunner can thrive in scorching heat, allowing it to hunt when other animals hide. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 15-27 cm - **Weight:** 0.003-0.015 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 29 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-6 - **Incubation:** 40-60 days ## Diet & Feeding Tiny insects like grasshoppers and spiders are this lizard's favorite speedy snacks! - **Primary Foods:** Grasshoppers, Crickets, Spiders, Beetles, Small caterpillars - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Eastern Racer (*Coluber constrictor*) — A common snake predator in its habitat. - **Hunts:** [Field Cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-cricket) (*Gryllus assimilis*) — A favorite crunchy insect prey for racerunners. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — A bird of prey that hunts them from above. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Thermoregulating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thermoregulating): Thermoregulating organisms maintain a stable internal body temperature despite fluctuations in the external environment. - [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 If you see a lizard, watch it from a distance and don't try to catch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Six-lined Racerunner? 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 Six-lined Racerunner? 15-27 cm ### How much does Six-lined Racerunner weigh? 0.003-0.015 kg ### How long does Six-lined Racerunner live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Six-lined Racerunner move? 29 km/h ### What does Six-lined Racerunner eat? Tiny insects like grasshoppers and spiders are this lizard's favorite speedy snacks! ### Where is Six-lined Racerunner usually found? Grasslands ### How does Six-lined Racerunner hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Calico Rock Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/calico-rock-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Darlington Agency](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/darlington-agency) — Oklahoma, US · Historic District - [Dinosaur Ridge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dinosaur-ridge) — Colorado, US · Natural Landmark - [East Wetumpka Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-wetumpka-commercial-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Gary City Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gary-city-center-historic-district) — Indiana, US · Historic District - [Lock and Dam No. 17](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lock-and-dam-no-17) — Illinois, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Six-lined Racerunner](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/six-lined-racerunner) ## 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: [Six-lined Racerunner: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/six-lined-racerunner)