Little Striped Whiptail

About the Little Striped Whiptail

The little striped whiptail (Aspidoscelis inornatus) is a species of lizard found in the southwestern United States (in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas) and in northern Mexico (in Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, and Nuevo León). A significant amount of research was done on the species during the mid-1990s, with several new subspecies being added, many of which some sources consider to be distinct enough to warrant full species status, and the research is ongoing. It is called little to distinguish it from many other species known as striped whiptails and to indicate that it is the smallest of those species.

The little striped whiptail grows from 6.5 to 9.5 inches (17 to 24 cm) in length. It is typically black in color, with yellow or white striping from head to tail, and a light blue underside. It is slender bodied, with a blue colored tail approximately three times the body length. The blue coloration is much more pronounced on males than females. They are not always striped or blue: sometimes they are brown with darker patches to blend in with the sand or dirt.

Like most species of whiptail lizard, the little striped whiptail... Wikipedia →