Six-lined Racerunner

About the Six-lined Racerunner

The six-lined racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineatus) is a species of lizard native to the United States and Mexico. The six-lined racerunner is found throughout much of the southeastern and south-central portion of the United States, from Maryland to Florida in the east, across the Great Plains to South Texas and northern Mexico. In a study conducted on A. sexlineata in Mexico, the majority of the individuals found were inhabiting areas near the seashore that were formed and influenced from maritime climate and hurricanes. The species' range also reaches north to Wisconsin and Minnesota. A small disjunct population is found in Tuscola County, Michigan.

The six-lined racerunner is typically dark green, brown, or black in color, with six yellow or green-yellow stripes that extend down the body from head to tail. Between the stripes are dark-colored fields ranging from dark brown to black and pale-colored fields near ventral scales on each side. A distinct lemon-yellow coloration is on the sides of the head both above and below the lateral stripe. Also, white mental and gular stripes occur. The posterior gular fold is bordered by enlarged mesoptychial... Wikipedia →