Teiidae (Whiptails and Tegus)

Family

Whiptails and Tegus

Teiidae

59 species in our catalog · found in 99 parks

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassSquamata
FamilyTeiidae (Whiptails and Tegus)

Species in this group

Each card shows the species at its best park — tap for the full profile

Gaige’s Rainbow Lizard

Cnemidophorus gaigei

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Trinidad Ameiva

Ameiva atrigularis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Middle American Ameiva

Holcosus festivus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Argentine Black-and-white Tegu

Salvator merianae

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Amazon Racerunner

Ameiva ameiva

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Striped Forest Whiptail

Kentropyx calcarata

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Rainbow Ameiva

Holcosus undulatus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Delicate Ameiva

Holcosus leptophrys

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Western Whiptail

Aspidoscelis tigris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Plateau Striped Whiptail

Aspidoscelis velox

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Four-lined Ameiva

Holcosus quadrilineatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Bocourt's Ameiva

Medopheos edracanthus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis exsanguis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Cope's Ameiva

Ameiva bifrontata

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Hispaniola Ameiva

Pholidoscelis chrysolaemus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Dwarf Teiid

Pholidoscelis lineolatus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Gold Tegu

Tupinambis teguixin

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Four-toed Tegu

Teius teyou

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Rainbow Whiptail

Cnemidophorus lemniscatus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Plateau Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis scalaris

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Marbled Whiptail

Aspidoscelis marmoratus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Yucatán Whiptail

Aspidoscelis angusticeps

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Blackbelly Racerunner

Aspidoscelis deppii

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Calango

Cnemidophorus gramivagus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Forest Whiptail

Kentropyx pelviceps

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Diploid Checkered Whiptail

Aspidoscelis tesselatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Cozumel Racerunner

Aspidoscelis cozumela

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Race-runner

Aspidoscelis hyperythrus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Dusky Giant Ameiva

Ameiva praesignis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Northern Caiman Lizard

Dracaena guianensis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Seven-lined Ameiva

Holcosus septemlineatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Yellow Tegu

Salvator duseni

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Red Tegu

Salvator rufescens

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Haitian Ameiva

Pholidoscelis taeniurus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cape Region Whiptail

Aspidoscelis maximus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Sonoran Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis sonorae

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Auber's Ameiva

Pholidoscelis auberi

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Cryptic Golden Tegu

Tupinambis cryptus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cnemidophorus duellmani

Cnemidophorus duellmani

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Striped Kentropyx

Kentropyx striata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cusco Tegu

Tupinambis cuzcoensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Matipu Tegu

Tupinambis matipu

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Carmen Island Whiptail

Aspidoscelis carmenensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Jamaica Ameiva

Pholidoscelis dorsalis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Peru Desert Tegu

Dicrodon guttulatum

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Spix's Whiptail

Ameivula ocellifera

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cocha Whiptail

Kentropyx altamazonica

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Giant Whiptail

Aspidoscelis motaguae

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Little Striped Whiptail

Aspidoscelis inornatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Honduran Rainbow Whiptail

Cnemidophorus ruatanus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Isla Monserrate Whiptail

Aspidoscelis pictus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Paraguay Caiman Lizard

Dracaena paraguayensis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Ocellated Whiptail Lizard

Teius oculatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Six-lined Racerunner

Aspidoscelis sexlineatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Echternacht's Ameiva

Holcosus anomalus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Desert Grassland Whiptail

Aspidoscelis uniparens

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Common Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis gularis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Giant Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis stictogrammus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Yucatan Ameiva

Holcosus gaigeae

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 59 species Show fewer

Daily sighting probability by month

Probability-weighted average across the group's species

~30%

Jan

~30%

Feb

~30%

Mar

~30%

Apr

~30%

May

~30%

Jun

~30%

Jul

~30%

Aug

~30%

Sep

~30%

Oct

~30%

Nov

~30%

Dec

When they're spotted

When the group's species are recorded (aggregated)

Where to see Whiptails and Tegus

Worldwide records of this group (human observations from 2019 onwards, GBIF). Pins mark our parks — tap one for the chance of seeing at least one species of the group there.

Parks Ranked

Chance of seeing at least one species of the group · number of its species present

#	Park	Country	Species	Daily sighting probability
1	Brownsberg Nature Park	🇸🇷 Suriname	4	>90%
	Amazon Racerunner			~70%
	Striped Forest Whiptail			~60%
	Gold Tegu			~40%
	Rainbow Whiptail			~40%
2	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	3	~90%
	Gaige’s Rainbow Lizard			~80%
	Cope's Ameiva			~50%
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			~20%
3	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	3	~80%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~60%
	Amazon Racerunner			~30%
	Yellow Tegu			~30%
4	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	2	~80%
	Trinidad Ameiva			~80%
	Cryptic Golden Tegu			Insufficient data
5	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~80%
	Middle American Ameiva			~80%
	Delicate Ameiva			~20%
6	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	4	~80%
	Amazon Racerunner			~40%
	Four-toed Tegu			~40%
	Red Tegu			Insufficient data
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			Insufficient data
7	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	3	~80%
	Hispaniola Ameiva			~50%
	Dwarf Teiid			~40%
	Haitian Ameiva			Insufficient data
8	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	6	~80%
	Plateau Spotted Whiptail			~40%
	Marbled Whiptail			~40%
	Diploid Checkered Whiptail			~20%
	Little Striped Whiptail			~10%
	Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail			~10%
	Common Spotted Whiptail			~10%
9	Zion National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	~80%
	Western Whiptail			~50%
	Plateau Striped Whiptail			~50%
10	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~80%
	Middle American Ameiva			~50%
	Delicate Ameiva			~30%
	Four-lined Ameiva			~30%
11	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	4	~70%
	Middle American Ameiva			~70%
	Delicate Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Four-lined Ameiva			Insufficient data
12	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	4	~70%
	Rainbow Ameiva			~60%
	Four-lined Ameiva			~30%
	Middle American Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Delicate Ameiva			Insufficient data
13	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~70%
	Four-lined Ameiva			~50%
	Middle American Ameiva			~50%
14	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	4	~70%
	Delicate Ameiva			~60%
	Four-lined Ameiva			~20%
	Rainbow Ameiva			~10%
	Blackbelly Racerunner			Insufficient data
15	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	1	~70%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~70%
16	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	3	~70%
	Bocourt's Ameiva			~50%
	Seven-lined Ameiva			~30%
	Peru Desert Tegu			~20%
17	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	1	~70%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~70%
18	Guadalupe Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	3	~70%
	Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail			~50%
	Diploid Checkered Whiptail			~30%
	Marbled Whiptail			Insufficient data
19	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~60%
	Middle American Ameiva			~50%
	Four-lined Ameiva			~40%
20	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	6	~60%
	Amazon Racerunner			~40%
	Forest Whiptail			~20%
	Cusco Tegu			~10%
	Gold Tegu			Insufficient data
	Northern Caiman Lizard			Insufficient data
	Cocha Whiptail			Insufficient data
21	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	5	~60%
	Forest Whiptail			~30%
	Northern Caiman Lizard			~20%
	Cusco Tegu			~20%
	Amazon Racerunner			~10%
	Gold Tegu			Insufficient data
22	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	4	~60%
	Four-lined Ameiva			~30%
	Middle American Ameiva			~30%
	Delicate Ameiva			~20%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
23	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	4	~60%
	Delicate Ameiva			~50%
	Middle American Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Four-lined Ameiva			~10%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
24	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	5	~60%
	Forest Whiptail			~30%
	Northern Caiman Lizard			~30%
	Cusco Tegu			~10%
	Gold Tegu			Insufficient data
	Amazon Racerunner			Insufficient data
25	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	4	~60%
	Middle American Ameiva			~40%
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			~20%
	Delicate Ameiva			~10%
	Four-lined Ameiva			Insufficient data
26	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	2	~60%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~60%
	Ocellated Whiptail Lizard			Insufficient data
27	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~60%
	Middle American Ameiva			~60%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
28	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	5	~60%
	Amazon Racerunner			~40%
	Cocha Whiptail			~10%
	Cusco Tegu			~10%
	Forest Whiptail			~10%
	Gold Tegu			Insufficient data
29	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	3	~60%
	Rainbow Whiptail			Insufficient data
	Amazon Racerunner			Insufficient data
	Striped Kentropyx			Insufficient data
30	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~60%
	Middle American Ameiva			~50%
	Delicate Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Four-lined Ameiva			Insufficient data
31	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	4	~50%
	Amazon Racerunner			~30%
	Forest Whiptail			Insufficient data
	Cocha Whiptail			Insufficient data
	Striped Forest Whiptail			Insufficient data
32	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	4	~50%
	Western Whiptail			~30%
	Sonoran Spotted Whiptail			~20%
	Desert Grassland Whiptail			~10%
	Giant Spotted Whiptail			~10%
33	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	3	~50%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~30%
	Amazon Racerunner			Insufficient data
	Spix's Whiptail			Insufficient data
34	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	2	~50%
	Amazon Racerunner			~40%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			Insufficient data
35	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~50%
	Western Whiptail			~50%
36	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	3	~50%
	Calango			~30%
	Cryptic Golden Tegu			Insufficient data
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			Insufficient data
37	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	3	~50%
	Western Whiptail			~40%
	Plateau Striped Whiptail			~10%
	Little Striped Whiptail			Insufficient data
38	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	5	~50%
	Amazon Racerunner			~20%
	Matipu Tegu			~20%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~10%
	Paraguay Caiman Lizard			Insufficient data
	Gold Tegu			Insufficient data
39	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	4	~50%
	Blackbelly Racerunner			~30%
	Rainbow Ameiva			~10%
	Four-lined Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Delicate Ameiva			Insufficient data
40	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	2	~50%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~30%
	Amazon Racerunner			~20%
41	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	1	~50%
	Middle American Ameiva			~50%
42	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~50%
	Race-runner			~30%
	Cape Region Whiptail			~20%
43	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	4	~40%
	Race-runner			~20%
	Carmen Island Whiptail			~20%
	Western Whiptail			~10%
	Isla Monserrate Whiptail			~10%
44	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	1	~40%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~40%
45	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~40%
	Western Whiptail			~40%
46	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	1	~40%
	Middle American Ameiva			~40%
47	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~40%
	Yucatán Whiptail			~30%
	Rainbow Ameiva			~20%
48	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	2	~40%
	Middle American Ameiva			~40%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
49	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	2	~40%
	Middle American Ameiva			~40%
	Honduran Rainbow Whiptail			Insufficient data
50	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	4	~40%
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			~30%
	Delicate Ameiva			~10%
	Four-lined Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Middle American Ameiva			Insufficient data
51	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	1	~40%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~40%
52	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~40%
	Four-lined Ameiva			~30%
	Middle American Ameiva			~10%
	Delicate Ameiva			Insufficient data
53	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	4	~40%
	Amazon Racerunner			~20%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			Insufficient data
	Cocha Whiptail			Insufficient data
	Cusco Tegu			Insufficient data
54	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	2	~40%
	Blackbelly Racerunner			~20%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
55	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	2	~40%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~40%
	Amazon Racerunner			Insufficient data
56	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	4	~40%
	Amazon Racerunner			~20%
	Forest Whiptail			~20%
	Northern Caiman Lizard			Insufficient data
	Cusco Tegu			Insufficient data
57	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	4	~40%
	Cnemidophorus duellmani			~20%
	Middle American Ameiva			~10%
	Delicate Ameiva			~10%
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			Insufficient data
58	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	2	~40%
	Trinidad Ameiva			~30%
	Striped Kentropyx			Insufficient data
59	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	2	~40%
	Middle American Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			Insufficient data
60	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~40%
	Blackbelly Racerunner			~30%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Middle American Ameiva			Insufficient data
61	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~40%
	Rainbow Ameiva			~20%
	Yucatán Whiptail			~20%
62	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	2	~40%
	Middle American Ameiva			~30%
	Four-lined Ameiva			Insufficient data
63	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	2	~30%
	Amazon Racerunner			~30%
	Cusco Tegu			Insufficient data
64	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	3	~30%
	Rainbow Ameiva			~20%
	Yucatán Whiptail			~10%
	Yucatan Ameiva			Insufficient data
65	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~30%
	Western Whiptail			~20%
	Race-runner			~20%
66	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	5	~30%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~10%
	Amazon Racerunner			~10%
	Giant Whiptail			~10%
	Six-lined Racerunner			Insufficient data
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			Insufficient data
67	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	3	~30%
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			~20%
	Delicate Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Middle American Ameiva			Insufficient data
68	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	1	~30%
	Cozumel Racerunner			~30%
69	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~30%
	Four-lined Ameiva			~10%
	Rainbow Ameiva			~10%
	Blackbelly Racerunner			Insufficient data
70	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	1	~30%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			~30%
71	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	2	~30%
	Argentine Black-and-white Tegu			Insufficient data
	Amazon Racerunner			Insufficient data
72	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~30%
	Middle American Ameiva			~20%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
73	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~30%
	Blackbelly Racerunner			~30%
74	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	4	~20%
	Middle American Ameiva			~10%
	Four-lined Ameiva			~10%
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Delicate Ameiva			Insufficient data
75	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	1	~20%
	Auber's Ameiva			~20%
76	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~20%
	Rainbow Ameiva			~10%
	Four-lined Ameiva			Insufficient data
77	Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	🇺🇸 United States	1	~20%
	Western Whiptail			~20%
78	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~20%
	Yucatán Whiptail			~10%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
79	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	1	~20%
	Middle American Ameiva			Insufficient data
80	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	1	~20%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
81	Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park	🇯🇲 Jamaica	1	~20%
	Jamaica Ameiva			Insufficient data
82	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~20%
	Middle American Ameiva			~10%
	Delicate Ameiva			Insufficient data
	Four-lined Ameiva			Insufficient data
83	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	1	~10%
	Giant Whiptail			Insufficient data
84	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~10%
	Middle American Ameiva			Insufficient data
85	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Western Whiptail			~10%
86	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	1	~10%
	Rainbow Ameiva			~10%
87	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	1	~10%
	Middle American Ameiva			Insufficient data
88	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	1	~10%
	Rainbow Ameiva			Insufficient data
89	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~10%
	Middle American Ameiva			<5%
	Rainbow Ameiva			<5%
90	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	1	~10%
	Dusky Giant Ameiva			Insufficient data
91	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	1	~10%
	Giant Whiptail			Insufficient data
92	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Six-lined Racerunner			Insufficient data
93	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	1	~10%
	Echternacht's Ameiva			Insufficient data
94	Badlands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Six-lined Racerunner			Insufficient data
95	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	1	~10%
	Forest Whiptail			Insufficient data
96	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Western Whiptail			~10%
97	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~10%
	Four-lined Ameiva			Insufficient data
98	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Six-lined Racerunner			~10%
99	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Six-lined Racerunner			<5%