Western
Whiptail
Cnemidophorus tigris
Body length: 2 3/8 - 4 1/2"
Diet: Insects, spiders, scorpions, and lizards
Learning to distinguish the many small lizards in the Sonoran
Desert requires some patience, but observing their activities is a good place
to start. Whiptails are characterized by their restlessness. Unlike "sit
and wait" lizards such as tree lizards, which
often perch on rocks, whiptails forage continuously on the ground surface. You
will see them on hot spring days, constantly poking and digging the soil as they
move.
In appearance, whiptails can be distinguished from other desert lizards by long
tails and lengthwise stripes. Although it takes training to identify different
species of whiptails, the western whiptail's stripes fade with maturity, and the
adult skin patterns are marbled or even uniformly brownish-tan. Western whiptails
tend to prefer desert to grassland areas.
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Updated
May 8, 2005