''Aspidoscelis'' is a genus of whiptail lizards in the family Teiidae.

Taxonomy

The nomenclature for the genus ''Aspidoscelis'' was published by T.W. Reeder et al. in 2002. Many species that were formerly included in the genus ''

Cnemidophorus ''Cnemidophorus'' is a genus of lizards in the family Teiidae. Species in the genus ''Cnemidophorus'' are commonly referred to as whiptail lizards or racerunners. The genus is endemic to South America, Central America, and the West Indies. Ta ...

'' are now considered ''Aspidoscelis'' based upon divergent characters between the two groups.

Etymology

The name ''Aspidoscelis'' literally means "shield-leg", from the Ancient Greek ' ("shield") and ' ("leg").

Species

The following species are recognized as being valid. *'' Aspidoscelis angusticeps'' - Yucatán whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis arizonae'' - Arizona striped whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis burti'' - canyon spotted whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis calidipes'' - Tepalcatepec Valley whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis carmenensis'' - Carmen Island whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis ceralbensis'' - Cerralvo Island whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis communis'' - Colima giant whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis costatus'' - Mexico whiptail lizard *'' Aspidoscelis cozumela'' - Cozumel racerunner *'' Aspidoscelis danheimae'' - Isla San José whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis deppii'' - blackbelly racerunner *'' Aspidoscelis dixoni'' - gray checkered whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis espiritensis'' - Espiritu Santo whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis exsanguis The Chihuahuan spotted whiptail (''Aspidoscelis exsanguis'')''Aspidos ...

'' - Chihuahuan spotted whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis franciscensis'' - San Francisco Island whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis gularis The Texas spotted whiptail (''Aspidoscelis gularis'') is a species of long-tailed lizard, in the family Teiidae. The species is endemic to the south central and southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Six subspecies are recognized as b ...

'' - Texas spotted whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis guttatus ''Aspidoscelis guttatus'', the Mexican racerunner, is a species of teiid lizard endemic to Mexico. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q2866839 guttatus Reptiles described in 1834 Taxa named by Arend Friedrich August Wiegmann Reptiles of Mexico ...

'' - Mexican racerunner *'' Aspidoscelis hyperythrus'' - orange-throated whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis inornatus'' - little striped whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis labialis The Baja California whiptail (''Aspidoscelis labialis'') is a species of teiid lizard endemic to the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portio ...

'' - Baja California whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis laredoensis The Laredo striped whiptail (''Aspidoscelis laredoensis'') is a species of lizard found in the southern United States, in Texas, and northern Mexico in Coahuila, Nuevo León, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. Some sources believe it to be the result of ...

'' - Laredo striped whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis lineattissimus'' - many-lined whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis marmoratus'' - marbled whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis martyris'' - San Pedro Martir whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis maslini ''Aspidoscelis maslini'', Maslin's whiptail, is a species of teiid lizard found in Mexico, Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is ...

'' - Maslin's whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis maximus The Cape Region whiptail (''Aspidoscelis maximus'') is a species of teiid lizard endemic to the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q57690836 maximus Reptiles described in 1863 Taxa named by Edward Drinker Co ...

'' - Cape Region whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis mexicanus'' - Mexican whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis motaguae The giant whiptail (''Aspidoscelis motaguae'') is a species of teiid lizard native to Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It has also been introduced to Florida in the United States where it is considered an invasive spe ...

'' - giant whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis neomexicanus The New Mexico whiptail (''Aspidoscelis neomexicanus'') is a female-only species of lizard found in the southwestern United States in New Mexico and Arizona, and in northern Mexico in Chihuahua. It is the official state reptile of New Mexico. It ...

'' - New Mexico whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis neotesselatus The Colorado checkered whiptail or triploid checkered whiptail (''Aspidoscelis neotesselatus'') is a species of teiid lizard found in Colorado in the United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the Unit ...

'' - Colorado checkered whiptail, triploid checkered whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis opatae'' - Opata whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis pai The Pai striped whiptail (''Aspidoscelis pai'') is a lizard species of the genus ''Aspidoscelis ''Aspidoscelis'' is a genus of whiptail lizards in the family Teiidae. Taxonomy The nomenclature for the genus ''Aspidoscelis'' was published by T ...

'' - Pai striped whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis parvisocius'' - Mexican pigmy whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis pictus ''Aspidoscelis pictus'', the Isla Monserrate whiptail, is a species of teiid lizard endemic to Isla Monserrate in Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North Americ ...

'' - Isla Monserrate whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis preopatae'' *'' Aspidoscelis rodecki'' - Rodeck's whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis sackii ''Aspidoscelis sackii'', known commonly as Sack's spotted whiptail, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species is endemic to Mexico. There are three recognized subspecies. Taxonomy The specific name, ''sackii'', is in honor o ...

'' - Sack's spotted whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis scalaris'' - rusty-rumped whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis septemvittatus'' - plateau spotted whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis sexlineatus The six-lined racerunner (''Aspidoscelis sexlineatus'') is a species of lizard native to the United States and Mexico. Geographic range The six-lined racerunner is found throughout much of the southeastern and south-central portion of the United ...

'' - six-lined racerunner *''

Aspidoscelis sonorae The Sonoran spotted whiptail (''Aspidoscelis sonorae'') is a parthenogenic species of teiid lizard found in Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, and Mexico. References Aspidoscelis Reptiles described in 1964 Taxa named by Jo ...

'' - Sonoran spotted whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis stictogrammus The giant spotted whiptail (''Aspidoscelis stictogrammus'') is a species of teiid lizard found in the United States ( Arizona) and Mexico. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q11848689 Aspidoscelis Reptiles described in 1950 Taxa named by William ...

'' - giant spotted whiptail *'' Aspidoscelis tesselatus'' - common checkered whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis tigris The western whiptail (''Aspidoscelis tigris'') is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species ranges throughout most of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Most of its populations appear stable, and it is not listed as ...

'' - western whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis uniparens The desert grassland whiptail lizard (''Aspidoscelis uniparens'') is an all-female species of reptiles in North America. It was formerly placed in the genus ''Cnemidophorus''. A common predator of the whiptail lizard is the leopard lizard that p ...

'' - desert grassland whiptail lizard *''

Aspidoscelis velox The plateau striped whiptail (''Aspidoscelis velox'') is a species of teiid lizard found in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico in the United States. It has been introduced to the State of Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in ...

'' - plateau striped whiptail *''

Aspidoscelis xanthonotus The red-backed whiptail (''Aspidoscelis xanthonota'') is a species of Teiidae, teiid lizard found in Arizona in the United States and Sonora in Mexico. Description Its color varies between red to brown. References

Aspidoscelis Reptil ...

'' - red-backed whiptail '' Nota bene'': A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Aspidoscelis''.

Speciation

In 2011, it was announced that a parthenogenetic hybrid ''Aspidocelis'' was bred in the laboratory. This serves as a demonstration of how other hybrid parthenogens in this genus may have arisen.

References

External links