Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis
Encyclopedia
The Prairie Racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis) is a subspecies
of the Six-lined Racerunner lizard
, (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus
). It is found throughout the short grass prairie
habitat
of the midwestern United States
, from Colorado
to Nebraska
, south to northern Texas
.
, and a white underside. They are slender-bodied, and have a tail that is nearly twice the length of their body.
and insectivorous
. They are most active in the early morning, and hide as the heat of the day rises.
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Six-lined Racerunner lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
, (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus
Cnemidophorus sexlineatus
The Six-lined Racerunner is a species of lizard found in the United States, from Wyoming across the Great Plains east to Rhode Island, south to Florida and west to southern Texas, and in northern Mexico, in Tamaulipas....
). It is found throughout the short grass prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
of the midwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, from Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
to Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, south to northern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Description
The Prairie Racerunner is generally dark green or dark brown in color, with seven yellow stripes which run the length of the body from the head to the tailTail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
, and a white underside. They are slender-bodied, and have a tail that is nearly twice the length of their body.
Behavior
Like most species of whiptail lizard, the Prairie Racerunner is diurnalDiurnal animal
Diurnality is a plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night.-In animals:Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects, reptiles and birds...
and insectivorous
Insectivore
An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures. An alternate term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects....
. They are most active in the early morning, and hide as the heat of the day rises.