Racerunner
This Six-lined Racerunner, a native species, was seen in Wheatridge, Colorado, on the green-belt pathway along Clear Creek.
Its body was about 7" long (12cm), and its tail was equally as long. True to its name, it skittered quickly in dry leaves and twigs alongside the path, its bright green a sharp contrast to the brown ground cover.
Males of this species have a blue underside (as seen in this picture); females have a whitish underside.
The scientific name in some field guides was Aspidoscelis sexlineatus; in other guides it was grouped in the genus of Whip-tailed lizards and named Cnemidophorus sexlineatus.
Racerunner
This Six-lined Racerunner, a native species, was seen in Wheatridge, Colorado, on the green-belt pathway along Clear Creek.
Its body was about 7" long (12cm), and its tail was equally as long. True to its name, it skittered quickly in dry leaves and twigs alongside the path, its bright green a sharp contrast to the brown ground cover.
Males of this species have a blue underside (as seen in this picture); females have a whitish underside.
The scientific name in some field guides was Aspidoscelis sexlineatus; in other guides it was grouped in the genus of Whip-tailed lizards and named Cnemidophorus sexlineatus.