Race-runner

Race-runner

Aspidoscelis hyperythrus

Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Cabo Pulmo National Park

In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%

9 Verified sightings at Cabo Pulmo National Park From 2019 to 2026
45 In all 3 parks
December Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Race-runner

The orange-throated whiptail (Aspidoscelis hyperythrus) is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species was previously placed in the genus Cnemidophorus. Three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.

A. hyperythrus is native to southern California in the United States, and to the states of Baja California and Baja California Sur in Mexico. A. hyperythrus has five or six light-colored stripes down a black, brown, or grey dorsal side. The middle stripe may be forked at both ends. The species is whitish-yellow or cream on the venter, and has an orange throat (females and juveniles may lack this character). Its head is yellow-brown to olive-colored, and its tongue is forked and flicked continually. It has a snout-to-vent length of 5–7.2 centimetres (2.0–2.8 in).

Juveniles of this species have cobalt blue legs and tails. The entire ventral surface of males, including the tail, may be orange, although gravid females may also have some orange especially lining the lower jaw. The colors are most distinct in the breeding season. Males have larger femoral pores than females.

The orange... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Cabo Pulmo National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
2 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
3 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 San Diego 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Race-runner in Cabo Pulmo National Park?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Race-runner sighting in Cabo Pulmo National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 7th most-seen of the 13 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Race-runner in Cabo Pulmo National Park?

December

In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Race-runner in Cabo Pulmo National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–June and November, the lowest months. That is one of Cabo Pulmo National Park's driest months, with about 5 mm of rain against 120 mm in September.

What time of day is best to see a Race-runner?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Race-runner sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Cabo Pulmo National Park the best place to see a Race-runner?

Yes

Of the 3 parks where we can rate Race-runner sightings, Cabo Pulmo National Park has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Bahía de Loreto National Park (Mexico, about 20%) and El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 20%).

Where does the Race-runner sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Race-runner is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Cabo Pulmo National Park (9 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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