Race-runner

Race-runner

Aspidoscelis hyperythrus

Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at San Diego

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%

453 Verified sightings at San Diego
45 In all 3 parks From 2019 to 2026
July 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 San Diego?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Race-runner sighting in San Diego on a given day, based on 453 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 8th most-seen of the 29 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Race-runner in San Diego?

May to July

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Race-runner in San Diego on a given day, against under 5% in December to February, the lowest months. Those are among San Diego's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain a month against 55 mm in February.

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 San Diego the best place to see a Race-runner?

Yes

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Race-runner sightings, San Diego has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Los Angeles (United States, under 5%).

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 San Diego (453 verified sightings), 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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