Aspidoscelis tesselatus
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
The checkered whiptail (Aspidoscelis tesselatus) is a species of lizard found in the southwestern United States in Colorado, Texas and New Mexico, and in northern Mexico in Chihuahua and Coahuila. Many sources believe that the species originated from the hybridization of the marbled whiptail, Aspidoscelis marmoratus, the plateau spotted whiptail, Aspidoscelis septemvittatus, and possibly the six-lined racerunner, Aspidoscelis sexlineatus. It is one of many lizard species known to be parthenogenic. It is sometimes referred to as the common checkered whiptail to differentiate it from several other species known as checkered whiptails.
The checkered whiptail grows to about 4 inches in length. Their pattern and base coloration varies widely, with brown or black blotching, checkering or striping on a pale yellow or white base color. Their rear legs often have dark spotting, and their underside is usually white with dark flecking on the throat area. They are slender bodied, with a long tail.
Like other species of whiptail lizard, the checkered whiptail is diurnal and insectivorous. They are wary, energetic, and fast moving, darting for cover if approached... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Diploid Checkered Whiptail sighting in Guadalupe Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 7th most-seen of the 21 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.
May and June
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Diploid Checkered Whiptail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–April, August and October–January, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Diploid Checkered Whiptail sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Diploid Checkered Whiptail sightings, Guadalupe Mountains National Park has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Big Bend National Park (United States, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Diploid Checkered Whiptail is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Guadalupe Mountains National Park (19 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.
