New Mexico whiptail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Mexico whiptail |
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| New Mexico whiptail (Aspidoscelis neomexicanus) | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Aspidoscelis
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| Species: |
neomexicanus
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| Synonyms | |
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Cnemidophorus perplexus |
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The New Mexico whiptail (Aspidoscelis neomexicanus) is a special type of lizard. It is found in the southwestern United States, mainly in New Mexico and Arizona. You can also find it in northern Mexico, in a state called Chihuahua. This lizard is so special that it is the official state reptile of New Mexico!
What makes this lizard unique is that it is an all-female species. This means there are no males in this species. These lizards reproduce through a process called parthenogenesis. This is a way of reproducing without a male partner.
New Mexico whiptails can come into existence in two ways. They can be born from two different parent species: the little striped whiptail (A. inornatus) and the western whiptail (A. tigris). When these two species mix, it creates the New Mexico whiptail. The other way is when an adult New Mexico whiptail reproduces on its own using parthenogenesis.
When these two parent species mix, it results in only female offspring. Parthenogenesis allows these all-female lizards to keep reproducing. This helps them become a unique species that can continue to thrive. This special way of combining different species and parthenogenesis is a common way for several types of whiptail lizards to reproduce.
What Does It Look Like?
The New Mexico whiptail lizard can grow to be about 16.5 to 23 cm (6.5 to 9.1 in) long. That's about the length of a small ruler! Their bodies are usually brown or black. They have seven light yellow stripes that run from their head all the way to their tail.
You might also see light-colored spots between these stripes. Their belly is often white or a pale blue. Their throat can be blue or blue-green. These lizards have a thin body and a long tail. When they are young, their tail is usually blue-green. As they get older, the tail changes to the same spotted brown and yellow as their body.
Behavior and Life Cycle
Like most other whiptail lizards, the New Mexico whiptail is diurnal. This means they are active during the day. They are also insectivorous, which means they mostly eat insects. These lizards are very quick and energetic. If you try to get close to them, they will dart away to find cover.
You can find New Mexico whiptails in many different dry areas. These include grasslands, rocky places, shrublands, and even mountain woodlands.
Reproduction
The New Mexico whiptail reproduces through parthenogenesis. This means the females lay eggs without needing a male to fertilize them. They can lay up to four eggs in the middle of summer. These eggs will hatch about eight weeks later.
The New Mexico whiptail lizard is a mix of two different lizards: the western whiptail, which lives in deserts, and the little striped whiptail, which prefers grasslands. Since this species is all-female, they show unique behaviors. Female whiptails sometimes act like they are mating with other females of their own species. Scientists believe this behavior helps to encourage the females to lay eggs. If they don't do this "mating" behavior, they might not lay eggs.
Images for kids
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New Mexico whiptail (Aspidoscelis neomexicanus)
