Six-lined racerunner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Six-lined racerunner |
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| Male six-lined racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineata). | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Aspidoscelis
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| Species: |
sexlineatus
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| Synonyms | |
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The six-lined racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineatus) is a speedy type of lizard. You can find it living in parts of the United States and Mexico.
Contents
Where Six-Lined Racerunners Live
This lizard lives in many areas across the southeastern and south-central United States. Its home stretches from Maryland down to Florida in the east. It also lives across the Great Plains to southern Texas and northern Mexico. You can even find it as far north as Wisconsin and Minnesota. There's also a small group living separately in Tuscola County, Michigan.
What Six-Lined Racerunners Look Like
Six-lined racerunners are usually dark green, brown, or black. They have six bright yellow or green-yellow stripes. These stripes run all the way from their head down to their tail. The underside of females is typically white. Males have a pale blue underside and sometimes a light green throat. These lizards have a thin body. Their tail is almost twice as long as their body!
How Six-Lined Racerunners Behave
Like other whiptail lizards, the six-lined racerunner is active during the day. This means they are diurnal. They mainly eat insects, so they are insectivorous. These lizards are very quick and energetic. They can run super fast, up to 18 miles per hour (29 km/h)! If you get too close, they will dart away quickly to find cover.
Six-Lined Racerunner Habitats
Because they live in so many places, A. sexlineata can be found in different kinds of homes. They live in grasslands, woodlands, open areas near rivers (called floodplains), and rocky spots. They prefer places that are not too high up. They also like dry, soft soils.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Six-lined racerunners breed in the spring and early summer. The female lizard lays up to six eggs in mid-summer. These eggs hatch about six to eight weeks later. Sometimes, a female might lay a second group of eggs a few weeks after the first.
Types of Six-Lined Racerunners
There are three different types, or subspecies, of A. sexlineatus:
- Eastern six-lined racerunner, Aspidoscelis sexlineatus sexlineatus (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Texas yellow-headed racerunner, Aspidoscelis sexlineatus stephensae Trauth, 1992
- Prairie racerunner, Aspidoscelis sexlineatus viridis Lowe, 1966
Conservation Status
The six-lined racerunner is a "species of concern" in the state of Michigan. This is because its population there is small. However, in most other places, it is not considered to be in danger.
See also
In Spanish: Corredores de seis líneas para niños
