Common Checkered Whiptail

Common Checkered Whiptail

Ameiva tesselata

Cnemidophorus grahamii

Aspidoscelis tesselata

The Checkered Whiptail (Cnemidophorus 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, Cnemidophorus marmoratus, the Plateau Spotted Whiptail, Cnemidophorus septemvittatus and possibly the Six-lined Racerunner, Cnemidophorus 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.