This species is endemic to the southwest of the United States. Its range includes central and southeastern Arizona (from Cerbat and Hualapai mountains to the Gila River Basin) and southwestern New Mexico (Stebbins 2003). Elevational range extends from 1,220 to 1,980 m (4,000 to 6,500 feet) (Stebbins 2003). Hulse (1973) reported this species (under the name Cnemidophorus exsanguis) as common at elevations of 1,060 to 1,515 m in east-central Arizona.

endemic to a single nation

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)) The range includes central and southeastern Arizona (from Cerbat and Hualapai mountains to the Gila River Basin) and southwestern New Mexico (Stebbins 2003). Elevational range extends from 1,220 to 1,980 meters (4,000-6,500 feet) (Stebbins 2003). Hulse (1973) reported this species (under the name Cnemidophorus exsanguis) as common at elevations of 1,060-1,515 meters in east-central Arizona.

Continent: North-America
Distribution: USA (Arizona, New Mexico)

Length: 31 cm

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

Comments: This lizard inhabits pinyon-juniper and oak woodlands, chaparral, and riparian woodland extensions into desert-grassland ecotones (Degenhardt et al. 1996, Stebbins 2003).

Non-Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species do not make significant seasonal migrations. Juvenile dispersal is not considered a migration.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Comments: Eats insects and spiders.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 21 - 300

Comments: This species is represented by many occurrences or subpopulations.

10,000 - 1,000,000 individuals

Comments: Total adult population size is unknown but very likely exceeds 10,000.

Comments: Lizards are inactive in cold temperatures and extreme heat.

An all-female, parthenogenetic species.

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure

Intrinsic Vulnerability: Moderately vulnerable

Population

Population Trend

Global Short Term Trend: Relatively stable (=10% change)

Comments: Extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, number of subpopulations, and population size probably are relatively stable.

Global Long Term Trend: Increase of 10-25% to decline of 30%

Major Threats

Comments: No major threats have been identified.

Conservation Actions

Global Protection: Several to many (4-40) occurrences appropriately protected and managed

Comments: This species occurs in at least several areas that are adequately protected.

Comments: Reeder et al. (2002) examined phylogenetic relationships of the whiptail lizards of the genus Cnemidophorus based on a combined analysis of mitochondrial DNA, morphology, and allozymes. They determined that Cnemidophorus in the traditional sense is paraphyletic and thus in need of nomenclatural revision. Rather than subsume all cnemidophorine species (including Kentropyx) in a single large genus (Ameiva), they proposed a split that placed the North American "Cnemidophorus" clade in the monophyletic genus Aspidoscelis; under this arrangement, South American taxa remain in the genus Cnemidophorus.

This species was previously confused with C. exsanguis and C. sonorae (Behler and King 1979). It appears to comprise a complex of groups having different origins through hybridization (Frost and Wright 1988).