Cnemidophorus sonorae ranges from southeastern Arizona to northeast Sonora, and east into New Mexico (Case 1990, McAllister 1992). This lizard prefers elevations between 3200 and 8000 feet (Goldberg et al. 1997).

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

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 extends from southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico south into northeastern Sonora, Mexico, at elevations of about 210-2,130 meters (700-7,000 feet) (Stebbins 2003).

Snout to vent length is 62-87 mm.

This lizard has six dorsal stripes with five to eight dorsal scales between the middorsal stripes. Overall color is blackish brown or reddish, with white, tan or yellowish spots dorsally and the tail is often a dull orange-tan that tapers to olive at the tip. The belly is cream-colored, and unmarked (Stebbins 1985).

Length: 29 cm

• Terrestrial

These lizards inhabit semi-arid to arid habitats within their range in western North America. These habitats include oak woods and oak savanna, streamside woods, desert grasslands, and desert scrublands (Goldberg et al. 1997, Case 1990, Routman and Hulse 1984, Stebbins 1985).

Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune

Comments: This lizard occurs primarily in upland habitats of oak-woodland and oak-grassland; also riparian woodland, desert-scrub of paloverde and saguaro, and thornscrub (Stebbins 2003). Eggs are laid probably in a nest dug in soil or underground.

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.

This lizard feeds largely on small animals with an average length of 1.28 mm numerically and 1.80 mm volumetrically (Goldberg et al. 1997). Prey is mostly insects and other invertebrates. In captivity they have eaten chicken mash (Porter et al. 1994).

Comments: Eats insects and spiders.

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

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 21 - 300

Comments: Degenhardt et al. (1996) mapped 16 collection sites in New Mexico. A larger number of localities exist in Arizona and Sonora.

Other syntopic whiptails include C. EXSANGUIS, C. FLAGELLICAUDUS, and C. UNIPARENS.

Comments: Inactive in cold temperatures and extreme heat. In southeastern Arizona, activity bimodal; inactive above ground during hottest part of day; adult activity peaks in mid-June, ceases by mid-August; hatchlings active through at least early September (Routman and Hulse 1984).

Cnemidophorus sonorae is a unisexual, all-female species that breeds by parthenogenesis (Goldberg et al. 1997, Routman and Hulse 1984, Porter et al. 1994). Ovulation is often stimulated by "pseudocourtship" among the females; the unfertilized eggs develop into hatchlings that are genetically identical to their mothers. Their reproductive season occurs from mid May into late July. Two or three clutches of three to four eggs may be produced annually. Shelled oviductal eggs have an average length of 14.25 mm and a mass of 0.53 g (Routman and Hulse 1984). Eggs are buried in the ground; based on studies of related species, the incubation period is probably around 40 to 60 days.

An all-female, parthenogenetic species. In southeastern Arizona, smallest mature individual was 61 mm SVL; eggs laid mid-May to mid-July; average clutch size 3.7; 2-3 clutches/year; in one year, the first hatchling appeared above ground in late July (Routman and Hulse 1984).

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Intrinsic Vulnerability: Moderately vulnerable

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%

Comments: No major threats have been identified.

Lizards are useful in the control of insect pests; they fill an important ecological niche as small predators in a number of aridland habitats.

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 hybridizes (rarely) with A. tigris in southern Arizona (Stebbins 1985). It appears to comprise a complex of groups with different origins through hybridization (Frost and Wright 1988).