Plateau Striped Whiptail
(Aspidocelis velox)
Plateau striped whiptails are slender lizards about 2-5 inches in length with dark bodies and yellow dorsal stripes. As juveniles they often have blue colored tails that fade over time. They are more frequently found in the Colorado Plateau, but some populations occur in the forested and riparian areas of the Reserve.
This species is very unique in that the entire population is female and they reproduce via parthenogenesis. A clutch of 3-5 unfertilized eggs are laid in June or July with hatchlings emerging in August.
