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Home/Species/ Giant Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis stictogrammus

(Burger, 1950)

Giant Spotted Whiptail

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G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105742
Element CodeARACJ02011
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyTeiidae
GenusAspidoscelis
Synonyms
Aspidoscelis burti stictogramma(Burger, 1950)Aspidoscelis burti stictogrammus(Burger, 1950)Aspidoscelis stictogramma(Burger, 1950)Cnemidophorus burti stictogrammusBurger, 1950
Concept Reference
Wright, J. W., and L. J. Vitt. 1993. Biology of whiptail lizards (genus Cnemidophorus). Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, Oklahoma.
Taxonomic Comments
Based on differences in body size, scutellation, and color patterns, Walker and Cordes (2011) concluded that A. stictogramma, A. xanthonota, and A. burti should be recognized as distinct species.

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.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-08-13
Change Date2016-08-13
Edition Date2016-08-13
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Rank Reasons
Range includes southeastern Arizona, extreme southwestern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico; many occurrences; presumed large population size; trend probably relatively stable.
Range Extent Comments
The patchy distribution extends from southeastern Arizona and extreme southwestern New Mexico south into eastern Sonora and northern Sinaloa in northwestern Mexico (Stebbins 2003, Walker and Cordes 2011, Rorabaugh 2016). In New Mexico, the species has been found only in Guadalupe Canyon, Hildago County, between 1,321-1,387 meters (Degenhardt et al. 1996), with unsubstantiated reports for a couple additional locations, including the Alamo Hueco Mountains in Hildago County (New Mexico Department of Game and Fish 1985, 1997; Degenhardt et al. 1996). Extent of occurrence is at least 75,000 sq km. At least several occurrences are extant in Arizona, where elevational range is 722-1463 meters (Rorabaugh 2016). More than 100 occupied sites likely exist in Sonora, Mexico, with 85% of the occurrences in good condition; extensive surveys were completed in 1995 (Andres Villareal Lazarraga, pers. comm., 1998). Elevational range in Sonora is about 315-1904 meters (Rorabaugh 2016).
Occurrences Comments
At least several occurrences are extant in Arizona. In New Mexico, this species has been documented in one canyon and unsubstantiated reports exist for a couple additional locations (New Mexico Department of Game and Fish 1985, 1997; Degenhardt et al. 1996). More than 100 occupied sites likely exist in Sonora, Mexico, with 85% of the occurrences in good condition; extensively surveyed in 1995 (Andres Villareal Lazarraga, pers. comm., 1998).
Threat Impact Comments
Overall, this species is currently not very threatened. Locally, potential threats include habitat alteration and overcollecting. Due to limited habitat, the population in New Mexico could be impacted by uncontrolled wildfire or overgrazing of riparian vegetation (New Mexico Department of Game and Fish 1997). In Arizona,
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This whiptail inhabits desertscrub, semi-desert grassland, inland chaparral and oaks, and oak savanna and woodland in montane canyons and on slopes and adjacent bajadas in arid and semi-arid regions, entering lowland dry thorn scrub along stream courses; often it occurs in rocky areas or among dense shrubs in arroyos or near streams (Stebbins 2003, Rorabaugh 2016). In New Mexico, it occupies riparian zones, either wooded with sycamore, cottonwood, and ash, or with bunch grasses (Degenhardt et al. 1996). Eggs are laid probably in nests dug in soil/underground.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodShrubland/chaparralDesert
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
ArizonaS2Yes
New MexicoS1Yes
Roadless Areas (5)
Arizona (5)
AreaForestAcres
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
Lower RinconCoronado National Forest3,278
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
References (16)
  1. Arizona Game and Fish Department. 1997. <i>Cnemidophorus burti stictogrammus</i> (draft). Unpublished abstract compiled and edited by the Heritage Data Management System, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, Arizona. 3 pp.
  2. Brennan, T. C., and A. T. Holycross. 2006. A field guide to amphibians and reptiles in Arizona. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix. v + 150 pp.
  3. Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. 3rd ed. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular No. 19. 41 pp.
  4. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Sixth edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular 37:1-84. Online with updates at: http://www.ssarherps.org/pages/comm_names/Index.php
  5. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2012. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 7th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 39:1-92.
  6. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  7. Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price. 1996. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. xix + 431 pp.
  8. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. 1985. Handbook of species endangered in New Mexico.
  9. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. 1997. Fish and Wildlife Information Exchange--VA Tech. Online. Available: http://www.fw.vt.edu/fishex/nm.htm. Accessed 14 April 1998, last update 29 October 1997.
  10. Reeder, T. W., C. J. Cole, and H. C. Dessauer. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships of whiptail lizards of the genus <i>Cnemidophorus </i>(Squamata: Teiidae): a test of monophyly, reevaluation of karyotypic evolution, and review of hybrid origins. American Museum Novitates (3365):1-61.
  11. Rorabaugh, J. 2016. Giant spotted whiptail (<i>Aspidoscelis stictogramma</i>). &lt;https://tucsonherpsociety.org/inhabitants/canyon-spotted-whiptail/&gt; Accessed 14 August 2016.
  12. Rosen, P. C., R. B. Duncan, P. A. Holm, T. B. Persons, S. S. Sartorius, and C. R. Schwalbe. 2002. Status and ecology of the giant spotted whiptail (<i>Cnemidophorus burti stictogrammus</i>) in Arizona. Final report for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Heritage Grant (IIPAM program) I99018.
  13. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  14. Uetz, P., P. Freed, R. Aguilar, F. Reyes, and J. Hošek (eds.). 2023. The Reptile Database. Online. Available: http://www.reptile-database.org
  15. Walker, J. M., and J. E. Cordes. 2011. Taxonomic implications of color pattern and meristic variation in <i>Aspidoscelis burti burti</i>, a Mexican whiptail lizard. Herpetological Review 42:33-39.
  16. Wright, J. W., and L. J. Vitt. 1993. Biology of whiptail lizards (genus <i>Cnemidophorus</i>). Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, Oklahoma.