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Home/Species/ Orange-throated Whiptail

Aspidoscelis hyperythrus

(Cope, 1863)

Orange-throated Whiptail

G5Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100457
Element CodeARACJ02060
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 hyperythra(Cope, 1863)Cnemidophorus hyperythrusCope, 1863
Other Common Names
orange-throated whiptail (EN) Orangethroat Whiptail (EN)
Concept Reference
Taylor, H. L., and J. M. Walker. 2014. Pan-peninsular pattern of morphological variation in Aspidoscelis hyperythra (Squamata: Teiidae), Baja California, Mexico. The Southwestern Naturalist 59(2):221-227.
Taxonomic Comments
A multivariate analysis of morphological variation in A. hyperythra by Taylor and Walker (2014) found evidence of differentiation between populations north and south of the Isthmus of La Paz, which have previously been recognized as the subspecies A. h. beldingi and A. h. hyperythra, respectively (e.g., Wright 1994, in Brown and Wright [eds.]). The results of that study did not support the recognition of A. h. schmidti (Crother 2017).

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
Review Date2005-08-29
Change Date2002-04-05
Edition Date2005-08-29
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Has lost significant habitat in southern California but 80-90 percent of the habitat still remains; total population size is estimated at more than 10 million individuals in California alone; still widespread and secure in Baja California.
Range Extent Comments
The range extends from southwestern California (north to Dana Point, Orange County, and to near Colton, San Bernardino County), west of the crest of the Peninsular Ranges, south to southern Baja California (Thompson et al. 1998), including the Pacific islands of Magdalena and Santa Margarita, and San Marcos and Los Coronados islands in the Gulf of California (Grismer 2002); in southern California, most populations are in Riverside and San Diego counties (Brattstrom 2000). Elevational range extends from sea level to usually about 900 meters (2,950 feet), rarely to 1,058 meters (Stebbins 1985, Jennings and Hayes 1994, Grismer 1999, Brattstrom 2000). Stebbins (2003) reported the elevational range as high as perhaps 610 meters (2,000 feet).
Occurrences Comments
The species is extant in hundreds of locations in southern California; it has been observed at 227 sites since 1985 (Brattstrom 2000). It exists in very many additional areas in Baja California (Thompson et al. 1998, Grismer 2002).
Threat Impact Comments
In southwestern California, a considerable amount of the habitat has been destroyed and fragmented by urban and agricultural development (Jennings and Hayes 1994). Presumably, the degree of habitat loss in Baja California has been much less.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Body unspotted, with usually 6 or fewer light stripes (paravertebral stripes usually united except in southern part of range); throat orange; dorsal body scales granular; single frontoparietal; top of head yellow-brown to olive gray; adults usually 5-9.4 cm snout-vent length; in adult male, throat, chest, and in some areas the entire venter, are orange, most prominently during the breeding season; young have blue tail (Stebbins 1985).

Diagnostic Characteristics

Differs from C. LABIALIS in the area of sympatry in having an undivided frontoparietal (rather than a divided one) and 5 light lines at mid-body (rather than 6-8 lines) (Stebbins 1985). Differs from C. TIGRIS in having an undivided frontoparietal (rather than a divded one) and in being striped (rather than heavily spotted) (Stebbins 1985).

Habitat

According to Brattstrom (2000), in southern California this lizard occurs primarily on coarse soils in open coastal sage scrub vegetation; it also inhabits many other vegetation types and disturbed areas: open chaparral, along edges of open, dry, riparian areas, along trails, along dirt roads, and in areas of light off-road vehicle use; often in areas with 50 percent cover and 50 percent bare soil, and flat to sloping topography; it seldom uses rodent burrows. Stebbins (2003) described the habitat as washes and other sandy areas where there are rocks and patches of brush and rocky hillsides: coastal chaparral, thornscrub, and streamside growth. This species often occupied open spaces between clumps of vegetation on loose, fine-grained soils, such as rocky hillsides bordering arroyos or the lower slopes of foothills (Tevis 1944, Welsh 1988, Grismer 2002). Eggs are laid probably in a nest dug in soil or underground.

Reproduction

Exhibits "r-selected" reproduction (see Brattstrom 2000). In the north, lays 1-2 clutches of 1-4 eggs from June-July (Stebbins 1985).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparral
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial development——High (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areas——High (continuing)
1.2 - Commercial & industrial areas——High (continuing)
2 - Agriculture & aquaculture——High (continuing)
2.1 - Annual & perennial non-timber crops——High (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (3)
California (3)
AreaForestAcres
Cutca ValleyCleveland National Forest14,530
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Hixon FlatSan Bernardino National Forest8,095
References (20)
  1. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  2. Brattstrom, B. H. 2000. The range, habitat requirements, and abundance of the orange-throated whiptail, Cnemidophorus hyperythrus beldingi. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Science 99:1-24.
  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. Collins, J. T., and T. W. Taggart. 2002. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians, turtles, reptiles, & crocodilians. Fifth edition. Publication of The Center for North American Herpetology, Lawrence, Kansas. iv + 44 pp.
  5. 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
  6. 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.
  7. 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]
  8. Crother, B. I., J. Boundy, J. A. Campbell, K. de Queiroz, D. R. Frost, R. Highton, J. B. Iverson, P. A. Meylan, T. W. Reeder, M. E. Seidel, J. W. Sites, Jr., T. W. Taggart, S. G. Tilley, and D. B. Wake. 2000 [2001]. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular No. 29. 82 pp.
  9. Grismer, L. L. 1999. Phylogeny, taxonomy, and biogeography of <i>Cnemidophorus hyperythrus</i> and <i>C. ceralbensis</i> (Squamata: Teiidae) in Baja California, Mexico. Herpetologica 55:28-42.
  10. Grismer, L. L. 2002. Amphibians and reptiles of Baja California including its Pacific islands and islands in the Sea of Cortes. University of California Press, Berkeley. xiii + 399 pp.
  11. Maslin, T. P., and D. M. Secoy. 1986. A checklist of the lizard genus <i>Cnemidophorus</i> (Teiidae). Univ. Colorado Mus., Contrib. in Zoology No. 1. 60 pp.
  12. 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.
  13. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  14. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  15. Taylor, H. L., and J. M. Walker. 2014. Pan-peninsular pattern of morphological variation in <i>Aspidoscelis hyperythra</i> (Squamata: Teiidae), Baja California, Mexico. The Southwestern Naturalist 59(2):221-227.
  16. Tevis, L., Jr. 1944. Herpetological notes from Lower California. Copeia 1944:6-18.
  17. Thompson, J. S., B. I. Crother, and A. H. Price. 1998. <i>Cnemidophorus hyperythrus</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 655:1-6.
  18. Uetz, P., P. Freed, R. Aguilar, F. Reyes, and J. Hošek (eds.). 2023. The Reptile Database. Online. Available: http://www.reptile-database.org
  19. Welsh, H. H. 1988. An ecogeographic analysis of the herpetofauna of the Sierra San Pedro Martir region, Baja California with a contribution to the biogeography of the Baja California herpetofauna. Proceedings of the California Academy of Science 4th Series 46:1-72.
  20. Wright, J. W., and L. J. Vitt. 1993. Biology of whiptail lizards (genus <i>Cnemidophorus</i>). Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, Oklahoma.