Field Guide to Maryland's Lizards (Order Squamata)
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Six-lined Racerunner ( Aspidoscelis sexlineata ) |
![Six-Lined Racer Adult photo by John White](/wildlife/PublishingImages/Lizards_SixLinedRacerunnerAdult_John-White.jpg) Photo of Adult Six-Lined Race Runner courtesy of John White
| Size: 6 inches – 9 ½ inches | Appearance:- As its name implies, this slender animal has six light-colored stripes starting at its head and continuing down along the tail.
- The back color is brown to black. The back scales are small, resulting in a very smooth look.
- The belly has large scales arranged in eight rows.
- Its tail is long (compared to our other lizards, over half its total length).
- The scales on the tail are keeled, giving it a rough feel and appearance.
- Young racerunners resemble adults except that they have bright blue tails.
![Close-up of six-lined racerunner photo by John White & Habitat photo by Rebecca Chalmers](/wildlife/PublishingImages/Lizards_SixLinedRacerunnerClose-up_Habitat_JW_RChalmers.jpg) Close-up photo of Six-lined Racerunner courtesy of John White & Photo of Habitat courtesy of Rebecca Chalmers
| Habitats:Prefers open sunny and dry areas with loose or sandy soils with grasses or shrubs for cover. | How to Find:These animals are very fast. May sometimes be found by lifting cover logs in sandy dry woodland habitats. | Distribution in Maryland:Found on the Coastal Plain of the Western Shore and the Potomac Valley counties west to Allegany.
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