Eastern Spotted Whiptail

— Also known as the Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis gularis), this long-tailed lizard appears not to be afraid of people. We spotted this one at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It did not shy away from my lens and allowed me time to get closer. These lizards are common in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, as well as northern Mexico. Here are three interesting things about these lizards. First it is their name. Although “spotted,” in reality they have brown and green stripes running along their bodies. Second, their tail is often three times the length of their body. And third, they do love hot weather.