Aspidoscelis tigris (Western Whiptail)
about the species
Aspidoscelis tigris, is a widespread species native to thedrier regions of the southwestern US. In California, the species includes three subspecies that constitute an ecological and geographical replacement series: Aspidoscelis tigris tigris (Great Basin whiptail), Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri (San Diegan tiger whiptail), and Aspidoscelis tigris munda (California whiptail).
why species was selected
We focus on this species because taken together, the three subspecies provide widespread representation of all arid habitats and adjacent shrublands in California, including the Mojave and adjacent deserts, the San Joaquin Desert/Great Central Valley, and the Great Basin desert. It is an active, widely-foraging invertebrate predator that is an important species ecologically. In addition, the San Diegan tiger whiptail is a California Species of Special Concern (Thomson et al, 2016) and a high priority species for coastal Southern California and peninsular range conservation efforts.
