Identification
On a first glance, the Prairie Racerunner is very similar in appearance to the
Six-lined Racerunner. The Prairie Racerunner is set apart, however, with its
seven light stripes and bright green coloring on the anterior part of the body.
Male Prairie Racerunners, similarly to male Six-lined Racerunners, also have
a pale blue belly.
Distribution and Status
The Prairie Racerunner can be found from southern South Dakota and southeast
Wyoming, south through Texas, northeast to Missouri and northwestern Indiana,
further north in the Mississippi River Valley to southeast Minnesota (US
distribution map; Midwest
distribution map). In the
Midwest, the Prairie Racerunner can be found in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Iowa, and Missouri.
Ecology
In habitants of both lowland and hilly terrain, these small quick lizards live
in a variety of habitats including river banks and floodplains, grasslands,
and rock outcrops.
Resources
General reference guides and websites
Bruce Kingsbury, Director
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
Science Building
Indiana-Purdue University
2101 East Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499