Light spots occur between the stripes. The wavy middorsal stripe forks at the head. This lizard prefers sandy areas with little vegetation, but can be seen in grasslands, shrublands, and pinon-juniper wooded uplands. It also can be found in disturbed areas, such as along fence rows within its range. It will retreat to protective cover if approached.
Reproduction occurs through parthenogenesis.
Two to four unfertilized eggs are laid in the summer. Hatchlings appear about two months later. Hatchlings with bright blue tail. In North America, this lizard has a small and narrow range in the Rio Grande Valley from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Presidio County, Texas and adjacent Mexico. In Texas, it is found in far West Texas, along the Rio Grande.