Steppe-Runner
Eremias arguta
A racerunner of the southeast — sporadic; distinct from the sympatric rapid racerunner.
Overview
What is Steppe-Runner
The steppe-runner (Eremias arguta) is a lacertid. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 list it as biologically confirmed and distinct from sympatric racerunners. It is found sporadically in southeast Georgia. The subspecies is E. a. transcaucasica. A barcoded specimen is from Samukhi Valley. It is harmless to people.
Last updated
Identification
How to identify Steppe-Runner
A sporadic racerunner of the southeast. Compare it with the more common rapid racerunner.
- 01
A diurnal lacertid; listed as distinct from sympatric racerunners.
- 02
Subspecies E. a. transcaucasica.
- 03
Sporadic in Georgia, not described as fairly common.
- 04
Harmless to people.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Steppe-Runner.
Yes. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026: sporadically in the southeast. The barcode is from Samukhi Valley.
Harmless. It has no venom.
E. velox is fairly common in the same southeast. The checklist treats E. arguta as a distinct species from sympatric racerunners.
The checklist calls E. velox “fairly common” and E. arguta sporadic.
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Iankoshvili & Tarkhnishvili 2021 — Georgian herpetofauna records cited in Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026
- The Reptile Database
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
