The steppe-runner (Eremias arguta) is a steppe lizard found in southeast Georgia and belongs to the true lizards (Lacertidae). In Georgia it occurs sporadically and is not distributed throughout the country. The subspecies present in Georgia is E. a. transcaucasica. A confirmed record is known from Samukhi Valley in Dedoplistskaro Municipality. It has no venom. Globally, IUCN lists it as Least Concern, and it is not included in Georgia's 2014 Red List.
Identification
How to identify Steppe-Runner
A relatively large lizard of open, dry places, often with pale ocelli or dark spots on the back. In Georgia it may most closely resemble the rapid racerunner and the snake-eyed lizard. Colour alone is not enough for identification.
Often confused with
Compared with the rapid racerunner, the steppe-runner has a more robust body and relatively shorter limbs. The head is pointed. At species level, snout-vent length is often about 6–8 cm. This page does not have a complete measured series for Georgia. The lower eyelid is movable, which helps separate it from the snake-eyed lizard.
The back may be grey, sandy, or olive, with pale ocelli or irregular dark spots. Young individuals often have a more contrasting pattern. In adults, stripes may be weak or absent. The rapid racerunner often has clearer longitudinal stripes and blue ocelli on the sides. Colour is quite variable, so do not rely on colour alone.
One distinguishing feature is the subocular scale, which in the steppe-runner does not reach the edge of the mouth. In the rapid racerunner it usually reaches the mouth edge. This character requires a close view, and there is no need to catch the lizard to check it.
The rapid racerunner (Eremias velox) is more common in southeast Georgia. It is slimmer and has a relatively longer tail. The snake-eyed lizard (Ophisops elegans) is small and has fused eyelids, giving the eye a more snake-like look. The green lizard (Lacerta strigata) is larger and often green. The Asian snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus pannonicus) is a slender skink, not a racerunner.
The steppe-runner is a confirmed species in Georgia, but it occurs sporadically in the southeast. A confirmed record is known from Samukhi Valley in Dedoplistskaro Municipality. Its presence should not be assumed throughout Georgia.
Gallery
Steppe-Runner in photos
The checklist names southeast Georgia; distribution confidence is medium. The named genetic specimen is from Samukhi Valley, Dedoplistskaro Municipality. This atlas map shows Kakheti from those records; that does not mean the species occurs throughout Kakheti, or that every dry valley has been surveyed. There is no named western, Colchic, or high Javakheti locality on this page. Historical Georgian records rest on Nikolskii 1913 and Muskhelishvili 1970; further municipalities are not inferred from them here. At species level it uses open dry ground — steppe, semi-desert, sandy or clay soils with sparse grass; do not expect it in forest. A published elevation range for Georgia is not available. Samukhi and the dry Dedoplistskaro lowland are low elevation; the subspecies type locality in Armenia is about 2,100 m — that is not a Georgian elevation. The global range is wide, from eastern Europe to Central Asia; the South Caucasus lies near the southern edge.
Biology
Diet, behavior, and conservation
Diet
The diet of the steppe-runner in Georgia has not been fully studied separately. At species level, it feeds mainly on small invertebrates, including beetles, other insects, and spiders. Some sources also mention small snails.
Behavior
The steppe-runner is a fast, diurnal lizard. It often basks on open ground and, when threatened, quickly runs to a burrow, grass roots, or another shelter. A complete seasonal calendar for Georgia has not been described separately. The Georgian photograph in this atlas was taken in Dedoplistskaro in late September, but one observation does not represent the whole seasonal activity pattern. The species lays eggs. European populations are reported with 3–11 eggs, but clutch size for Georgia is not confirmed on this page. If caught, it may bite or shed its tail, so leave it where it is.
Conservation
IUCN lists the steppe-runner globally as Least Concern, and its population trend is assessed as stable. This is a global assessment and does not evaluate Georgia's sporadic population separately. The species is not included in Georgia's 2014 Red List. Its sporadic occurrence in southeast Georgia does not mean it belongs to a Red List category. A possible local threat is the conversion of dry steppe habitats.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Steppe-Runner.
Yes. The steppe-runner is a confirmed species in Georgia and occurs sporadically in the southeast. A confirmed record is known from Samukhi Valley in Dedoplistskaro Municipality.
The steppe-runner occurs in dry, open steppe habitats of southeast Georgia. The named locality on this page is Samukhi Valley in Dedoplistskaro Municipality. This page has no confirmed point from western Georgia or the Colchic zone.
No. The steppe-runner has no venom. If caught, it may bite or shed its tail. Do not pick it up, and leave it where it is.
Look for the relatively robust body, a back with pale ocelli or spots, and a movable eyelid. The rapid racerunner is slimmer and often striped, while the snake-eyed lizard has fused eyelids. Colour alone is not enough for identification.
At species level, snout-vent length is often about 6–8 cm. This page does not have a complete measured series for Georgia.
Both belong to the genus Eremias and may occur in the same areas of southeast Georgia. The rapid racerunner is more common, slimmer, and longer-tailed, while the steppe-runner has a more robust body and often an ocellate pattern. One distinguishing feature is the subocular scale: in the steppe-runner it does not reach the mouth edge. There is no need to catch the lizard to check this feature.
The steppe-runner lays eggs. Clutch size has not been described separately for Georgia; species-level European sources report 3–11 eggs. Its diet in Georgia has also not been fully studied separately. At species level, it feeds mainly on small invertebrates.
It is active by day, in the warm season, and in open places. A complete seasonal calendar for Georgia has not been described separately. The Georgian photograph in this atlas was taken in Dedoplistskaro in late September, but this is only one observation and does not represent the whole season.
References
Sources
References
Sources
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Darevsky 1953 — On the taxonomic position of Transcaucasian Eremias arguta
- Muskhelishvili 1970 — Georgian records cited in Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026
- Nikolskii 1913 — Historical records cited in Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026
- Poyarkov, Orlova & Chirikova 2014 — Mitochondrial phylogeography of Eremias arguta
- Aghasyan et al. 2018 — IUCN Red List, Eremias arguta
- Anderson 1999 — scalation diagnosis, cited in The Reptile Database
- საქართველოს მთავრობის დადგენილება №190 (2014) — წითელი ნუსხა
- The Reptile Database — Eremias arguta
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
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