Rapid Racerunner

Eremias velox

A fast racerunner of the southeast — subspecies caucasia; COI may mark a separate species.

Southeast GeorgiaRisk to humansHarmless

At a glance

Key facts in one look

Habitat

Southeast Georgia

Venom

None — harmless

Family

Lacertidae

Checklist

Confirmed

Overview

What is Rapid Racerunner

The rapid racerunner (Eremias velox) is a lacertid. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 list it as biologically confirmed, with a broad range in the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is fairly common in southeast Georgia. The subspecies is E. v. caucasia; COI differences suggest caucasica may be a species separate from E. velox — infraspecific taxonomy needs population-level study. The figure is from Vashlovani National Park; barcodes are from Pantishara Canyon. It is harmless to people.

Last updated 24 August 2026

Gallery

Rapid Racerunner in photos

Rapid Racerunner (Eremias velox) — Southeast Georgia — Вячеслав Юсупов — Photo: Вячеслав Юсупов

Rapid Racerunner (Eremias velox) — Southeast Georgia — Mohammad Amin Ghaffari — Photo: Mohammad Amin Ghaffari

Rapid Racerunner (Eremias velox) — Southeast Georgia — Derek Dohler — Photo: Derek Dohler

Distribution

Where Rapid Racerunner lives in Georgia

Highlighted regions show where this species has been recorded.

Identification

How to identify Rapid Racerunner

A fast racerunner of the southeast. Compare it with the steppe-runner — both are Eremias.

01
A diurnal lacertid of open, dry ground.
02
Subspecies listed as E. v. caucasia.
03
Sympatric with E. arguta in the southeast.
04
Harmless to people.

Biology

Habitat, diet, behavior, and conservation

Habitat and range

Southeast Georgia. The figure is from Vashlovani; barcoded specimens are from Pantishara Canyon.

Diet

Small invertebrates; the checklist does not specify diet.

Behavior

A diurnal, fast lizard of open ground. It is distinct from the sympatric steppe-runner; colour alone is not enough.

Conservation

Biologically confirmed in the checklist. The discussion notes a deep split between Georgia/Caucasus material and E. velox from eastern China — a revision may follow, but this page does not split the species. No global IUCN category is given here.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to the most important questions about Rapid Racerunner.

Yes. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026: fairly common in the southeast. The figure is from Vashlovani.

Harmless. It has no venom.

E. arguta occurs sporadically in the same region and is listed as distinct from sympatric racerunners. Colour is not enough — compare the profiles.

The checklist says COI differences may support that, but population-level study is still needed. It is not split here.

References

Sources

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.

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