Checkered animals take natural striped and spotted camouflage to the next level, proving there are certain advantages to being pawns in the game of life.
1. Nerite Snail
Nerite Snails are small (roughly 1/2″ long) sea snails that, depending on the subspecies, can thrive in either fresh or saltwater. This makes them ideal for stocking home aquariums but what really seals the deal with home hobbyists are the many colours and patterns Nerites exhibit on their shells.
Image via: Advanced Aquarist
The Checkered Nerite Snail (Nerita tessellata) is definitely a fan favourite, displaying offset bands of black and white stripes that form swirling, spiralling checkerboards. In the wild they can be found on rocky shorelines from Brazil through Bermuda and southern Florida. Nerites are prodigious algae-eaters as well, helping keep those glass walls crystal clear - all the better to enjoy their checkered pasts, presents and futures!
2. Checkered Garter Snake
The Checkered Garter Snake (Thamnophis marcianus) is commonly found in the southern United States (especially southern Texas) down through Mexico and Central America. Unlike its more familiar longitudinally striped cousins, the Checkered Garter Snake features rows of dark squarish blotches that line up with lighter areas in the adjoining rows, giving the snake as a whole a vivid checkerboard appearance.
Image via: CaliforniaHerps
Another checkered subspecies, Marcy’s Checkered Garter Snake (Thamnophis marcianus marcianus) ranges from far southeastern California through parts of New Mexico in the United States. Checkered Garter Snakes are non-venomous but they do have toxins in their saliva that assist them in subduing their prey. Humans bitten by Checkered Garter Snakes may experience localized irritation if bitten but in general this species is not considered dangerous and is often kept as a pet.
3. Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly
The Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas phaeton) has been the official state insect (ahem: “official arthropodic emblem”) of Maryland since 1973. In related news, the State of Maryland has had an official state insect since 1973 – your tax dollars at work! The butterfly was chosen by virtue of its prominent black & orange colours and its checkered aspect, both of which complement the colourful checkered fields on the state’s flag and Great Seal.
Image via: Wikipedia/Alison Hunter
Baltimore Checkerspots are unusual among their butterfly brethren in that the species overwinters in its larval state - as a caterpillar! When cool weather arrives in September, caterpillars will weave a “pre-hibernation” web high up in a tree, crawling out of the web and dropping into the leaf litter below several months later.
4. Checkered Beetles
So-called Checkered Beetles aren’t always checkered but there sure are a lot of them! Members of the Cleridae family, these beetles can be found in the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Australia though their abundance and habitats vary considerably. Entomologists estimate there are approximately 3,500 species of Checkered Beetles in all with 500 species alone being native to North America.
Image via: BugGuide
To the casual viewer, Checkered Beetles are distinguished by the many bristly hairs covering their bodies. As well, many of the species are longish in appearance (compared to average, garden-variety beetles) and quite a few aren’t “checkered” at all. We’ve featured images of some of the more checker-y ones to best represent these cool Coleoptera.
5. Checkerboard Wrasse
Checkerboard Wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus) grow to approximately 27cm (about 10 inches) in length and green heads highlighted by irregular pinkish-orange stripes. Behind their heads is where they’ve earned their fame, however. Each white scale is separated by a black spot giving the fish’s sides a distinct checkerboard pattern. It’s not known if the unusual pattern assists the Checkerboard Wrasse in blending in with its surroundings but as such patterns are rare among fish we’ll simply ascribe its look to a happy accident of evolution.
Image via: Nikki van Veelen
Also be known as the Chequered Wrasse in British-influenced countries/regions or the Wall Wrasse - presumably because its checkered scale pattern reminds one of a brick wall - the Checkerboard Wrasse makes its home in tropical marine environments of the Indo-Pacific region ranging from the Red Sea, throughout South-east Asia and Micronesia, north to Japan, south to Australia and east to the Tuamoto Islands. Kudos to Flickr user Nikki van Veelen for capturing the awesome Checkerboard Wrasse image above.
6. Checkered Whiptail Lizard
The Checkered Whiptail lizard (Aspidoscelis tesselatus) is a day-active, insect-eating reptile found in the southwestern United States (mainly Colorado, Texas and New Mexico) and in several states of northern Mexico. Growing to about 4 inches in length, Checkered Whiptails display dark brown or black blotches against a pale tan or yellowish background with the blotches arranged in a rough checkered pattern.
Image via: J. N. Stuart
Checkered Whiptail lizards reproduce by parthogenesis, that is, asexually without the need for a male mate. Females lay up to eight unfertilized eggs in mid summer and the progeny hatch in about six to eight weeks. Credit Flickr user J. N. Stuart with the choice Checkered Whiptail lizard photo above.
7. Checkerboard Bonnet Shell
The Checkerboard Bonnet Shell (Phalium areola) is a sea snail of the family Cassidae consisting of Helmet and Bonnet shells. Unlike the shells of Checkered Nerite snails, Checkerboard Bonnet Shells exhibit a sort of reverse-check pattern consisting of isolated yet regular dark caramel brown square spots against a much lighter background. The shells are fairly large as sea snails go, with adult snails building shells from 35 mm and 130 mm (about 1.5 to just over 5 inches) in length.
Image via: René
Checkerboard Bonnet Shells are predatory and if the concept of a predatory snail doesn’t instil a sense of fear, you must not be a sea urchin. These gastrpods attack their spiny prey by attaching themselves to the otherwise formidably equipped echinoderm’s foot; then dissolving the urchin’s shell with an acidic secretion. Humans can purchase naturally harvested and cleaned Checkerboard Bonnet Shells online from dealers…if adding a South Seas aura to your decor is your passion, then “check” this one off your list!
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