Both sexes have a small head and are a light gray to olive along the sides
and lighter on the belly. The body is laterally compressed with five rows of spots on the side that
may appear as stripes (Page and Burr 1991). The caudal peduncle is deep in both sexes
(Boschung and Mayden 2004). Breeding males turn more greenish and frequently have
iridescent aqua and orange accents on the tail. Mature females are more heavy-bodied than are
males, particularly those with distended belly containing developing young (Boschung and
Mayden 2004).