Anguilla Bank Ameiva
Encyclopedia
The Anguilla Bank Ameiva or Caribbean Ameiva (Ameiva plei) is a lizard
species in the genus Ameiva
. It is found on the Caribbean
islands of Anguilla
, Saint Martin
, and Saint Barthélemy
in the Lesser Antilles
. Its coloration and markings vary between each island
population.
Males reach a maximum of 181 mm snout-to-vent (SVL) length, while females reach 139 mm SVL; however, maximum sizes vary between populations on different islands.
of Saint Martin
was described as a separate subspecies, A. p. analifera, in 1992. It differs from other populations by having faded stripes, and three to five vertical black bars or bands across the shoulder area in larger individuals. It is restricted to very localized populations on Saint Martin due to predation from the widespread mongoose
, which causes it to be absent from many areas in which it would otherwise thrive.
differ considerably in appearance between islands. On the main island, its ground color is green-brown with green-blue sides, and it is heavily spotted with green to cream-colored spots. On Île Fourchue, it is uniformly reddish-brown with little marking on its dorsal side, and spots or bars on its sides.
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
species in the genus Ameiva
Ameiva
Ameiva, commonly called jungle-runners, is a genus of whiptail lizards that belongs to the family of Teiidae. Member species are found in South America and throughout various islands of the Caribbean.-Species:...
. It is found on the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
islands of Anguilla
Anguilla
Anguilla is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin...
, Saint Martin
Saint Martin
Saint Martin is an island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km2 island is divided roughly 60/40 between France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands ; however, the Dutch side has the larger population. It is one of the smallest sea islands divided between...
, and Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy , officially the Territorial collectivity of Saint Barthélemy , is an overseas collectivity of France. Often abbreviated to Saint-Barth in French, or St. Barts in English, the indigenous people called the island Ouanalao...
in the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
. Its coloration and markings vary between each island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
population.
Anguilla
The Anguilla Bank Ameiva is found on the main island of Anguilla and most of its satellites, where it is common. Among those populations, adults are gray-brown tinged with green-blue. Adults have white to light green spots on their flanks that can merge towards the posterior to form a barred pattern, with some variability between populations in the distinctiveness or presence of the stripes. Its ventral surface lacks markings and is light blue to white. Juveniles are brown with seven light stripes that are sometimes broken.Males reach a maximum of 181 mm snout-to-vent (SVL) length, while females reach 139 mm SVL; however, maximum sizes vary between populations on different islands.
Saint Martin
The Anguilla Bank Ameiva population on the main islandIsland
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Saint Martin
Saint Martin
Saint Martin is an island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km2 island is divided roughly 60/40 between France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands ; however, the Dutch side has the larger population. It is one of the smallest sea islands divided between...
was described as a separate subspecies, A. p. analifera, in 1992. It differs from other populations by having faded stripes, and three to five vertical black bars or bands across the shoulder area in larger individuals. It is restricted to very localized populations on Saint Martin due to predation from the widespread mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
, which causes it to be absent from many areas in which it would otherwise thrive.
Saint Barthélemy
Populations of Anguilla Bank Ameivas on Saint BarthélemySaint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy , officially the Territorial collectivity of Saint Barthélemy , is an overseas collectivity of France. Often abbreviated to Saint-Barth in French, or St. Barts in English, the indigenous people called the island Ouanalao...
differ considerably in appearance between islands. On the main island, its ground color is green-brown with green-blue sides, and it is heavily spotted with green to cream-colored spots. On Île Fourchue, it is uniformly reddish-brown with little marking on its dorsal side, and spots or bars on its sides.