The blue anole is a small, highly threatened species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of polychrotid

Polychrotidae

Polychrotidae is a family of lizards commonly known as anoles . NCBI places the anole in subfamily Polychrotinae of the family Iguanidae. Four genera are common: Anolis, Norops, Phenacosaurus, and Polychrus....

 lizard

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...

.

Geographic range

It is found only on the island of Gorgona

Gorgona, Colombia

Gorgona is a Colombian island in the Pacific Ocean situated about 50 km off the Colombian Pacific coast and part of the municipality of Guapi in the Department of Cauca. The island is about 9 km long and 2.5 km wide, with a maximum height of 338 m ; with an area of 10 square miles...

, in Colombia

Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...

.

Description

Both sexes of this anole are overall pure blue, which is very rare in lizards. The male's dewlap

Dewlap

A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. While the term is usually used in this specific context, it can also be used to include other structures occurring in the same body area with a similar aspect, such as those caused by a double...

 is pure white, which nicely contrasts with the blue skin. At least some individuals have a series of darker mottled spots on the head and neck.

Conservation status

Due to the animal's isolated environment and elusive nature, it has been difficult to accurately estimate its population, but experts agree that the animal is threatened. They are threatened by deforestation, and the largest amount of damage to their habitat occurred when a prison was built on the island. It has been proposed that some individuals could be captured for a captive breeding program.

See also

• List of Anolis lizards
• Lygodactylus williamsi
  Lygodactylus williamsi
  Lygodactylus williamsi, commonly known as William's Dwarf Gecko or the Electric Blue Gecko, was first discovered by biologist William in the 1950s.Found in the Kimboza Forest in eastern Tanzania...
  
  , another threatened and blue lizard

External links

• World's only pure blue lizard at risk of extinction