Inagua Ameiva
| Great Inagua Ameiva | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Sauria |
| Family: | Teiidae |
| Genus: | Ameiva |
| Species: | A. maynardi (Garman, 1888) |
| Binomial name | |
| Ameiva maynardi | |
| Subspecies | |
|
A. m. maynardi | |
Ameiva maynardi is commonly known as the Inagua Ameiva, Great Inagua Ameiva, or the Inagua Blue-tailed Lizard is a member of the Teiidae family of lizards. It is endemic to the Bahamas where three subspecies have been described, A.m. maynardi, A.m.uniformis and A.m. parvinaguae.[1]
Description
The Inagua Ameiva are considered quite small compared to other ameiva species. The males measure an average of 72 mm in snout-vent length (SVL) and the females around 70mm.
Diet
Mainly insectivorous, however, little is known of their natural history.
Habitat
Often encountered in the upper beach zone. Prefers sandy and loamy areas but also found in rocky and sparse vegetative areas.
Distribution
Found only in Inagua, Bahamas. A.m.maynardi is found in the north and west coasts of Great Inagua Island. A.m.parvinaguae is found on Little Inagua. A.m.uniformis is found in the Eastern and Southern portions of Great Inagua Island.
Status and Conservation
Ameiva maynardi is not listed under the IUCN Redlist or Cites, however, due to its limited range the species could well be vulnerable to any major changes. Further research would be needed to confirm whether this species is in the need for further protection.
References
- ↑ Ameiva maynardi, The Reptile Database
- Schwartz, A. & Henderson, R. W. (1991) Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions and Natural History. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, USA.
- Campbell, D. G. (1981) The Ephemeral Islands: A Natural History of the Bahamas. Macmillan Education LTD, London and Basingstoke.