Anolis agassizi

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Anolis agassizi
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Dactyloidae
Genus: Anolis
Species:
A. agassizi
Binomial name
Anolis agassizi
Stejneger, 1900
Synonyms [2]
  • Anolis agassizi
    Stejneger, 1900
  • Dactyloa agassizi
    Nicholson et al., 2005
  • Anolis agassizi
    Zug, 2013

Agassiz's anole (Anolis agassizi) is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Malpelo Island, which is part of Colombia.

Contents

Etymology

The specific name, agassizi, is in honour of Alexander Agassiz, who was an American zoologist and mining engineer. [3]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of A. agassizi is moist rocky areas, at altitudes from sea level to 376 m (1,234 ft). [1]

Description

Males of A. agassizi grow to 89–114 mm (3.5–4.5 in) snout-to-vent length (SVL), while females may reach 79–84 mm (3.1–3.3 in) SVL. The females and some of the males have spotted heads and grey-brown colouration. The remainder of the males have black nuptial crests, grow larger, and have larger testes. The reason for this is unknown, but may be related to the reduced predation on larger males. [4]

Ecology

Anolis agassizi is less territorial than other anoles, sharing perches and food sources without dispute. Their territories often overlap. Malpelo Island is quite barren of vegetation, and the anoles mainly eat insects, especially beetles. Based on an attraction to the colour orange, they may also eat bird eggs, as large numbers of boobies nest on the island. Their main predator is Diploglossus millepunctatus . [4]

Reproduction

A. agassizi is oviparous. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dactyloidae</span> Family of reptiles

Dactyloidae are a family of lizards commonly known as anoles and native to warmer parts of the Americas, ranging from southeastern United States to Paraguay. Instead of treating it as a family, some authorities prefer to treat it as a subfamily, Dactyloinae, of the family Iguanidae. In the past they were included in the family Polychrotidae together with Polychrus, but the latter genus is not closely related to the true anoles.

<i>Anolis carolinensis</i> Species of reptile

Anolis carolinensis or green anole is a tree-dwelling species of anole lizard native to the southeastern United States and introduced to islands in the Pacific and Caribbean. A small to medium-sized lizard, the green anole is a trunk-crown ecomorph and can change its color to several shades from brown to green.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown anole</span> Species of lizard

The brown anole, also known commonly as the Cuban brown anole, or De la Sagra's anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, via the importation and exportation of plants where the anole would lay eggs in the soil of the pots, and is now found in Florida and as far north in the United States as southern Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Hawaii, and Southern California. It has also been introduced to other Caribbean islands, Mexico, and Taiwan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malpelo Island</span> Colombian island

Malpelo is a small oceanic island in the eastern Pacific Ocean, located about 500 km (310 mi) west of the Colombian mainland with a military post manned by the Colombian Armed Forces. It consists of a sheer and barren rock with three high peaks, the highest being the 300 m (980 ft) Cerro de la Mona. The island is about 1.5 kilometres in length from northeast to southwest, and 640 metres across at its widest.

<i>Anolis roosevelti</i> Rare or extinct species of reptile

Anolis roosevelti, also known commonly as the Virgin Islands giant anole, Roosevelt's giant anole or the Culebra giant anole, is an extremely rare or possibly extinct species of lizard of the genus Anolis in the family Dactyloidae. The species is native to the Virgin Islands and Vieques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue anole</span> Species of lizard

The blue anole is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. A. gorgonae falls into the genus Dactyloa, which are all highly arboreal, but differ in size, coloration, and perch preferences. The blue anole specifically occupies higher perches. It is a small species which is "near threatened" and found only on the island of Gorgona, in the Colombian Pacific.

<i>Anolis cristatellus</i> Species of reptile

Anolis cristatellus is a small species of anole, belonging to the Dactyloidae family of reptiles. The species is native to Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, with introduced populations in locations around the Caribbean. The males of A. cristatellus are easily recognizable by the fin running down the top of the tail, which is known as a "caudal crest". The females also have this crest, but it is smaller than that of the males. The species is often quite common in many areas on Puerto Rico, where it can be seen during the day passing the time on the lower parts of tree trunks, or on fences and the walls of buildings in urban areas, sometimes venturing down onto the ground in order to lay eggs, have a snack, or do other cursorial activities. Like many anoles, this species displays the characteristic behaviour of doing push-ups as well as inflating a pizza-like flap of coloured skin on its throat, known as a dewlap, in order to show others how dominant it is, and thus attract mates or intimidate rivals.

<i>Anolis cybotes</i> Species of reptile

Anolis cybotes, the large-headed anole, Tiburon stout anole, or Hispaniolan stout anole, is a species of anole endemic to the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti. Reports from other places likely refer to other species that were formerly included in Anolis cybotes. This species gets its name from the male's strangely large head. It is often brownish in color with lighter stripes on the flanks.

<i>Anolis allisoni</i> Species of reptile

Anolis allisoni, also known commonly as Allison's anole or Cuban blue anole is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Cuba, the Bay Islands and Cayos Cochinos off the mainland of Honduras, and Half Moon Caye off the mainland of Belize. There is also a single doubtful record from Cozumel, Mexico. Recently, the species has been documented in southern Florida. This diurnal species is commonly seen on palm trunks, and it feeds on invertebrates. It is among the relatively few anole species in which females may lay their eggs together, forming a communal nest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dotted galliwasp</span> Species of lizard

The dotted galliwasp or Malpelo galliwasp is a carnivorous species of lizard endemic to Malpelo Island, Colombia.

<i>Anolis stratulus</i> Species of reptile

Anolis stratulus is a moderately-sized species of anole found in Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. It is a gray-colored lizard spotted with brown markings. It is arboreal, usually found positioned on tree bark on branches in the canopies of forest trees, where in some areas of Puerto Rico it can be incredibly abundant, with tens of thousands of the lizards being present per hectare.

Anolis ahli, also known commonly as Ahl's anole and the Escambray blue-eyed anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Cuba.

<i>Anolis beckeri</i> Species of lizard

Anolis beckeri, also known commonly as Becker's anole and Becker's lichen anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is native to Central America and southern North America.

Anolis bremeri, also known commonly as the Cuban variegated anole and the Herradura anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Cuba. Two subspecies are recognized.

<i>Anolis capito</i> Species of lizard

Anolis capito, the bighead anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is found in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Although they are active all day, it seems that these enigmatic anoles spend the majority of their time in the shade, where they reside low on trees in a shady rain forest. The mean temperature of the body is 28.8 +/- 0.5 degrees Celsius, meaning that it is 1.3 degrees Celsius higher than the substrate and 1.7 degrees Celsius higher than the air. Compared to men, females are larger and reach sexual maturity at a larger SVL.

<i>Anolis cooki</i> Species of lizard

Anolis cooki, also known commonly as Cook's anole, Cook's pallid anole, and the Guanica pallid anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Puerto Rico.

<i>Anolis fraseri</i> Species of lizard

Anolis fraseri, also known commonly as Fraser's anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is native to northwestern South America.

<i>Anolis gundlachi</i> Species of lizard

Anolis gundlachi, also commonly known as the yellow-chinned anole, Gundlach's anole, and the yellow-beard anole, is an oviparous, sexually dimorphic species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Puerto Rico and lives in mountainous forests at high elevations. The diet of A. gundlachi consists mostly of insects. This species is also known for signaling other lizards through a modulated head bob display, with varying bobbing amplitudes and patterns based on an individual's distance from other lizards.

Anolis juangundlachi, also known commonly as the Finca Ceres anole and the yellow-lipped grass anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Cuba.

References

  1. 1 2 Bolívar, W.; Castañeda, M.R.; Gutiérrez-Cárdenas, P.; Velasco, J. (2020). "Anolis agassizi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T44577203A44577210. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T44577203A44577210.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Anolis agassizi ". The Reptile Database. http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Anolis&species=agassizi
  3. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. (Anolis agassizi, p. 2).
  4. 1 2 Graham, Jeffrey B. (editor) (1975). "The Biological Investigation of Malpelo Island, Colombia". Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Number 176. http://www.sil.si.edu/smithsoniancontributions/zoology/pdf_hi/SCTZ-0176.pdf

Further reading