Guarocuyus

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Jaragua forest lizard
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Diploglossidae
Subfamily: Celestinae
Genus: Guarocuyus
Landestov, Schools, & Hedges, 2022
Species:
G. jaraguanus
Binomial name
Guarocuyus jaraguanus
Landestov, Schools, & Hedges, 2022

The Jaragua forest lizard (Guarocuyus jaraguanus) is a species of lizard of the family Diploglossidae endemic to the Dominican Republic on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Contents

Taxonomy

It is the only member of the genus Guarocuyus. [1] It was named in honor of the Taíno cacique Enriquillo, whose indigenous name is thought to have been "Guarocuya". [2] Being both a monotypic genus and species restricted to a single island and described only in 2022, G. jaraguanus is unique among recently-described reptiles. It is the sister group to the clade containing the genera Celestus , Comptus , and Panolopus (the latter two of which were previously considered synonymous with Celestus until 2021).

Description

It is unique among celestines due to its nocturnal, arboreal habits with a semi-prehensile tail and webbed toes. [3]

Distribution and habitat

It is found in the Dominican Republic, where it is known only from two small, adjacent keys in the Laguna de Oviedo, a lagoon in Jaragua National Park. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Celestus</i> Genus of lizards

Celestus is a genus of diploglossid lizards mostly endemic to Jamaica and containing about 11 species, though three of these may be extinct. They are commonly known as galliwasps although the origin of this name is unclear. Formerly, this genus had more than 31 species, but a 2021 phylogenetic study found this classification to be paraphyletic and split those species into their own genera. A more recent study found that several ecomorphs exist on Jamaica including a swamp ecomorph, a tree ecomorph, and a ground ecomorph.

<i>Sphaerodactylus ariasae</i> Species of reptile

Sphaerodactylus ariasae, commonly called the Jaragua sphaero or the Jaragua dwarf gecko, is the smallest species of lizard in the family Sphaerodactylidae.

<i>Caribicus anelpistus</i> Species of lizard

Caribicus anelpistus, the Altagracia giant galliwasp, is a possibly extinct species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family endemic to the Dominican Republic on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

<i>Caribicus warreni</i> Species of lizard

Caribicus warreni, commonly known as the Haitian giant galliwasp or the Hispaniolan giant galliwasp, is a species of lizard in the family Diploglossidae. The species is endemic to the island of Hispaniola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diploglossidae</span> Group of lizards

Diploglossidae is a family of anguimorph lizards native to the Americas, with most genera being endemic to Hispaniola. Most members of this family are known as galliwasps. They were formerly considered a subfamily of Anguidae, but genetic evidence has shown them to be less closely related to other members of Anguidae than Anniellidae is.

<i>Panolopus marcanoi</i> Species of lizard

Panolopus marcanoi, commonly known as Marcano's galliwasp or Pico Duarte galliwasp, is a species of lizard in the family Diploglossidae. It is endemic to the Dominican Republic.

Wetmorena agasepsoides, the serpentine four-toed galliwasp, is an endangered species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family endemic to the Dominican Republic on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Comptus badius, the Navassa galliwasp, is a species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family endemic to Navassa Island.

<i>Panolopus costatus</i> Species of lizard

Panolopus costatus, the Hispaniolan smooth galliwasp or common Hispaniolan galliwasp, is a species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family. It is endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Panolopus curtissi, also known commonly as Curtiss' galliwasp, Curtis's galliwasp, and the Hispaniolan khaki galliwasp, is a species of lizard in the family Diploglossidae endemic to the island of Hispaniola and surrounding islets.

Caribicus darlingtoni, also known commonly as Darlington's galliwasp and the Hispaniolan striped galliwasp, is a species of lizard in the family Diploglossidae. The species is endemic to the Dominican Republic on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

<i>Siderolamprus enneagrammus</i> Species of lizard

Siderolamprus enneagrammus, the Huaxteca lesser galliwasp, is a species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family. It is found in Mexico.

Wetmorena haetiana, the Hispaniolan earless galliwasp or earless galliwasp, is an endangered species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Comptus maculatus, the Cayman galliwasp, is a species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family endemic to the Cayman Islands.

<i>Sauresia</i> Species of lizard

Sauresia sepsoides, the Hispaniolan four-toed galliwasp or common four-toed galliwasp, is a species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It is the only member of the genus Sauresia.

<i>Comptus stenurus</i> Species of lizard

Comptus stenurus, the Hispaniolan keeled galliwasp or Cope's galliwasp, is a species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

<i>Mesoamericus</i> Species of lizard

Mesoamericus bilobatus, also known commonly as O'Shaughnessy's galliwasp, is a species of lizard in the family Diploglossidae. The species is native to Central America.

<i>Caribicus</i> Genus of reptiles

Caribicus is a genus of diploglossid lizards endemic to the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

<i>Panolopus</i> Genus of diploglossid lizards

Panolopus is a genus of diploglossid lizards endemic to the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Wetmorena is a genus of diploglossid lizards endemic to the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, occurring in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

References

  1. "Guarocuyus jaraguanus". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  2. "Descubren nueva especie y género de lagarto en Parque Nacional Jaragua". Diario Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  3. 1 2 T, Miguel a. Landestoy; Schools, Molly; Hedges, S. Blair (2022-12-09). "A new genus and species of Caribbean forest lizard (Diploglossidae; Celestinae) from southern Hispaniola". Zootaxa. 5219 (3): 201–226. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5219.3.1. ISSN   1175-5334. S2CID   254477704.