List of amphibians and reptiles of Saint Martin

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Location of Saint Martin in the Caribbean LocationSaint-Martin.PNG
Location of Saint Martin in the Caribbean

This is a list of amphibians and reptiles found on the island of Saint Martin, located in the Lesser Antilles chain in the Caribbean. Politically, Saint Martin is divided between the Collectivity of Saint Martin on the northern half of the island, which is an overseas collectivity of France, and Sint Maarten on the southern half, which is part of the Netherlands Antilles.

Contents

Amphibians

There are three species of amphibian on Saint Martin, two of which were introduced.

Frogs (Anura)

Tree frogs ( Hylidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Osteopilus septentrionalis [1] Cuban tree frog Least concern. [2] Recently introduced. Osteopilus septentrionalis 6.jpg
Scinax ruber Red-snouted tree frogRecent introduction.
Tropical frogs ( Leptodactylidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Eleutherodactylus johnstonei Lesser Antillean whistling frog, coqui Antillano, Johnstone's whistling frog Least concern. Eleutherodactylus johnstonei.jpg

Reptiles

Including marine turtles and introduced species, there are 17 reptile species reported on Saint Martin. One species, the bearded anole ( Anolis pogus ), is endemic to Saint Martin. Its local population of one species, the regionally endemic and endangered Lesser Antillean iguana ( Iguana delicatissima ), was recently extirpated. [3]


Turtles (Testudines)

Tortoises ( Testudinidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Geochelone carbonaria Red-footed tortoise Red-footed Tortoise in Barbados 02.jpg
Box turtles and pond turtles ( Emydidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Trachemys scripta elegans [4] Red-eared sliderIntroduced; abundant. Redearedslider2.JPG
Scaly sea turtles ( Cheloniidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Caretta caretta Loggerhead turtle Endangered. Loggerhead Sea Turtle.jpg
Chelonia mydas Green turtle Endangered. Green turtle in Kona 2008.jpg
Eretmochelys imbricata Hawksbill turtle Critically endangered. 3959 aquaimages.jpg
Leathery sea turtles ( Dermochelyidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Dermochelys coriacea Leatherback turtle Critically endangered. LeatherbackTurtle.jpg

Lizards and snakes (Squamata)

Geckos ( Gekkonidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Hemidactylus mabouia House geckoIntroduced. Hemidactylus mabouia (Dominica).jpg
Sphaerodactylus parvus Regionally endemic. Formerly described as subspecies of Sphaerodactylus macrolepis chiefly found in the Greater Antilles until elevated to species level in 2001.
Sphaerodactylus sputator Island least geckoRegional endemic. Highly abundant. Sphaerodactylus pictus 01-Barbour 1921.jpg
Thecadactylus rapicauda Turnip-tailed gecko
Iguanas and anolids ( Iguanidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Anolis gingivinus Anguilla anole, Anguilla Bank anoleRegional endemic. Abundant.
Anolis pogus Anguilla Bank bush anole, bearded anole, Watts' anoleEndemic. Abundant. Previously occurred on Anguilla and Saint Barthélemy, but now extirpated from those islands.
Iguana iguana [5] Green iguana, common iguanaRecently introduced; very rare on Saint Martin. It out competed the endemic Iguana delicatissima in 20 years to extinction. Iguana iguana colombia3.jpg
Whiptails ( Teiidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Pholidoscelis plei Anguilla Bank ameivaRegional endemic. Localized but abundant. Population on main island of Saint Martin (also present on satellite, Île Tintamarre) described as endemic subspecies, P. p. analifera, in 1992. Ameiva plei by Cyndy Sims Parr 01.jpg
Skinks ( Scincidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Mabuya mabouya [6] Regional endemic. Possibly extirpated. Mabuya dominica.jpg
Worm snakes ( Typhlopidae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Ramphotyphlops braminus [7] Brahminy blind snake, flowerpot blind snakeIntroduced; rare. Ramphotyphlops braminus.jpg
Colubrids ( Colubridae )
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Alsophis rijgersmaei Leeward island racer Endangered. Regional endemic. Possibly functionally extirpated on Saint Martin; restricted to small, isolated enclaves due to mongoose predation. [8]

Notes

  1. Powell 2006 , p. 296. Not recorded on Saint Martin (or anywhere else in the Lesser Antilles) in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999.
  2. Conservation status, where available, is from the IUCN Red List and is indicative of the status of the species as a whole, not just populations on Saint Martin.
  3. Powell 2006 , pp. 296, 298.
  4. Powell 2006 , p. 296. Not recorded on Saint Martin in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999.
  5. Powell 2006 , p. 296. Not recorded on Saint Martin in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999.
  6. Though reported in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999 as M. bistriata , the Anguilla Bank population has been reassigned. Local Mabuya species listed as unknown in Powell 2006 , p. 296.
  7. Powell 2006 , p. 296. Not recorded on Saint Martin in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999.
  8. Powell 2006 , pp. 298–299.

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References

Note: All species listed above are supported by Malhotra & Thorpe 1999, unless otherwise cited.