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.
There are three species of amphibian on Saint Martin, two of which were introduced.
Tree frogs ( Hylidae ) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Osteopilus septentrionalis [1] | Cuban tree frog | Least concern. [2] Recently introduced. | |
Scinax ruber | Red-snouted tree frog | Recent introduction. | |
Tropical frogs ( Leptodactylidae ) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Eleutherodactylus johnstonei | Lesser Antillean whistling frog, coqui Antillano, Johnstone's whistling frog | Least concern. |
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]
Tortoises ( Testudinidae ) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Geochelone carbonaria | Red-footed tortoise | ||
Box turtles and pond turtles ( Emydidae ) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Trachemys scripta elegans [4] | Red-eared slider | Introduced; abundant. | |
Scaly sea turtles ( Cheloniidae ) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Caretta caretta | Loggerhead turtle | Endangered. | |
Chelonia mydas | Green turtle | Endangered. | |
Eretmochelys imbricata | Hawksbill turtle | Critically endangered. | |
Leathery sea turtles ( Dermochelyidae ) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Dermochelys coriacea | Leatherback turtle | Critically endangered. |
Geckos ( Gekkonidae ) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Hemidactylus mabouia | House gecko | Introduced. | |
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 gecko | Regional endemic. Highly abundant. | |
Thecadactylus rapicauda | Turnip-tailed gecko | ||
Iguanas and anolids ( Iguanidae ) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Anolis gingivinus | Anguilla anole, Anguilla Bank anole | Regional endemic. Abundant. | |
Anolis pogus | Anguilla Bank bush anole, bearded anole, Watts' anole | Endemic. Abundant. Previously occurred on Anguilla and Saint Barthélemy, but now extirpated from those islands. | |
Iguana iguana [5] | Green iguana, common iguana | Recently introduced; very rare on Saint Martin. It out competed the endemic Iguana delicatissima in 20 years to extinction. | |
Whiptails ( Teiidae ) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Pholidoscelis plei | Anguilla Bank ameiva | Regional 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. | |
Skinks ( Scincidae ) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Mabuya mabouya [6] | Regional endemic. Possibly extirpated. | ||
Worm snakes ( Typhlopidae ) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Ramphotyphlops braminus [7] | Brahminy blind snake, flowerpot blind snake | Introduced; rare. | |
Colubrids ( Colubridae ) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Alsophis rijgersmaei | Leeward island racer | Endangered. Regional endemic. Possibly functionally extirpated on Saint Martin; restricted to small, isolated enclaves due to mongoose predation. [8] |
The Saint Lucia whiptail, also known commonly as the Maria Islands whiptail, the Saint Lucian whiptail, and Vanzo's whiptail, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species is indigenous to the Caribbean.
The Sombrero ameiva, also known commonly as the Sombrero groundlizard, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species is endemic to Sombrero, a small, uninhabited island in the Lesser Antilles under the jurisdiction of Anguilla. The species was originally described in the genus Ameiva.
Pholidoscelis plei, known commonly as the Anguilla Bank ameiva or the Caribbean ameiva, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species is found on the Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Saint Martin, and Saint Barthélemy in the Lesser Antilles. Its coloration and markings vary between each island population. Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
The Barbados anole is a species of anole lizard that is native to Barbados, an island-nation in the Caribbean. Originally endemic to Barbados, it has since been introduced to Saint Lucia and Bermuda. It was previously treated as a subspecies of Martinique's anole, A. roquet.
The Barbados leaf-toed gecko is a species of gecko endemic to the Caribbean island-nation of Barbados. It is the only known leaf-toed gecko in the Lesser Antilles.
Anolis gingivinus, also known as the Anguilla Bank tree anole, Anguilla bank anole, and Anguilla anole, is a species of anole lizard that is endemic to the Caribbean Lesser Antilles islands of Anguilla and its satellites, such as Saint Martin, and Saint Barthélemy.
Note: All species listed above are supported by Malhotra & Thorpe 1999, unless otherwise cited.