Ameiva ameiva

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Ameiva ameiva
Amazon Racerunner, male.jpg
Adult
Amazon Racerunner, female.jpg
Juvenile
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Teiidae
Genus: Ameiva
Species:
A. ameiva
Binomial name
Ameiva ameiva
Subspecies

Ameiva ameiva ameiva
Ameiva ameiva fischeri
Ameiva ameiva fulginosa
Ameiva ameiva laeta
Ameiva ameiva melanocephala
Ameiva ameiva ornata
Ameiva ameiva petersi
Ameiva ameiva praesignis
Ameiva ameiva vogli

Contents

Synonyms

Lacerta ameiva Linnaeus, 1758
Ameiva ameiva bilineata
Ameiva ameiva petersi
Ameiva americana
Ameiva bifrontata
Ameiva guttata
Ameiva litterata
Ameiva panchlora
Ameiva pleurotaenia
Ameiva surinamensis
Ameiva surinamensis var. aquilina
Ameiva surinamensis var. atrigularis
Ameiva vulgaris
Cnemidophorus maculatus
Lacerta ameiva
Lacerta graphica
Lacerta litterata
Lacerta tristriata
Seps surinamensis
Teius tritaeniatus

Ameiva ameiva, also known as the giant ameiva, green ameiva, South American ground lizard, or Amazon racerunner, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae found in Central and South America, and some Caribbean Islands.

Geographic range

It is widespread in Central and South America, including: Panama, Brazil, Colombia, Surinam, French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and Paraguay. It is also found on the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, the Grenadines, Barbados, Margarita, Swan Island, and Isla de la Providencia. [1] It was also once present on Saint Vincent but has since been extirpated.

Description

Ameiva ameiva has a streamlined body, pointed head, slightly forked tongue, and muscular hind legs. They grow to approximately 45–50 cm (18–20 in). Both sexes have random black specks and mottling along the sides. Females usually have much less green than males and a more dusty of a green color. Males have vibrant green coloration and more bold mottling. Males also have more expanded jowls. They are popular as a pet because of the male's striking green coloration.

Habitat

They live on the forest floor, often sheltering underneath logs and in leaf litter. Captive individuals have been observed making tunnels spanning out from under a log or rock when given enough soil.

Diet

Its diet consists of mainly insects (such as grasshoppers, butterflies, cockroaches, mole crickets, beetles, termites, and insect larvae), frogs, other lizards (such as anoles, dwarf geckos, skinks, and even conspecifics), amphisbaenians, spiders, snails, and plant matter. [2] [3] [4]

Reproduction

The female lays several clutches of eggs from March to December.

Invasive species

This species has been introduced into the United States with thriving populations in South Florida.

Parasites

This species is infected by a number of protist parasites including:

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teiidae</span> Family of lizards

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

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Six-lined racerunner</span> Species of lizard

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common Puerto Rican ameiva</span> Species of reptile

The common Puerto Rican ameiva or Puerto Rican ground lizard is a species of lizard in the whiptail family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominican ground lizard</span> Species of lizard

The Dominican ground lizard or Dominican ameiva is a species of lizard. It is endemic to the Caribbean island of Dominica, an island noted for its intact and abundant reptile population, where it is most commonly found in dry coastal woodland.

The Sombrero ameiva is a lizard species in the genus Ameiva. It is endemic to Sombrero, a small, uninhabited island in the Lesser Antilles under the jurisdiction of Anguilla.

Censky's ameiva, also known as the Little Scrub Island ground lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. It is indigenous to the Caribbean.

<i>Pholidoscelis plei</i> Species of lizard

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 Montserrat ameiva is a lizard species in the genus Pholidoscelis. It is found on the Caribbean island of Montserrat in the Lesser Antilles.

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

Anolis luciae, also known commonly as the St. Lucia anole or Saint Lucian anole, is a species of anole lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Saint Lucia, an island-nation in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles.

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

The Grenada bush anole or bronze anole is a species of anole lizard found in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles and South America. It is distributed on Grenada and throughout the Grenadines islands, and it has been introduced to Trinidad and Tobago. It can also be found in Guyana on the mainland, where it is locally abundant, though these populations are not native, either.

<i>Ameiva atrigularis</i> Species of lizard

Ameiva atrigularis, known as giant ameiva and Amazon racerunner, is a species of teiid lizard found on Trinidad and Tobago and in Venezuela. Males can reach a snout–vent length of 186 mm (7.3 in).

<i>Plica plica</i> Species of lizard

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<i>Pholidoscelis wetmorei</i> Species of reptile

Pholidoscelis wetmorei is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae (whiptails). The species is endemic to Puerto Rico. Its common names include the Puerto Rican blue-tailed ameiva, Wetmore's ameiva, and blue-tailed ground lizard.

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

Anolis cuvieri is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Puerto Rico, and is common in the Toro Negro State Forest.

<i>Ameiva praesignis</i> Species of lizard

Ameiva praesignis, known as giant ameiva and Amazon racerunner, is a species of teiid lizard found in Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, and Colombia.

References

  1. Ameiva ameiva, Reptile-database.reptarium.cz
  2. Siders, Ryan. "Ameiva ameiva (Giant Ameiva, Amazon Racerunner)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  3. "Ameiva ameiva (Zandolie or Jungle Runner)" (PDF). Sta.uwi.edu. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  4. https://www.reptilesofecuador.com/ameiva_ameiva.html

Bibliography