- Ameiva polops
Taxobox
name = "Ameiva polops"
image_width =
image_caption =
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo =Squamata
subordo =Sauria
familia =Teiidae
genus = "Ameiva "
species = "A. polops"
binomial = "Ameiva polops"Ameiva polops, or the Saint Croix ground lizard, is a member of the
Teiidae family of lizards.Description
Growing to a size of between 35 and 77mm (excluding the tail), it is noticable for the pattern of light brown, dark brown and white longitudinal stripes down its back. Below these are a series of narrow brown, black and white vertical stripes, which extend from the sides down to the stomach. The stomach is light grey with bright blue markings, and the rest of the underside is a deep pinkish-red hue. The tail changes from a brown colour near the body to a deeper blue colour near the tip, and has alternating rings of blue and black. It eats virtually any prey items it can find, including
amphipods ,moths ,ants and smallhermit crab s.Habitat
The lizard is mainly found in beach areas and upland forest. Once indigenous to the island of
St. Croix , the lizard is now only native to three islands: Protestant Cay, Green Cay, and Ruth Cay (a man-made island, constructed by dredging in the 1960's), likely due to habitat loss and the introduction of theIndian Mongoose to the island.tatus
In 1990, ten lizards from the Protestant Cay population were placed on the island in order to try and save the species. The
United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed the St. Croix ground lizard as endangered in 1977 (according to the Endangered Species Act of 1973), and is currently listed as Critically Endangered on theIUCN Red List of Threatened species.References
*cite web | url = http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/reptiles/Ameiva_polops/ | publisher = Arkive |accessdate = 2008-09-04
title = Saint Croix ground lizard
*cite web | url = http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/SpeciesReport.do?spcode=C01P | accessdate = 2008-09-04
title = St. Croix ground lizard (Ameiva polops) | publisher = U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
*cite web | url = http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/1118/all| accessdate = 2008-09-04
title = Ameiva polops | publisher = IUCN Red ListExternal links
*cite journal | url = http://caribjsci.org/aug05/41_352-357.pdf | accessdate = 2008-09-04| format = PDF
title = Population Estimates and Management of a. polops at Ruth Island | journal = Carribean Journal of Science
volume = 41 | issue = 2 | pages=352-357 | year=2005
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