MonteCristo Arboreal Alligator Lizard

Taxobox
name = MonteCristo Arboeral Alligator Lizard
status = CR | status_system = IUCN2.3
trend = down


image_width = 240px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
familia = Anguidae
genus = "Abronia"
species = "A. montecristoi"
binomial = "Abronia montecristoi"
binomial_authority = Hidalgo, 1983The MonteCristo Arboeral Alligator Lizard ("Abronia montecristoi") is an endangered species of lizard. This species is distributed in the cloud forests of El Salvador Hidalgo, H. (1983) "2 New Species of Abronia From the Cloud Forest of El-Salvador". Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural History University of Kansas (105)pp.1-11.] as well as Honduras.McCranie, James R. and Wilson, Larry David (1999) "Status of the Anguid Lizard "Abronia montecristoi". Journal of Herpetology, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp.127-128.] This species is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red ListWorld Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. Abronia montecristoi. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [http://www.iucnredlist.org www.iucnredlist.org] . Downloaded on 24 May 2007.]

Characteristics

While there is not much known about "A. montecristoi", McCranie and Wilson desribed the color of the back as Antique Brown, with pale, Cinnamon colored crossbands with the color Buff-Yellow on its sides. The head is also colored Cinnamon. Its scales on the top of its head have little black dots. The sides of its head do not have these little black dots. Its frontal limbs are Cinnamon with its back limbs being Tawny. Its tail is colored Antique Brown. Also on its tail are Cinnamon colored crossbands. On its underside, the color is Cinnamon as well. Its eyes are pale, and greenish silver.McCranie, James R. and Wilson, Larry David (1999) "Status of the Anguid Lizard "Abronia montecristoi". Journal of Herpetology, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp.127-128.] As its name suggest, these lizards are found primarily in trees.

Ecology

There is very little known about the ecology in which "A. montecristoi" lives in. However, the species is an inhabitant of cloud forests which are a major source of biodiversity in the world. Cloud forests, as the name suggests, are covered by clouds because they are at high enough elevations where cloud formation occurs which ranges from about 5,000 to 10,000 feet. Roach, John (2001) "Cloud Forests Fading in the Mist, Their Treasures little Known". National Geographic News [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/08/0813_cloudforest.html] ] These cloud forests are a place where there is the constant flow of water because they are surrounded by clouds. This results in large biodiversity. Again, it is unclear how "A. montecristoi" intereacts with its environment, but this species does live primarily in the trees of the cloud forests.

Conservation

Since "A. montecristoi" inhabit many cloud forests, their future looks bleek. The reason for this is because many of the cloud forest are steadily disappearing. Some scientists estimate that the cloud forests will disappear in the near future. These cloud forests are a major place of biodiversity. "A. montecristoi" is just one of a vast number of species that calls these forests home. Conservation efforts are currently being made by the Tropical Montane Cloud Forest Initiative which is made up of three conservations program consisting of the United Nations Environment Program, the World Conservation Union, and the World Wide Fund for Nature. Roach, John (2001) "Cloud Forests Fading in the Mist, Their Treasures little Known". National Geographic News [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/08/0813_cloudforest.html] ]

References