Anolis luciae

St. Lucia anole
Conservation status
	; Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Dactyloidae
Genus:	Anolis
Species:	A. luciae
Binomial name
	Anolis luciae; Garman, 1887
Synonyms
	Anolis luciae ; Garman, 1887; Anolis bimaculatus luciae ; — Underwood in E. Williams et al., 1959; Anolis trinitatis procuratoris ; Underwood, 1959; Anolis luciae ; — Schwartz & Henderson, 1991; Dactyloa luciae ; — Nicholson et al., 2012;

Anolis luciae, also known commonly as the St. Lucia anole or the 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.

Etymology

The specific name, luciae, refers to the island of Saint Lucia.^[3]

Geographic range

Anolis luciae is widespread on Saint Lucia and its offshore islets.^[4]

Description

The coloration and markings of Anolis luciae vary. Its dorsal ground colour ranges from brown in drier habitats to bright green in wetter areas. Some populations have blue coloration on the sides, and the ventral surface may be white or yellowish. The area around the eye may be white, blue, or green. Males may be patternless or have reticulations or chevron patterns on the dorsal surface. Females are duller than males, and may have a mid-dorsal stripe or dark chevron markings.^[4]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Anolis luciae is forest, at altitudes from sea level to 700 m (2,300 ft), but it is also found in agricultural areas.^[1]

Diet

Anolis luciae eats fruits and yams.^[1]

Reproduction

Anolis luciae is oviparous.^[1]^[2]

Invasive species

Anolis luciae co-exists on Saint Lucia with two introduced anole species: A. extremus and A. wattsi. A. luciae appears to be resisting competition, and the two invasive species are restricted to areas around the capital, Castries.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Daltry, J.C.; Powell, R.; Dewynter, M.; Mahler, D.L. (2020). "Anolis luciae ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T74995782A75171691. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/74995782/75171691. Downloaded on 29 March 2021.
^ ^a ^b Species Anolis luciae at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Anolis luciae, p. 162).
^ ^a ^b ^c Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S. (1999). Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean. Oxford, England: Macmillan Education. 144 pp. ISBN 0-333-69141-5 (Anolis luciae, p. 93).

Garman S (1887). "On West Indian Reptiles. Iguanidæ". Bulletin of the Essex Institute 19: 25–50. (Anolis luciæ, new species, pp. 44–46).
Johansson, Helena; Surget-Groba, Yann; Gow, Jennifer L.; Thorpe, Roger S. (2008). "Development of microsatellite markers in the St Lucia Anole, Anolis luciae ". Molecular Ecology Resources. 8 (6): 1408–1410. Bibcode:2008MolER...8.1408J. doi:10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02206.x. PMID 21586060.
Schwartz A, Henderson RW (1991). Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press. 720 pp. ISBN 978-0813010496. (Anolis luciae, p. 292).
Schwartz A, Thomas R (1975). A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (Anolis luciae, pp. 89–90).