Ameiva, commonly called jungle-runners, is a genus of whiptail lizards that belongs to the family Teiidae.
Member species of the genus Ameiva are found in South America, Central America and the Caribbean (West Indies).Their major habitat in four regions of Brazil include: Caatinga, Cerrado, the Amazonian rain forest, and the Amazonian savanna.[1] Additionally, Ameiva ameiva has been introduced to Florida in the United States.[2]
Sourced from "The Reptile Database".[3]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Ameiva aggerecusans | Peru | |
| Ameiva ameiva – giant ameiva, green ameiva, South American ground lizard, Amazon racerunner | Central, South America, and some Caribbean Islands. | |
| Ameiva atrigularis – giant ameiva, Amazon racerunner | Trinidad and Tobago and in Venezuela. | |
| Ameiva bifrontata – Cope's ameiva | Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba. | |
| Ameiva concolor | Peru. | |
| Ameiva fuliginosa | Isla de Providencia, San Andrés, and the Swan Islands. | |
| Ameiva jacuba | Brazil. | |
| Ameiva nodam | Peru. | |
| Ameiva pantherina | Venezuela. | |
| Ameiva parecis | Brazil. | |
| Ameiva praesignis – giant ameiva, Amazon racerunner | Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, and Colombia. | |
| Ameiva provitaae | Venezuela. | |
| Ameiva reticulata | Peru. | |
| Ameiva tobagana – Antillean ameiva | Grenada and St. Vincent. | |
A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Ameiva.