Censky's ameiva explained

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

Description

P. corax is a melanistic species, superficially similar in its dark coloration and scalation to Pholidoscelis atratus and Pholidoscelis corvinus, other species also found on small, barren Caribbean islands. This is believed to be due to independent adaptation to the similar local environments.

Taxonomy

Censky's ameiva was described in 1992 as Ameiva corax.[1] Its common name refers to one of its authors, Ellen Joan Censky.[2] In 2016, the species was moved to Pholidoscelis based on genetic sequencing and phylogenetic analyses.[3]

Geographic range

P. corax is endemic to the tiny islet of Little Scrub, off the coast of Scrub Island, Anguilla.

Conservation

Censky's ameiva is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List due to its small population (estimated at approximately 250 mature adults) and extremely limited distribution/habitat, an area less than 0.049km2 in size. It is likely vulnerable to development, invasive mammal introduction,seasonal loss of vegetation during hurricanes, and declining seabird numbers (a food source).

Further reading

Henderson, Robert W. (2005). "Conservation Status of Lesser Antillean Reptiles". Iguana 12 (2): 63–77.

Notes and References

  1. Censky EJ, Paulson DR (1992). "Revision of Ameiva (Reptilia: Teiidae) of the Anguilla Bank, West Indies". Ann. Carnegie Mus. 61: 177-195. (Ameiva corax, new species, p. 187).
  2. Book: Beolens . Bo . Watkins . Michael . Grayson . Michael . The eponym dictionary of reptiles . 2011 . Johns Hopkins University Press . 9781421402277.
  3. Goicoechea . Noemí . Frost . Darrel R. . De la Riva . Ignacio . Pellegrino . Katia C. M. . Sites . Jack . Rodrigues . Miguel T. . Padial . José M. . Molecular systematics of teioid lizards (Teioidea/Gymnophthalmoidea: Squamata) based on the analysis of 48 loci under tree-alignment and similarity-alignment . Cladistics . December 2016 . 32 . 6 . 624–671 . 10.1111/cla.12150. free . 34727678 .