Inagua Ameiva
| Ameiva maynardi | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Sauria |
| Infraorder: | Scincomorpha |
| Family: | Teiidae |
| Genus: | Ameiva |
| Species: | A. maynardi |
| Binomial name | |
| Ameiva maynardi Garman, 1888 | |
Ameiva maynardi, commonly known as the Great Inagua ameiva, Inagua ameiva, or Inagua blue-tailed lizard, is species of lizard, a member of the family Teiidae. The species is endemic to the Bahamas. Three subspecies have been described.[1]
Etymology
The specific name, maynardi, is in honor of American ornithologist Charles Johnson Maynard.[2]
Description
Ameiva maynardi is considered quite small compared to other Ameiva species. Males measure an average of 72 mm (2.83 in) snout-vent length (SVL), and females average 70 mm (2.76 in) SVL.
Diet
A. maynardi is mainly insectivorous, however, little is known of its natural history.
Habitat
A. maynardi is often encountered in the upper beach zone. It prefers sandy and loamy areas, but is also found in rocky and sparse vegetative areas.
Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[1]
- Ameiva maynardi maynardi Garman, 1888
- Ameiva maynardi parvinaguae Barbour & Shreve, 1936
- Ameiva maynardi uniformis Noble & Klingel, 1932
Distribution
A. maynardi is found only in Inagua, Bahamas. A. m. maynardi is found on the north and west coasts of Great Inagua Island. A. m. parvinaguae is found on Little Inagua. A. m. uniformis is found in the eastern and southern portions of Great Inagua Island.
Status and Conservation
Ameiva maynardi is not listed under the IUCN Redlist or CITES, however, due to its limited range the species could well be vulnerable to any major changes. Further research would be needed to confirm whether this species is in need of further protection.
References
- 1 2 Ameiva maynardi, The Reptile Database
- ↑ Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Ameiva maynardi, p. 172).
Further reading
- Schwartz A, Henderson RW (1991). Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History. Gainesville: University of Florida Press. 714 pp. ISBN 978-0813010496.
- 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. (Ameiva maynardi, pp. 60-61).
- Campbell DG (1981). The Ephemeral Islands: A Natural History of the Bahamas. London & Basingstoke: Macmillan Education. 160 pp. ISBN 978-0333226759.