Celestus warreni

Giant Hispaniolan galliwasp
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Anguidae
Genus: Celestus
Species: C. warreni
Binomial name
Celestus warreni
Schwartz, 1970
Synonyms

Celestus carraui Incháustegui, Schwartz & Henderson, 1985
Diploglossus carraui (Incháustegui, Schwartz & Henderson, 1985)
Diploglossus warreni (Schwartz, 1970)

The giant Hispaniolan galliwasp (Celestus warreni) is a species of lizard in the Anguidae family found in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests underneath leaf litter and underneath forest debris. Giant galliwasp are opportunistic predators that feed on insects, earthworms, small mammals, and other reptiles. It is threatened by habitat loss, invasive species (such as the mongoose), and persecution. The galliwasp is erroneously believed to be venomous and is often killed on sight across the island.

References

  1. McGinnity, D. & Powell, R. 2004. Celestus warreni. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 10 July 2007.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, November 14, 2014. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.