Anolis vermiculatus

The Vinales anole (Anolis vermiculatus, syn. Deiroptyx vermiculata), also known as the Cuban aquatic anole or Cuban stream anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae, endemic to Cuba.[1][2]

Vinales anole
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Dactyloidae
Genus: Anolis
Species:
A. vermiculatus
Binomial name
Anolis vermiculatus
Cocteau, 1837
Synonyms

Deiroptyx vermiculata

Range and habitat

A. vermiculatus is endemic to the Pinar del Río Province in western Cuba where it is only found in the Viñales region.[1] It lives in densely vegetated and heavily shaded habitats close to water, typically streams.[2][3]

Description and behavior

This blue-eyed species is a relatively large anole with males reaching up to 12.3 cm (4.8 in) in snout-to-vent length and females up to 8.3 cm (3.3 in).[3] It is one of only two anoles that completely lacks a dewlap (both sexes), the other being the West Cuban anole.[4][5]

A. vermiculatus is fast to retreat and will dive into water to escape potential enemies,[2][3] reportedly sometimes staying submerged for almost an hour.[6] It can also run bipedally across water, similar to A. lionotus, A. poecilopus and A. oxylophus (all often in Norops instead) from Central America and Colombia, as well as the basilisks.[3][7] A. vermiculatus feeds on small animals like frogs, shrimp and fish, which often are caught in water.[2][3] It is one of two semi-aquatic anoles from the Caribbean, the other being A. eugenegrahami of Hispaniola.[7]

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gollark: Technological solutions are required. Technological development probably scales with population.
gollark: LITERAL endofunctor.
gollark: There are commutative/abelian monoids, Homestuck monoids, integral monoids, sort of thing.
gollark: It's a type of monoid.

See also

References
  1. Uetz, P.; & J. Hallermann (2018). Anolis vermiculatus. The Reptile Database. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  2. Losos, J.B. (2011). Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree: Ecology and Adaptive Radiation of Anoles, pp. 76, 343. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26984-2
  3. Lambert, S. (11 May 2014). Spotlight on Cuban Anoles III: Anolis vermiculatus. Anole Annals. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  4. Losos, J. (2 April 2013). Anole Beach Party In Venezuela. Anole Annals. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  5. Harrison; Mahler; Castañeda; Glor; Herrel; Stuart; Losos (2016). "Comparative tests of the role of dewlap size in Anolis lizard speciation". Proc Biol Sci. 283 (1845): 20162199. doi:10.1098/rspb.2016.2199. PMC 5204168. PMID 28003450.
  6. Lee, A.S. (Winter 2000). Lizard Island: Cuba is a study in saurian richness. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  7. Leal, Manuel; Knox, Alison K. & Losos, Jonathan B. (2002). "Lack of convergence in aquatic Anolis lizards". Evolution. 56 (4): 785–791. doi:10.1554/0014-3820(2002)056[0785:lociaa]2.0.co;2. PMID 12038536.
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