List of amphibians and reptiles of Saint Martin

This is a list of amphibians and reptiles found on the island of Saint Martin, located in the Lesser Antilles chain in the Caribbean. Politically, Saint Martin is divided between the Collectivity of Saint Martin on the northern half of the island, which is an overseas collectivity of France, and Sint Maarten on the southern half, which is part of the Netherlands Antilles.

Location of Saint Martin in the Caribbean

Amphibians

There are three species of amphibian on Saint Martin, two of which were introduced.

Frogs (Anura)

Tree frogs (Hylidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Osteopilus septentrionalis[1]Cuban Tree FrogLeast Concern.[2] Recently introduced.
Scinax ruberRed-snouted Tree FrogRecent introduction.
Tropical frogs (Leptodactylidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Eleutherodactylus johnstoneiLesser Antillean Whistling Frog, Coqui Antillano, Johnstone's Whistling FrogLeast Concern.


Reptiles

Including marine turtles and introduced species, there are 17 reptile species reported on Saint Martin. One species, the Bearded Anole (Anolis pogus), is endemic to Saint Martin. Its local population of one species, the regionally endemic and endangered Lesser Antillean Iguana (Iguana delicatissima), was recently extirpated.[3]


Turtles (Testudines)

Tortoises (Testudinidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Geochelone carbonariaRed-Footed Tortoise
Box turtles and pond turtles (Emydidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Trachemys scripta elegans[4]Red-eared SliderIntroduced; abundant.
Scaly sea turtles (Cheloniidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Caretta carettaLoggerhead TurtleEndangered.
Chelonia mydasGreen TurtleEndangered.
Eretmochelys imbricataHawksbill TurtleCritically Endangered.
Leathery sea turtles (Dermochelyidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Dermochelys coriaceaLeatherback TurtleCritically Endangered.

Lizards and snakes (Squamata)

Geckos (Gekkonidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Hemidactylus mabouiaHouse GeckoIntroduced.
Sphaerodactylus parvusRegionally endemic. Formerly described as subspecies of Sphaerodactylus macrolepis chiefly found in the Greater Antilles until elevated to species level in 2001.
Sphaerodactylus sputatorIsland Least GeckoRegional endemic. Highly abundant.
Thecadactylus rapicaudaTurnip-Tailed Gecko
Iguanas and Anolids (Iguanidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Anolis gingivinusAnguilla Anole, Anguilla Bank AnoleRegional endemic. Abundant.
Anolis pogusAnguilla Bank Bush Anole, Bearded Anole, Watts' AnoleEndemic. Abundant. Previously occurred on Anguilla and Saint Barthélemy, but now extirpated from those islands.
Iguana iguana[5]Green Iguana, Common IguanaRecently introduced; very rare on Saint Martin. It outcompeted the endemic Iguana delicatissima in 20 years to extinction.
Whiptails (Teiidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Pholidoscelis pleiAnguilla Bank AmeivaRegional endemic. Localized but abundant. Population on main island of Saint Martin (also present on satellite, Île Tintamarre) described as endemic subspecies, P. p. analifera, in 1992.
Skinks (Scincidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Mabuya mabouya[6]Regional endemic. Possibly extirpated.
Worm snakes (Typhlopidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Ramphotyphlops braminus[7]Brahminy Blind Snake, Flowerpot Blind SnakeIntroduced; rare.
Colubrids (Colubridae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Alsophis rijgersmaeiLeeward Island RacerEndangered. Regional endemic. Possibly functionally extirpated on Saint Martin; restricted to small, isolated enclaves due to mongoose predation.[8]

Notes

  1. Powell 2006, p. 296. Not recorded on Saint Martin (or anywhere else in the Lesser Antilles) in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999.
  2. Conservation status, where available, is from the IUCN Red List and is indicative of the status of the species as a whole, not just populations on Saint Martin.
  3. Powell 2006, pp. 296, 298.
  4. Powell 2006, p. 296. Not recorded on Saint Martin in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999.
  5. Powell 2006, p. 296. Not recorded on Saint Martin in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999.
  6. Though reported in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999 as M. bistriata, the Anguilla Bank population has been reassigned. Local Mabuya species listed as unknown in Powell 2006, p. 296.
  7. Powell 2006, p. 296. Not recorded on Saint Martin in Malhotra & Thorpe 1999.
  8. Powell 2006, pp. 298–299.

References

Note: All species listed above are supported by Malhotra & Thorpe 1999, unless otherwise cited.

  • Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S. (1999), Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean, Macmillan Education Ltd., pp. 56–59, ISBN 0-333-69141-5.
  • Powell, Robert (2006), "Conservation of the herpetofauna on the Dutch Windward Islands: St. Eustatius, Saba, and St. Maarten", Applied Herpetology, 3: 293–306, doi:10.1163/157075406778905090
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