Censky's ameiva
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.
| Censky's ameiva | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Teiidae |
| Subfamily: | Teiinae |
| Genus: | Pholidoscelis |
| Species: | P. corax |
| Binomial name | |
| Pholidoscelis corax (Censky & Paulson, 1992) | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
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.[3] Its common name refers to one of its authors, Ellen Joan Censky.[4] In 2016, the species was moved to Pholidoscelis based on genetic sequencing and phylogenetic analyses.[5]
Geographic range
P. corax is endemic to the tiny islet of Little Scrub, off the coast of Scrub Island, Anguilla.[1]
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 0.049 km2 (12 acres) in size.[1] It is likely vulnerable to development, invasive mammal introduction, seasonal loss of vegetation during hurricanes, and declining seabird numbers (a food source).[1]
References
- Powell, R.; Daltry, J.C. (2017). "Pholidoscelis corax". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T174138A121639783. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T174138A121639783.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- Pholidoscelis corax at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2018-10-29.
- 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).
- Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The eponym dictionary of reptiles. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9781421402277.
- Goicoechea, Noemí; Frost, Darrel R.; De la Riva, Ignacio; Pellegrino, Katia C. M.; Sites, Jack; Rodrigues, Miguel T.; Padial, José M. (December 2016). "Molecular systematics of teioid lizards (Teioidea/Gymnophthalmoidea: Squamata) based on the analysis of 48 loci under tree-alignment and similarity-alignment". Cladistics. 32 (6): 624–671. doi:10.1111/cla.12150.
Further reading
- Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S (1999). Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean. Oxford, England: Macmillan Education Ltd. 144 pp. ISBN 0-333-69141-5 (Ameiva corax, p. 54).
- Powell, Robert; Henderson, Robert W. (2005). "Conservation Status of Lesser Antillean Reptiles". Iguana 12 (2): 63–77.