Sombrero ameiva facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sombrero ameiva |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pholidoscelis
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| Species: |
corvinus
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| Synonyms | |
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The Sombrero ameiva (also known as Pholidoscelis corvinus) is a type of lizard. It belongs to a group of lizards called Ameiva. This special lizard lives only on Sombrero Island. Sombrero is a tiny island in the Lesser Antilles that no one lives on. It is part of Anguilla.
What Does the Sombrero Ameiva Look Like?
Adult Sombrero ameivas are mostly dark. They can be plain brown or a dark slate black color. Their bellies are dark green or black with light blue spots. Sometimes, their tails have green spots too.
Male lizards have brown specks on their backs. Their heads are usually browner than the rest of their bodies. Males can grow up to 133 millimeters (about 5 inches) long from their snout to the base of their tail. Female lizards are quite a bit smaller than the males.
This lizard looks a lot like two other dark lizards. These are Pholidoscelis atratus and Pholidoscelis corax. They also live on small, empty islands in the Caribbean. These islands have similar places to live. So, the lizards probably became dark in color on their own, adapting to their homes.
What Do Sombrero Ameivas Eat?
The Sombrero ameiva eats different things. One of its favorite foods is the eggs of birds that nest on the ground.
Why Is the Sombrero Ameiva Endangered?
The Sombrero ameiva is on the IUCN Red List. This list tells us which animals are in danger. This lizard is listed as critically endangered. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
Why is it so endangered? It lives in a very small area. Its home on Sombrero Island is less than 0.37 km2 (91 acres) big. A study in 1999 counted between 396 and 461 lizards. This count included both adult and young lizards.
Even though people do not live on Sombrero Island, there are still dangers. More rodents, like mice, have been brought to the island. These mice might eat the lizards' food or even the lizards themselves. Also, rising sea levels and floods could harm the lizards' island home.
However, the lizards seem to be doing well. This might be because they are far away from human activities.
