Florida's Exotic Wildlife. Species detail.
First year: 1970s
Extirpated year: 1980s
Established status: Species are
present but not confirmed to be breeding. Population persists only
with repeated introductions and/or escapes of individuals.
Estimated Florida range: 1
county Less than 10 years
Statewide trend: Unknown
status
Threats to natives: Unknown.
Species Account: This Hispaniolan
species is tenuously established in several areas in Dade County,
where it seems more terrestrial than the northern curlytail lizard
and less tolerant of occasional freezes. It was thought to have
been established in Florida in the 1970s but disappeared in the
1980s when lizard imports from Haiti temporarily ceased. When
imports began again in the mid-1990s, individuals were again
observed in parks and fields near the facilities of reptile
importers. This species prefers lightly wooded areas and is mostly
seen sitting on the ground on a sidewalk, curbstone, or rubble
pile. Males have a rough-scaled brown back, greenish belly and hind
limbs, and dark mask. The tail is not as tightly curled as the
northern curlytail lizard (Bartlett and Bartlett 1999).
| County |
First Year |
Extirpated Year |
Breeding status |
Notes |
| DADE |
1970s |
1980s |
Less than 10 years |
Populations established in the 1970s apparently disappeared in
the 1980s and re-appeared in the mid-1990s when imports began again
(Bartlett and Bartlett 1999); population near Miami International
Airport apparently no longer exists (Meshaka et al. 2004). |
References
Bartlett, R. D., and P. P. Bartlett. 1999. A field
guide to Florida reptiles and amphibians. Gulf Publishing Company,
Houston, Texas. 278pp.
Meshaka, W. E., Jr., B. P. Butterfield, and J. B.
Hauge. 2004. The exotic amphibians and reptiles of Florida.
Krieger, Melbourne, Florida. 166pp.
Back to
Nonnative Reptiles
|
Persons with Disabilities