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Anolis aliniger MERTENS, 1939

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Higher TaxaAnolidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Axillary Spotted Anole, Northern green twig anole, LaVega Anole 
SynonymAnolis chloro-cyanus aliniger MERTENS 1939: 66
Anolis aliniger — SCHWARTZ & HENDERSON 1991: 209
Anolis aliniger — NICHOLSON et al. 2005
Deiroptyx aliniger — NICHOLSON et al. 2012
Anolis aliniger — KÖHLER & HEDGES 2016
Deiroptyx aliniger — NICHOLSON et al. 2018 
DistributionHispaniola (Haiti, W Dominican Republic), elevation 900-1680 m.

Type locality: Below Paso Bajito, about 900 meters elevation, La Vega Province, República Dominicana.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: SMF 25825, male 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: A moderate-sized species of Anolis that differs from all other Hispaniolan congeners except A. singularis and the species described below by the combination of having (1) predominantly green overall coloration in life (capable of rapid color change to brown); (2) no white subocular stripe and no white streak onto lateral neck (3) relatively short hind legs (fourth toe of adpressed hind leg reaching to ear opening or only slightly beyond ear opening); (4) the ventral scales at midbody smooth; (5) <38 subdigital lamellae on Phalanges II–IV of Toe IV of hind limbs; (6) male dewlap yellowish green or brown (after metachrosis) in life with longitudinal single rows of gorgetal scales or gorgetals not arranged in rows; and (7) a relatively short tail (ratio tail length/SVL <1.7). Among the Anolis species occuring treated in this contribution, A. aliniger is most similar to A. singularis and the species described below. Anolis aliniger differs from A. singularis by (1) usually having a black axillary blotch (vs. such a blotch absent in A. singularis); (2) having a deep axillary pocket which is usually scale-less (vs. no scale-less axillary pocket in A. singularis); (3) sublabial scales much larger than median scales adjacent to them (vs. sublabial scales about the same size as scales medially adjacent to this row); (4) median dorsal scales slightly enlarged, less than twice the size of adjacent scales (vs. at least twice the size of adjacent scales in A. singularis). For differences between A. aliniger and the species described below, see the respective accounts of the new species. 
CommentIllustrations: Mertens, 1939; Williams, 1965.

Species group: Deiroptyx chlorocyana species group (fide NICHOLSON et al. 2012).

Conservation. Given its presumably large geographic range and somewhat reduced threat from deforestation in the protected areas of the Dominican Repubolic, KÖHLER & HEDGES 2016 consider the conservation status of Anolis aliniger to be Least Concern based on the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN, 2012).

Distribution: see map in KÖHLER & HEDGES 2016: 85 (Fig. 59). 
References
  • KÖHLER, GUNTHER 2014. Characters of external morphology used in Anolis taxonomy—Definition of terms, advice on usage, and illustrated examples. Zootaxa 3774 (2): 201–257 - get paper here
  • Köhler, Gunther and S. Blair Hedges 2016. A revision of the green anoles of Hispaniola with description of eight new species (Reptilia, Squamata, Dactyloidae). NOVITATES CARIBAEA 9: 1-135 - get paper here
  • Mertens, R. 1939. Herpetologische Ergebnisse einer Reise nach der Insel Hispaniola, Westindien. Abh. senckenb. naturf. Ges. (Frankfurt) 449: 1-84.
  • Nicholson, K. E., R. E. Glor, J. J. Kolbe, A. Larson, S. B. Hedges, and J. B. Losos 2005. Mainland colonization by island lizards. Journal of Biogeography 32: 929–938 - get paper here
  • NICHOLSON, KIRSTEN E.; BRIAN I. CROTHER, CRAIG GUYER & JAY M. SAVAGE 2012. It is time for a new classification of anoles (Squamata: Dactyloidae). Zootaxa 3477: 1–108 - get paper here
  • NICHOLSON, KIRSTEN E.; BRIAN I. CROTHER, CRAIG GUYER & JAY M. SAVAGE 2018. Translating a clade based classification into one that is valid under the international code of zoological nomenclature: the case of the lizards of the family Dactyloidae (Order Squamata). Zootaxa 4461 (4): 573–586 - get paper here
  • Poe, S. 2004. Phylogeny of anoles. Herpetological Monographs 18: 37-89 - get paper here
  • Poe, S. 2013. 1986 Redux: New genera of anoles (Squamata: Dactyloidae) are unwarranted. Zootaxa 3626 (2): 295–299 - get paper here
  • Powell R. 2002. Anolis aliniger Mertens. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (748): 1-3 - get paper here
  • Schwartz, A. & Henderson, R.W. 1991. Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, 720 pp.
  • Williams, E. E. 1965. The species of Hispaniolan green anoles (Sauria, Iguanidae). Breviora (227): 1-16. - get paper here
 
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