Anolis aliniger MERTENS, 1939
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Higher Taxa | Anolidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Axillary Spotted Anole, Northern green twig anole, LaVega Anole |
Synonym | Anolis 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 |
Distribution | Hispaniola (Haiti, W Dominican Republic), elevation 900-1680 m. Type locality: Below Paso Bajito, about 900 meters elevation, La Vega Province, República Dominicana. |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Holotype: SMF 25825, male |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: 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. |
Comment | Illustrations: 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). |
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