Dotted galliwasp
| Dotted galliwasp | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Diploglossidae |
| Genus: | Diploglossus |
| Species: | D. millepunctatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Diploglossus millepunctatus O'Shaughnessy, 1874
| |
The dotted galliwasp or Malpelo galliwasp (Diploglossus millepunctatus) is a carnivorous species of lizard found only on Malpelo Island, Colombia.[2]
Description
Adults of the species grow to 50 cm in total length and can reach a weight of 500 g. They are predominantly black, but are liberally dotted with white. Endemic to Malpelo Island, they have extremely odd feeding habits. Malpelo Island has few resources; the only available foods are crabs and seabirds, especially boobies. While the lizards eat both of these, they also eat guano, and mob birds returning to their young, forcing them to regurgitate their food for the lizards instead of their chicks.[3]
D. millepunctatus is viviparous.[2]
Habitat
This lizard is endemic to Mapelelo Island, a possession of Colombia. The island is treeless, rocky, and very small. The species lives throughout the island. Similar to the marine iguana, it has the ability to swim for short distances, although this is not related to its feeding habits. It shares the island with two other endemic lizard species, Anolis agassizi and Phyllodactylus transversalis.[4]
References
- ^ Bolívar, W., Castañeda, M.R., Gutiérrez-Cárdenas, P. & Velasco, J. (2015). "Diploglossus millepunctatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T44579631A115389226. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link) - ^ a b Diploglossus millepunctatus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 30 April 2017.
- ^ Cogger, Harold G.; Gould, Edwin; Forshaw, Joseph (1993). Encyclopedia of Animals: Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians. Fog City Press. ISBN 978-1-876778-72-9.
- ^ Graham, Jeffrey B. (1975). "The biological investigation of Malpelo Island, Colombia" (PDF). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 176 (176): 1–98. doi:10.5479/si.00810282.176.
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- Diploglossus
- Reptiles of Colombia
- Endemic fauna of Colombia
- Reptiles described in 1874
- Taxa named by Arthur William Edgar O'Shaughnessy