Rainbow Ameiva

Holcosus undulatus

Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassSquamata
FamilyTeiidae (Whiptails and Tegus)
GenusHolcosus (Northwestern Ameivas)
SpeciesHolcosus undulatus (Rainbow Ameiva)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Arenal Volcano National Park

2 Verified sightings at Arenal Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026

191 Verified sightings across all 21 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Rainbow Ameiva

Holcosus undulatus, also known commonly as the barred whiptail, the metallic ameiva, and the rainbow ameiva, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species occurs in Central America from South Mexico to Costa Rica. There are three recognized subspecies.

H. undulatus is brown-coloured, with a series of darker zig-zag bars running down the sides, often with light blue and green markings along the sides and underside. It is similar to the Middle American ameiva (H. festivus).

H. undulatus lives in litter in open habitats. The following three subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized as being valid. Holcosus undulatus dexter (H.M. Smith & Laufe, 1946) Holcosus undulatus miadis (Barbour & Loveridge, 1929)

Holcosus undulatus undulatus (Wiegmann, 1834) Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Holcosus. Wiegmann AFA (1834). Herpetologia Mexicana, seu descriptio amphibiorum Novae Hispaniae quae itineribus comitis Sack, Ferdinandi Deppe et Chr. Guil. Schiede in Museum Zoologicum Berolinense... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

Holcosus festivus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Holcosus leptophrys

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Holcosus quadrilineatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~60%
2	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
3	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
4	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
5	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
6	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
7	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
8	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
9	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
10	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
11	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Insufficient data
12	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
13	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
14	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
15	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
16	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
17	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
18	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
19	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
20	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
21	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

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Rainbow Ameiva

About the Rainbow Ameiva

Recent sightings of Rainbow Ameiva in Arenal Volcano National Park

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

Middle American Ameiva

Delicate Ameiva

Four-lined Ameiva

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found