MonteCristo Arboreal Alligator Lizard

About the MonteCristo Arboreal Alligator Lizard

The Monte Cristo arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia montecristoi) is an endangered species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is distributed in the cloud forests of El Salvador as well as Honduras. This species is classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List

The specific name, montecristoi, refers to the type locality, "Hacienda Montecristo ". While there is not much known about A. montecristoi, McCranie and Wilson described the color of the back as antique brown, with pale, cinnamon-colored crossbands, with the color buff-yellow on the sides. The head is also colored cinnamon. The scales on the top of the head have little black dots. The sides of the head do not have these little black dots. The front limbs are cinnamon, with the back limbs being tawny. The tail is colored antique brown. Also on the tail are cinnamon-colored crossbands. On the underside, the color is cinnamon as well. The eyes are pale, and greenish silver. As the common name suggests, A. montecristoi is found primarily in trees.

There is very little known about the ecology of A. montecristoi. However, the species is an inhabitant of cloud forests... Wikipedia →