Common Puerto Rican ameiva
The common Puerto Rican ameiva or Puerto Rican ground lizard ("Pholidoscelis exsul") is a species of lizard in the whiptail family. Geographic range. "Ameiva exsul" is found in coastal habitats of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and Isla Culebra. The species is also found in the Toro Negro State Forest. Description. "Pholidoscelis exsul" is a relatively large lizard; males can grow up to . The maximum recorded male snout-to-vent length (SVL) is , and the maximum recorded female SVL is . Color patterns vary widely among individuals, populations, and islands. Animals  are predominantly colored gray, black, or brown, with large or small white dots along their backs. Dorsolateral stripes vary in number, length, and color. All individuals have a white or blue-white mottled stomach. The chin shield and throat patch are often light pink. Juveniles generally have a bright blue tail and more dots than stripes. Biology. Puerto Rican ground lizards occur in habitat with open canopy structure and loose sandy soil in elevations between sea-level and where the temperature is above 24 °C (75 °F) year-round. Ground lizards forage for insects and small fruits and  scavenge for dead animals or trash scraps in urban areas. Reproduction. Sexually mature females of "P. exsul" bury 2-7 pink eggs approximately below ground in loose soil in June–August. Juveniles may have a bright blue tail, like the closely related "Pholidoscelis wetmorei" (blue-tailed ground lizard), but they will lose the bright blue color in their tail with age. Individuals can live more than six years. Threats. The principle threat to individuals of "P. exsul" is from other animals which eat ground lizards. Mammalian predators include feral cats, dogs, and mongooses. Avian predators include American kestrels, Greater Antillean  grackles, and pearly-eyed thrashers.