Discovery of the Puerto Rican Crested Anole, Anolis cristatellus Duméril & Bibron, on Trinidad

Abstract

We report the first record of the Puerto Rican Crested Anole, Anolis cristatellus, from Trinidad and Tobago. Our report is the furthest south the species has been recorded in the wider Caribbean (CABI Invasive Species Compendium, 2018). On 19 August 2018, one of us (KD) first observed a small population of about five individuals, including an adult male (Fig. 1) near an urban area at La Romain, southwestern Trinidad (10.2498, -61.4861). One of us (DB) caught a juvenile on 26 August 2018 at the same location, and (RJA) brought it to The University of the West Indies Zoology Museum (UWIZM) at the St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad, where it was preserved in 95% ethanol and catalogued (UWIZM.2018.38). Eight other species of Anolis have been reported from Trinidad and Tobago (Murphy et al. 2018), with six of these being introduced to the country; Anolis cristatellus represents the seventh introduced Anolis to Trinidad and Tobago. It can be easily distinguished from all other Anolis on Trinidad by the crest on the tail and body of adult males (Figure 1). Anolis cristatellus has been introduced to countries outside of its native range through human facilitations, such as the transporting of ornamental potted plants (CABI Invasive Species Compendium 2018). The area where we observed the anoles was near the coast, with industrial development nearby. There are two subspecies of Anolis cristatellus and all of those that have been introduced outside of their native range are apparently A. c. cristatellus (Henderson & Powell 2009). Anolis cristatellus has the potential to compete with and displace native and other introduced Anolis species on Trinidad. They occur in both urban and forested areas in their native range and have various attributes that would contribute to being a successful invasive (CABI Invasive Species Compendium 2018). Therefore, the species is considered an ideal organism for studying invasion and adaptation. Tracking and reporting on their distribution can further contribute to knowledge on its invasive and adaptive capabilities.