The Green Ameiva is a species of lizard that can be found in parts of Central and South America, as well as on some of the Caribbean Islands.
This lizard is also known by a number of other common names including the Giant Ameiva, the South American Ground Lizard and the Amazon racerunner.
They are a large species of lizard that can grow to around 45-50cm in length.
Green Ameiva Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The family that the Green Ameiva belongs to is called Teiidae. The lizards in this family are native to the Americas.
At the time of writing, there are 18 different genera in this family and around 150 different species.
There are actually a few species in this family that reproduce asexually, which is a form of clonal reproduction.
Genus
The genus that the Green Ameiva belongs to is called Ameiva. This is a genus of Whiptail Lizards that are sometimes called Jungle-Runners.
Some of the other species in this genus include the Venezuelan Ameiva and the Antillean Ameiva.
Species
The scientific name for the Green Ameiva is Ameiva ameiva and there are currently no recognised sub-species.
The species was first described in 1758 by a Swedish taxonomist named Carl Linnaeus.
Linnaeus is credited for formalising binomial nomenclature which is the modern system of naming organisms.
He has described a large number of reptiles including the Yellow Footed Tortoise, the Common Slow Worm, the Eastern Copperhead, the Mediterranean House Gecko, the Northern Water Snake and the Banded Water Snake.
He also described the Ringneck Snake, the Blunthead Three Snake, the Rainbow Lizard, the Greek Tortoise, the Surinam Horned Frog, the Desert Horned Viper and the Nile Monitor.
Green Ameiva Description
The Green Ameiva is a large species of lizard that can grow to around 45cm in length, including the tail, with some specimens measuring even larger.
They have large pores on the insides of their hind legs but these are present in both males and females so it’s not an accurate way to determine gender.
The head, neck and part of the upper body typically has a brownish base color with black and white speckles.
The lower half of the body and the tail is typically a vibrant green coloration. Males typically have a more vibrant green coloration and the greens usually cover more of the body in males.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Green Ameiva is native to parts of South America. In the Northern parts of their range, they can be found in countries such as Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guinea.
They can also be found on some of the islands off the North Coast of South America such as Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.
Further South, they can be found in countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and a small part of Northern Argentina.
They have also been introduced into Florida where they are considered an invasive species in the Southern parts of the State.
The Green Ameiva can be found in a variety of different habitats which helps explain why their geographical distribution is so widespread.
They can be found in tropical Savanna, semi-arid regions with tropical vegetation, forests and on the edges of rainforests.
Green Ameiva Behaviour
The Green Ameiva is a solitary animal that will spend most of their time alone, except for during the mating season.
While they are not considered to be very social animals in the wild, they also don’t seem to be very territorial and home ranges often overlap with other individuals.
They are a diurnal species, meaning they are typically more active during the day time and will sleep at night.
These lizards mainly feed on insects. They will eat a variety of different prey including termites, beetles, cockroaches and spiders. They are even known to eat frogs and other species of lizards.