Lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) of the Corn Islands, Caribbean Nicaragua

Abstract

The Corn Islands are two small Caribbean islands with the richest collection of endemic herpetofaunal taxa in Nicaragua. Despite increasing human population and associated habitat alteration, both islands lack protected areas. The lizard fauna of Great Corn Island consists of 14 species corresponding to nine families, and includes three endemic taxa. We collected three lizard species (Corytophanes cristatus, Gonatodes albogularis, and Hemidactylus frenatus) that were not previously recorded from that island. On Little Corn Island, where there were no previous records of lizards, we found seven species (Ctenosaura similis, Gonatodes albogularis, Hemidactylus frenatus, Holcosus undulatus, Iguana iguana, Lepidodactylus lugubris, and Norops unilobatus), all of which are also present on Great Corn Island.