Crab Cay Anole
Anolis pinchoti
Anolis pinchoti, the Crab Cay anole, is a species of lizard belonging to the family Dactyloidae, the anoles. This species is endemic to the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina in the Caribbean Sea, these islands making up the Colombian department of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Thibaud Aronson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Thibaud Aronson
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Squamata
Family
Dactyloidae
Genus
Anolis
Crab Cay Anole belongs to the family Dactyloidae, order unknown, within the Squamata class.
Species Profile
Anolis pinchoti, the Crab Cay anole, is a species of lizard belonging to the family Dactyloidae, the anoles. This species is endemic to the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina in the Caribbean Sea, these islands making up the Colombian department of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina.
The Crab Cay Anole faces significant threats due to its extremely limited range, being endemic to a small cay in the Caribbean where it is vulnerable to habitat degradation and climate change impacts. Rising sea levels and increased storm intensity pose particular risks to this island-endemic species, while human activities and invasive species further threaten its specialized coastal habitat.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This species inhabits coastal scrubland, rocky shoreline vegetation, and low-growing shrubs on small Caribbean cays. It occupies areas with sparse vegetation adapted to salt spray and sandy soils in the immediate coastal zone.
Threats
Extremely small range making population vulnerable
Increased hurricane intensity and frequency
Sea level rise and coastal erosion
Habitat degradation from human activities
Invasive species competition and predation
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Crab Cay Anole (Anolis pinchoti). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/crab-cay-anole